Comodo

[Rainbow32]

I found the Comodo firewall today and was wondering if anyone has used it. I was a fan of ZA until a couple of their updates in the past caused problems. Used XP's one way half ass firewall since. I like Comodo and it isn't really excessive on the resources, using around 30,000K.
http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/

[mylanta]

I hear the antivirus is a horror show...Try this firewall
http://www.primedius.com/PersonalFirewall.htm

[jcampi]

I tried the Comodo firewall and it was a nightmare. It affected certain programs I have in startup and prevented them from running. I used the firewall for less than an hour and had to remove it. Good Luck!

[mylanta]

I just used Premedius and it shut down my wireless adapter so out it went! here I am allowing the browsers and I could see no where to allow the wireless and it was dead. What is the matter with the folks that makes this crappy software. Sygate was the only good one, Thanks Symantec Crapware!

[Pi rules]

There aren't really any good free ones anymore. :( Try Kerio Personal Firewall's 30 day trial. I didn't, but it looks good.

Edit: Just found out it isn't compatible with Vista.

[mylanta]

There aren't really any good free ones anymore. :( Try Kerio Personal Firewall's 30 day trial. I didn't, but it looks good.

Edit: Just found out it isn't compatible with Vista.

That one was a disaster...I don't even care about free, I owned a Pro version of Sygate and never use freee anyway. I cannot find a paid version that is worth a damn.
I have tried ZA so many times and it goes in fine network is seen, surfs great then shut down and start up again and browsers are locked and disabling it won't even allow network.I am real sick of that one. I might try paid version to see if that is solution if there is a trial version.

[PeteF]

I have tried ZA so many times and it goes in fine network is seen, surfs great then shut down and start up again and browsers are locked and disabling it won't even allow network.

Rich, I'm having real good luck with ZA having installed it on so many
PCs. The trick might be the version I'm using. I have most faith in
ZoneAlarm_v5-1-033-000.

From time to time I'll install ZoneAlarm_v6-1-737-000 but that has,
on ocasion, given me troubles upon installation or sometimes it
blocks programs even though I tell it to unblock them after
initially blocking. In this case I just resort back to the other
version, ZoneAlarm_v5-1-033-000.

As for the network, just remember to manually enter an IP range
in the Firewall Zones section such as.. 192.168.1.0 - 192.168.1.255 .

---pete---

[dbarrow]

You HAVE to configure the trusted zone with the IPs of the network.
While it will self-detect, still check the Trusted Zone for an IP RANGE that covers all connected devices, as Pete said
192.168.0.1- 192.168.0.255 (or highest number assigned by the router.
Even add, 192.168.0.1 and the subnet 255.255.255 for the router.

What happens, and I've been there before, if you don't put the IP of the other machine in the Trusted Zone, it initially connects and then after a while, and an ICMP ping, it is no longer recognized and vanishes because it is now blocked because you didn't tell it to allow it.
You may see that in the EVENT LOG, where it will tell you a ping to the network from the IP of one of the machines was blocked.

Many Windows Services, Like Application Layer Gateway Management, need permission to access the Intranet and Internet. Those show up under Program Control where you check off those boxes. Although these also sefl-detect on a fresh install, if you miss the popup and don't grant it permission and check remember, it may not work next time around.

ZA is not a PITA to configure and the newest versions do a good job of self-detect on install reading and adding the network, but you still have to play by its' rules.

[jcampi]

I tried almost every conceiveable firewall out there and ended up just removing all of them. Now I just use the Windows XP Firewall and it works for me. I also have a hardware firewall with the wireless router. I've never been happier. The computers run faster and with less problems.

[Seth]

I tried almost every conceiveable firewall out there and ended up just removing all of them. Now I just use the Windows XP Firewall and it works for me. I also have a hardware firewall with the wireless router. I've never been happier. The computers run faster and with less problems.

That's exactly my setup as well.

Ditto on the happy factor.

[mylanta]

You HAVE to configure the trusted zone with the IPs of the network.
While it will self-detect, still check the Trusted Zone for an IP RANGE that covers all connected devices, as Pete said
192.168.0.1- 192.168.0.255 (or highest number assigned by the router.
Even add, 192.168.0.1 and the subnet 255.255.255 for the router.

What happens, and I've been there before, if you don't put the IP of the other machine in the Trusted Zone, it initially connects and then after a while, and an ICMP ping, it is no longer recognized and vanishes because it is now blocked because you didn't tell it to allow it.
You may see that in the EVENT LOG, where it will tell you a ping to the network from the IP of one of the machines was blocked.

Many Windows Services, Like Application Layer Gateway Management, need permission to access the Intranet and Internet. Those show up under Program Control where you check off those boxes. Although these also sefl-detect on a fresh install, if you miss the popup and don't grant it permission and check remember, it may not work next time around.

ZA is not a PITA to configure and the newest versions do a good job of self-detect on install reading and adding the network, but you still have to play by its' rules.

Doug please I did all that and the damn thing did everything I said and the annoyaince it provided was not worth the piece of mind.