Firewall Ratings

[slowrtrfickeeprt]

I know this reads like a great big plug for firewalls, but I just thought I'd drop some VERY interesting info on you guys. After searching around for a better firewall than Norton, I found a website called PCFLANK.com You can check your firewall performance there to see how it stands up. I realize that many people think that any ole firewall will do, but that couldn't be further from the truth. If you are concerned about your PC security, and especially if you are using broadband, you should get a good firewall. After trying literally all that were available, here is my top 3:

1) Kerio (from kerio dot com--it's free for personal use, passes all the tests, is easy to use, has minimal cpu usage...did I mention it's free?!?)

2) Zone Alarm (from zonelabs dot com--reasonably priced, passes all tests, easy to configure, and is hated by hackers!)

3) Look-N-Stop (from soft4ever dot com--good price, passes all tests, is relatively easy to configure, and has a nice interface.)

Here is a link to see how PCFLANK ranks them all...you won't find Kerio in the mix as it is fairly new:

http://www.pcflank.com/art19.htm

Couple a good firewall with an anonymizer and anonymous proxy server, and you are practically invisible (well, as much as you can be).

For more information on anonymous surfing, check out all-nettools dot com.

Hope you enjoyed!!!

[bandit73]

Check GRC.com they do the same thing.

[Blaster]

I just bought a 25 user WebRamp 700s 4 port firewall router on ebay for $46.00. The WebRamp line has been bought by Nokia who says they aren't going to support it anymore. SonicWall wrote the Firewall s/w used in the WebRamp and the last frimware update from WebRamp is 5.1.1 BUT when I updated my WebRamps firmware and told it to use SonicWalls firmware update 5.7.1 it not only took it, but converted the WebRamp to a SonicWall :D

The 700s I bought was slightly used (the guy bought it on ebay but resold it when he found it was no longer supported) but Lots of new ones were being sold at like $70.00. I now see people there, who presumably bought them for $70, reselling them for like $99-$125 (still a heck of a deal for what was a $400 firewall)

I was So glad to get rid of all the "resource robbing" s/w firewalls and use a h/w firewall that I could enable print & file sharing that I was afraid to enable but now have confidence because it's all behind the h/w protection.

Check it out ;)

[scorp68]

Good post with some really good information..thanks. I just purchased and installed last week "zone alarm" for $50 and it's well worth the coin.

[mountainman11]

Linux, it comes with a firewall, web server, mail server, ftp server, telnet server, just about anything else you can think of, and is free to download. ;)