need a good free firewall

[space cadet]

any reccommendations?
I used to use sygate but the site I download it from seems to be disabled. I don't trust these other ones.

[triplebird]

I use and like Zonealarm (http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload2.jsp?dc=12bms&ctry=US&lang=en&lid=staticcomp_za)

Brent

[GDwarf]

I used to use the free version of Zone Alarm, and loved it. I now used the paid version, but the differences have to do with extra features, not level of protection, I certainly recommend it.

[sabotai]

I also use ZoneAlarm (the free version). IMHO, the best freeware firewall available.

[paulie jay]

I've been using the free version of ZoneAlarm for some years now. No complaints :)

[Roy Batty]

Having just tried Kerio recently & not been overly impressed (I like to tinker:)), I really recommend the free Zone Alarm too. Have used it for years now, for all my pc's.

But seriously, if you can spare the money, get yourself a hardware router too, even if you just have the one computer & especially if you have a broadband connection (I've found Linksys is good personally), that's the best protection for incoming stuff! Though it never hurts to still have a s/w firewall as well for the outbound. If you are on XP then it's firewall is still ok. Shudder, did I really admit that? heh, I have it turned off, get Zone Alarm;)

[Metricyard]

Zone Alarm. Best free one out there. As others, Ive used it for years with no problems.
download it here (http://www.download.com/ZoneAlarm-Internet-Security-Suite/3000-10435_4-10530107.html)

[HenrikOlsen]

I had Zone Alarm for a while, until an automated update crashed the machine every reboot until I could get it deinstalled in safe mode.
I waited a while in the hope that a never version would come that fixed the crashing, installed the newest and had it until the next update at which time it promptly got the crash at load habit again.
I haven't used it since.

[Metricyard]

I had Zone Alarm for a while, until an automated update crashed the machine every reboot until I could get it deinstalled in safe mode.
I waited a while in the hope that a never version would come that fixed the crashing, installed the newest and had it until the next update at which time it promptly got the crash at load habit again.
I haven't used it since.

I have seen that happen, but it was a pretty new program at the time.( at least for me).

I haven't seen it crash a computer in quite a while. They've got most of the major bugs worked out.

[Woody-]

I'll give another vote for Zone Alarm, I have used it for years with good results.

[captain swoop]

yup zone alarm

[mickal555]

Hmmm I use kero at the mo. but after all the zonealarm reports... I might switch back...

[Vermonter]

I'm just using the Windows SP2 firewall. I found that Norton Internet Security screws with the Windows one, and I've had to fix numerous computers that have blocked themselves from everything when having both firewalls on.

[Maksutov]

On the subject of ZoneAlarm, has anyone received a notice from them regarding an "important security update"? I did and authorized it. Now, such things have been in the past, tweaks which were typically a few hundred KBs. But my download manager reported this one as being over 32MB. I halted the download at that point.

Plus it was from a ZoneAlarm page that looked different. The header said ZoneAlearm by Check Point®. Looking at the "About..." screen showed my current version is by ZoneAlarm Labs a Check Point® company.

Has ZoneAlarm Labs been absorbed by Check Point®? Hopefully this won't spell the end of the free version.

:think:

[Moose]

Yes, they're owned by Check Point now, but the free version is still there. Careful with the Pro version, it's very bloaty and will throw up popup after popup.

I've been giving Comodo a thorough trial. It's free, it seems pretty good, and it's pretty much what attracted me to Zone Alarm in the first place, and nearly no bloat whatsoever. Although it seems to forget Allow instructions I've given it from time to time.

[Occam]

Go here and take your pick http://www.freewarefiles.com/

[Alan G. Archer]

I also noticed a significant increase in the size of the setup file for ZoneAlarm 7 Free Version. The file is just a little larger than the setup file for ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7. I suspect that the free version now includes the full suite, waiting patiently for me to click the "Try ZoneAlarm Security Suite" button on the Control Center main screen.

Some of the bloating may also be due to having to support Vista.

The setup file for ZoneAlarm 7 Pro is 14.8 MB.

I prefer to cleanly install ZoneAlarm.

[Serenitude]

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Just piping in, Zone Alarm is overall the best free firewall. However, they're owned by a new company. There has been some discussion on questionable packets being sent to the parent company, but it'll likely turn out to be nothing. But, it's true, the size of the free download has more than doubled recently. A freind installed it just a few days ago, and it was a 38.8 meg download...

I, myself, use the XP SP2 Firewall. It stealths your PC from tests such as Shields Up!, etc... just as well as ZoneAlarm, for a tiny fraction of the resources. The catch - it only monitors one way. Inbound traffic only. Of course, if you don't do any "questionable" surfing, this may be all you need.

Note, though, that Vista's firewall protects as well as ZoneAlarm - it monitors both inbound AND outbound traffic. However, ZoneAlarm is a fine program, and highly recommended, if you don't want to go with the "Evil Empire"