PTravel

I've been using the Sygate Personal Firewall for years and I've been very happy with it. However, now that it's discontinued, I'm looking around for alternatives.

ZoneAlarm is awful -- too "You're a stupid user and don't need to know what I'm doing". It's intrusive, incompatible with some software that I use and, most of all, blocks VNC, which I need.

I looked at Keri, but it also blocks VNC.

I'm trying Agnitum Outpost Pro and it looks pretty good. It's very customizable, rules-oriented, works with VNC and, at least so far, doesn't seem to be interfering with anything.

Anyone ever use it? Opinions?

ScottC

Out of curiosity; are you connected through a router at home? Do you have any ports open on your machine?

I've been running for years without any firewall but do scan for spyware and virus files. Other than that I feel just fine without any of these things. My router stops anything I don't like.

CPRich

Same here. I find a hardware firewall (i.e. a router) to be much more effective than trying to trap intrusions on my machine after letting them in. I haven't had an alert in a long time, so I ran full scans last night (Spybot, Spyware Blaster, Ad-Aware, MS Spyware) for the first time in months and none of them found anything.

PTravel

Yes, I am. However, one of my machines is a laptop, and it travels with me, out from behind the firewall.

Yes, I do. My home network runs an FTP server, must be accessible through VNC and VPN, has a Slingbox, and a hacked DirecTivo, all of which require open ports on the router.

In addition to a variety of applications that require open ports, as part of my job (intellectual property lawyer) I have to look at questionable sites and, on occassion, download questionable software. I'm concerned, therefore, about bi-directional protection -- stuff can get in.

However, most important of all, my machines took a long time to set up, I work with data that can't easily be backed up (I edit video), and my time is too valuable to recreate the computer configuration and the projects that reside on it. I'm a belt-and-suspenders guy, and I'll always use software firewalls, along with malware and anti-virus software on the desktop machines. It should be obvious why a firewall is needed on a laptop.

PTravel

Webroot Spy Sweeper will find malware that Adaware and Spybot miss -- I say this from experience. MS' beta version of its malware software was okay, but less powerful than the Webroot product. It's new version is just a mess, however -- intrusive and bloated.

USAFAN

I use a 54Mbps Wireless Travel Router (Mfg Part #: WGR101NA) on the road. I assume this little box would do the trick:

PTravel

So do I -- at least when I'm in hotel rooms. It is not a feasible alternative to a software firewall when I'm at client offices, airports, deposition sites, etc.

I do like the wireless travel router in hotel rooms, though -- it lets me use my laptop anywhere in the room, which is particularly nice if I want to watch a Slingbox-streamed video in bed.

USAFAN

ScottC:
At home I have a D-Link DI-524 Router. After I read your comments, I checked the router, and the firewall is DISABLED
Right now, I am not ready to enable the firewall in the router ... please, don't bash me...I fear a disaster with some of my on line applications and connected PCs. I am not an expert and can't risk a mess ... I'll get educated on this and then start this job. Due to some firewall issues, I had already some big problems .. and the first question from the software people always is: "Do you have a firewall...?"

Now everything runs fine. I have some software (MS Defender beta, Zone Alarm, Win Patrol ...) running. I also check with Spybot, Ewido, AdAware....

USAFAN

You are correct! I didn't think about WiFi and the other possible sites you mentioned.

BTW, it looks like you are pretty/mighty knowledgeable. Then you also know, that you are vulnerable, if you are on-line. I still remember Dr. Klaus Brunnstein, Professor for Informatics, he is an expert on computer security, saying:

If you want 100% security, keep it off-line!

PTravel

Sure, but that's simply not a feasible alternative. For what it's worth, the kinds of problems I've encountered have been pretty minor, e.g. people trying to access my ftp server, port scans, etc. Of greater concern to me, because of some of the things I have to do, is picking up some malware, in which case the worry is outward-bound internet access that wouldn't be caught by a router-based firewall. At the moment, there is no program, or combination of programs, that will catch 100% of all malware everytime. That's why I rely on software firewalls -- they'll, at least, catch the internet activity.