anyone know a good, free, windows firewall?

progmacprogmac
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
my brother in law just got a computer with win 2k and is getting some messenger spam and such and has no firewall. i don't know much about windows, but i think he should have a firewall. anyone recommend a good free, non-intrusive windows soufware firewall?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Yeah, unplug it.
  • Reply 2 of 13
    dmband0026dmband0026 Posts: 2,345member
    With all due respect, your brother is a moron. Tell him to sell his computer and get a Mac, it's the only safe way. Built in firewall as well as no viruses for Macs.



    Since he isn't going to take my suggestion (you should still call him a moron and tell him to get a Mac though) check out Version Tracker and search the Windows section for "firewall".



    But, you will probably end up paying for something, you get what you pay for, so you get a free firewall, you may end up being screwed. Oh wait, he already has Windows, that's the biggest screw over anyone can get.
  • Reply 3 of 13
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    Why not just turn off windows messenger service? That fixes that. Firewalls are normally only trouble. Get Antivirus software, Spybot, and probably a better browser then IE. He'll be fine assuming he doesn't install things all "nilly-willy"
  • Reply 4 of 13
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ast3r3x

    Firewalls are normally only trouble.



    I disagree vehemently. *Windows* firewalls may normally only be trouble.



    You have a firewall on your Mac right now... everyone running anything above 10.1 does. And it's simple, unobtrusive, and effective.
  • Reply 5 of 13
    vandewaalsvandewaals Posts: 450member
    ZoneAlarm



    It's the solution I see most frequently insofar as Windows firewalls. It's free too. Plus and Pro cost more and have more features, but I don't know how useful these add-ons are. He could also spring for Norton firewall, or upgrade to Win XP.



    P.S. When you ask for Windows security advice on a Mac board...expect the above replies
  • Reply 6 of 13
    talksense101talksense101 Posts: 1,738member
    Zonealarm is the best. I have used it for several years until I switched to the Mac. McAfee firewall sucks. I still miss zonealarm as it would have helped me prevent some of the more annoying programs like MirrorAgent from connecting to the web when I don't want them to.
  • Reply 7 of 13
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Kickaha

    I disagree vehemently. *Windows* firewalls may normally only be trouble.



    You have a firewall on your Mac right now... everyone running anything above 10.1 does. And it's simple, unobtrusive, and effective.



    Really? I thought the point of firewalls was to block ports not normally used and I say normally they are a pain in the ass because often you have to edit the firewall to open ports you want to use with a different program.
  • Reply 8 of 13
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ast3r3x

    Really? I thought the point of firewalls was to block ports not normally used and I say normally they are a pain in the ass because often you have to edit the firewall to open ports you want to use with a different program.



    In the past three years, I've had to 'edit the firewall' once... and that involved opening up System Preferences -> Sharing -> Firewall and adding a new descriptor. Otherwise, the predefined ones have always sufficed.



    Yes, firewalls *CAN* be a PITA to set up properly. Apple makes it easy. As usual.
  • Reply 9 of 13
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Kickaha

    In the past three years, I've had to 'edit the firewall' once... and that involved opening up System Preferences -> Sharing -> Firewall and adding a new descriptor. Otherwise, the predefined ones have always sufficed.



    Yes, firewalls *CAN* be a PITA to set up properly. Apple makes it easy. As usual.



    Is it on by default though? I knew about that but I don't have it on so I assumed there wasn't any type of firewall running.
  • Reply 10 of 13
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ast3r3x

    Is it on by default though? I knew about that but I don't have it on so I assumed there wasn't any type of firewall running.



    I *believe* it is, but could be wrong... I can't recall the last time I had to set up from a blank install.
  • Reply 11 of 13
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    No, the firewall is not on by default, thankfully.



    Can you imagine the confusion of new users if some of their apps simply wouldn't work out of the box because they couldn't communicate through the default firewall settings? Bleh!
  • Reply 12 of 13
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Thereby illustrating the need for port-specific apps to register which ports they want with the Firewall syspref panel so the user can immediately see what the app wants. \
  • Reply 13 of 13
    progmacprogmac Posts: 1,850member
    cool, thanks guys. i think i'll get him on zone alarm for now. and to respond to the "your brother is dumb and should get a mac" post...it isn't really possible, he doesnt have the money for a mac and if he did buy one it would be financed and in his situation it is better to be out off debt on a PC then in debt on a mac. oh, and the parents gave him the PC he has now, it is their old pentium 2.



    oh, and Kickaha, what point must one reach in computerdom/geekdom to disagree "Vehemently" with someone's opinion on a computer firewall? jk
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