# Free Firewalls (Zonealarm broke)



## LizardKing (Jul 12, 2011)

So I've been using Zonealarm for years with no trouble, when suddenly it decides to completely lock up my computer on start up (it appears to be preventing any other program or process from either launching or closing). Reinstalling it didn't help, and none of the various results on Google seemed to help. There's one last thing I might try tomorrow, but if it doesn't work, does anyone have any decent recommendations for a free firewall?

I'm currently using the Windows one, but I don't trust that as far as I can throw it. System is XP SP3, and using Avast! as well.


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## Runefox (Jul 12, 2011)

Windows Firewall is pretty decent actually, but if you insist, Comodo trounces ZoneAlarm and is generally pretty amazing for a free firewall.


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## FF_CCSa1F (Jul 12, 2011)

Runefox, did you keep in mind that he is using Windows XP? I agree fully that the Windows Firewall is decent - if you're running Windows 7. Most of the times when I've used the Windows XP firewall, it hasn't really done much but ask you if you wanted to allow connections, without actually blocking them.


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## Runefox (Jul 12, 2011)

It does the job of blocking incoming connections, which is the most important job a firewall can do. Blocking outgoing connections / managing applications' access to the internet is a relatively new phenomenon, which while Windows Firewall sucks at it, Comodo does incredibly well.


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## LizardKing (Jul 12, 2011)

Runefox said:


> It does the job of blocking incoming connections, which is the most important job a firewall can do. Blocking outgoing connections / managing applications' access to the internet is a relatively new phenomenon, which while Windows Firewall sucks at it, Comodo does incredibly well.


 
Blocking incoming connections is great and all, but I like to know when and what my PC is actually doing, including outbound connections, so I'll give Comodo a shot. Thanks. 

(Plus it sounds like Komodo which is cool >_>)


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## Onnes (Jul 12, 2011)

LizardKing said:


> Blocking incoming connections is great and all, but I like to know when and what my PC is actually doing, including outbound connections, so I'll give Comodo a shot. Thanks.



If you like that level of management then Comodo is an excellent choice. The only real downsides to it are the number of alerts you need go through when setting it up, and the way its Defense+ system aggressively blocks virus-like applications--I'm looking at you, League of Legends patcher.


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## LizardKing (Jul 12, 2011)

Onnes said:


> If you like that level of management then Comodo is an excellent choice. The only real downsides to it are the number of alerts you need go through when setting it up, and the way its Defense+ system aggressively blocks virus-like applications--I'm looking at you, League of Legends patcher.


 

That's fine, Zonealarm gave me plenty of practice at doing that :3


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## keretceres (Jul 12, 2011)

The only issue with comodo is some not so clued up users can block the wrong things...  My mother stopped rundll from running ._. that was MOST amusing... 'Why won't IE open!?!' -She needs to use IE for work as the intranet only allows IE access. 

Apart from that it sand boxes everything nowadays. 
I STILL use it religiously on my Windows computers though as it allows you more control than most Firewalls


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