Can you recommend a free firewall program for Windows 2000 besides Zone Alarm?

[vegeta1215]

I'm setting up this old computer for my Aunt so she can get online and surf the web and check email. The machine is only a 200 MHz K6 and has 96 megs of RAM. It isn't powerful enough to run Windows XP or Linux very well (at least not with an integrated desktop envorinment like KDE), so I put Windows 2000 on it. It runs suprisingly well despite its specs.

Anyways, we're going to use this computer with a broadband connection and I want to install a personal firewall for the computer. I tried Zone Alarm's free firewall. I have used Zone Alarm before and I really like it, but that was with Windows 98. On Windows 2000 it doesn't run very well :( Upon logging in and trying to access the net, Zone Alarm prevents my browsers from connecting despite the browsers being listed in the "allowed" programs section. Only after shutting down and restarting Zone Alarm does it work. Plus it crashed the computer a few times.

So, can anyone recommend a free personal firewall that works well with Windows 2000? One I am looking at is Sygate Personal Firewall. Or, if you know how to solve my problem with Zone Alarm, that would be great.

[DarkDragon]

Are you absolutely sure you want a firewall? In ten years of surfing the internet I've never had the protection of a firewall, and my computer has not once been hacked. I'm personally quite contemptuous of firewalls and their so-called protection: in my opinion, they suck up system resources just so that they can complain loudly that normal network traffic is "hacking" my computer. Firewalls are understandable on corporate computers or in networks where they serve to slow the spread of viruses, but on a home computer, the most it'll do is occasionally let you know when *you* have a trojan.
In any case, I'd be very surprised if you found a firewall that did anything that you couldn't do better yourself by simply turning off the services you don't use.

[bigjoe]

Well said, DarkDragon.

Firewalls are mostly bloatware. Never install Norton!

[AlexMax]

I have been in your same predicimant. Most firewalls out there have not been very nice to me, especially Zone Alarm.

However, my search for the best firewall has been completed for quite some time. I've run this program for months, it's really easy to configure, and it's never given me lip.

Kerio Personal Firewall (http://www.kerio.com/us/kpf_home.html)

You have to allow permission for programs to use ceratin ports the first time you use them, but after that, they work great. I've run several servers using it with no problem.

I do, however, think I am running an outdated version of it, because the about box says that it's copyright 2001-2002. Newer versions might be more bloated, though I hope they're not.

[Flash Man]

Are you absolutely sure you want a firewall? In ten years of surfing the internet I've never had the protection of a firewall, and my computer has not once been hacked. I'm personally quite contemptuous of firewalls and their so-called protection: in my opinion, they suck up system resources just so that they can complain loudly that normal network traffic is "hacking" my computer. Firewalls are understandable on corporate computers or in networks where they serve to slow the spread of viruses, but on a home computer, the most it'll do is occasionally let you know when *you* have a trojan.
In any case, I'd be very surprised if you found a firewall that did anything that you couldn't do better yourself by simply turning off the services you don't use.

Firewalls do NOT stop computers from getting viruses. There are a few viruses that take advantage of some poorly constructed features of Windows that actually can be stopped by firewalls, although they are very few in numbers. I would recommend anyone having broadband getting a firewall, but I would not recommend anyone getting a software firewall. A router would definately be a good choice. Not only are you supplied with a firewall, but if you were to gain any extra computers you could share the internet with that. A hardware firewall will not ask you to learn what programs it needs to be aware of, instead it by default has certain ports open which do not allow bad traffic to enter. If you have a program that does not work with the internet all you would have to do is find the port (Generally tells you or lets you modify) and enter it in the router. On sale at Best Buy they generally cost $19.99-$29.99 after rebates. This week in my area Best Buy has a NetGear wired router for $19.99 and a wireless 802.11b wireless router for $29.99. Last week they had Linksys for $10 more on each. Next week they will probably have D-Link for the same price as NetGear.

[fatcatfan]

Whatever product you choose, hardware or software, test it out here (https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2).

[vegeta1215]

Like Flash Man said, if you're using broadband you'd be crazy to not have a firewall.

I wound up replacing Windows 2000 with Windows XP. The installs were very similar looking, but XP took a lot longer to install. It did detect and install drivers for all my hardware though, with the exception of the onboard sound card which isn't supported. After applying all the critical updates, I'm suprised XP actually runs ok on this old computer, at least well enough for someone to use it just for internet access.

I think I'm going to settle with the firewall built into Windows XP for now since I'm not sure how my aunt will connect to the net yet (whether it be behind a router or not). When I find out, I'll decide what to do next. Thanks for your suggestions and links. That firewall testing llink fatcatfan provided will be handy in the future ;)

Speaking of Windows XP, I read an article on The Screen Savers website about things you can do to "trim the fat" of XP (it involves disabling a lot of unneeded services). It worked nicely, and I'd recommend it for those with slow computers wanting to speed things up a little: http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/windowstips/story/0,24330,3363639,00.html

[AlexMax]

Whatever product you choose, hardware or software, test it out here (https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2).

Thanks for the link. I found that my system wasn't as secure as I thought it was..updating my Kerio rules now.

[AtmaWeapon]

Oh ye who have no firewall, fear the MSBLAST worm. You may think it's old and gone, but on my home computer ZoneAlarm detects about 100 hits a day on port 135. Plus, it's one more level of security against viruses. I forgot to set up IE right and proper when I first got this laptop, and soon was infected by an ActiveX control with some kind of worm. I would not have noticed except ZoneAlarm asked me if I wanted to grant the program access.

On the subject of routers, I've been seriously debating buying a wireless router. Only problem is, I have no idea how to configure it so both my programs can access the internet and my neighbors cannot access it at my expense. Can anyone explain/link to a guide?

[vegeta1215]

On the subject of routers, I've been seriously debating buying a wireless router. Only problem is, I have no idea how to configure it so both my programs can access the internet and my neighbors cannot access it at my expense. Can anyone explain/link to a guide?

I'm in the same boat. I need to do some research to learn about how that all works. What I hope to eventually do is set up a wireless router to our DSL service in our summer house so we can be online from anywhere in the house, and also have my aunt who lives next door connect also with this computer I'm setting up.

[Saffith]

I have no idea how to configure it so both my programs can access the internet and my neighbors cannot access it at my expense. Can anyone explain/link to a guide?It doesn't go into much detail, but this may be some help: http://www.techtastic.ca/articles/wireless-security.html

[DarkDragon]

Oh ye who have no firewall, fear the MSBLAST worm.

Worms aren't going to do jack shit to my system when my nonessential ports, including 135, are closed.

[vegeta1215]

Thanks for the link Saffith! I also found something similar on the page for this wireless g Linksys router / 4 port switch: http://linksys.com/splash/wirelessnotes.asp It looks pretty nice. It's one of the models I saw up Best Buy. One of the workers there said to save my money though cause a new wireless protocol is due out soon, one that supposubly more secure and better than wireless g? Beats me though. :shrug:

[fatcatfan]

Wait for 'a' to be widely available. D-Link already has them for sell, I know, but you can't go to the local store and pick one up yet. At least not around here.

[deathbyhokie]

On the subject of routers, I've been seriously debating buying a wireless router. Only problem is, I have no idea how to configure it so both my programs can access the internet and my neighbors cannot access it at my expense. Can anyone explain/link to a guide?

i have a wireless router myself. as far as ours goes, when you set up the network, you cna assign it a password that you have to enter to use that particular wireless connection. we just have a problem with instant messaging services(and IRC) continuly kicking myself, or my roommate when we're both online.

[fatcatfan]

Here's one that does it all: D-Link DI-784 Tri-Mode Dualband 802.11a/b/g (2.4/5GHz) 4-Port Wireless 108Mbps Router (http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=299)

You can also look around there to read about its security features: WEP, WAP, 802.11X

EDIT: and some security info (http://www.netgear.com/pdf_docs/10StepsWirelessSecurity.pdf) from NetGear

[vegeta1215]

Wireless a sounds nice cause it's as fast/faster than wireless g and at a higher frequency that doesn't interfere/receive interference from other devices like wireless g does (such as microwaves and cordless phones) I heard it has a smaller range though.

[fatcatfan]

I'm trying to figure out if the NetGear VPN routers act as VPN servers too. If so, you could use VPN security from your wireless card to the wireless access point... and VPN is quite secure. But I think, instead, the routers are only VPN friendly, and you have to buy a separate VPN server, as well as client software, to get this level of security.

[Kamaria]

My opinion? Buy current versions Norton Anti-virus and Norton Personal Firewall. The two programs together have served me fine thus far. Maybe they're not free, but they work and don't slow down your computer. Oh, and don't get Systemworks like I once did, because it does slow down your computer.