Been playing with Win 7 -found AVG8 free works ok,but suspiciousabout Zone alarm - no sign of request for connection etc ,though it says it's working ok and it won't take the update .Anyone found a firewall (as said preferrably free) that works on Win7 .Don't trust MS ideas of firewalls/defenders .

I have only used the MS firewall for years, no problems whatsoever. The latest incarnation is far better than most of the free ones currently our there.

There is no other alternative for windows 7 currently, it will get better once 7 gets out of beta, until then dont expect much.

Not free but some of these are a good buy -

Kaspersky Utilities & Security @ Novatech.co.uk : Software :

I like ZoneAlarm's free version, the first few weeks as it 'learns' are infuriating but its good after that.

Not free but some of these are a good buy -

Kaspersky Utilities & Security @ Novatech.co.uk : Software :

There website is on the blink again .............

Is that the 3 user package for £14 Stu ????

If so it's a steal :thumbup:

I saw the single user in tescos the other day for £49.99, which is shocking imo

3 user AV is £11.04

3 user IS is £15.09 - Picked one up yesterday.

3 user IS is £15.09 - Picked one up yesterday.

Thats the one, absolute bargin imo

Personally I use the MS firewall or nothing- which is fine if you're behind a decent router. The fact that you're NATd (and therefore non-routeable to without a port forward) and firewalled means that unless you dowload a trojan you're fairly safe. I know drive-by attacks exist, but I've not had a virus infection in all the years I've used a PC.

Personally I use the MS firewall or nothing- which is fine if you're behind a decent router. The fact that you're NATd (and therefore non-routeable to without a port forward) and firewalled means that unless you dowload a trojan you're fairly safe. I know drive-by attacks exist, but I've not had a virus infection in all the years I've used a PC.

I would agree with you there, but as I started doing banking online I thought I should beef up the defences...........Just in case !!!!

Try Comodo - the latest version has virus detection heuristics as an added extra and a very broad feature set if you don't mind getting your hands dirty.

I like ZoneAlarm's free version, the first few weeks as it 'learns' are infuriating but its good after that.

That's the problem on Win 7 - it shows no sign of doing anything (although it tells me it's protecting ).Suspect for the moment ,except from upgrades ,I'll stick to XP on line knowing that I've got a decent Zone alarm firewall -though I might give Comodo a go and see if it works .

Try Comodo - the latest version has virus detection heuristics as an added extra and a very broad feature set if you don't mind getting your hands dirty.

Im running this after a recent problem with sunbelts firewall, nothing but praise from me so far.

Personally I use the MS firewall or nothing- which is fine if you're behind a decent router. The fact that you're NATd (and therefore non-routeable to without a port forward) and firewalled means that unless you dowload a trojan you're fairly safe. I know drive-by attacks exist, but I've not had a virus infection in all the years I've used a PC.

The problem with that is if you download the virus, say by visiting an infected site, you're screwed straight away. Retail router firewalls have fixed variables and arent all that.

Commercial systems are much more expensive, and usually adaptive with regular updates.

On a home system, I'd always use a software firewall as you can be alerted to what is happening and what's blocked. Many can also interact with your router, and secure it and auto open ports when you use an app, then close it for you.

MS is not as awful as it's made out by some. It doesn't do any outbound rules so if you get infected you might miss it. but it's a lot better than nothing.

Zonealarm is good but paranoid, the paid for version is less noisy. I think the freebie tried to panic the user into upgrading.

Comodo, I've used this on a couple of computers and it seems ok. Very much like Zonealarm.

Do you have a wireless/cable router? If it has a firewall you could switch that on and just not bother putting a firewall on the computer. that's what I do.

My Windows 7 system is running a free one from these people; Anti virus for Linux, Windows and more with firewall, antispam, recovery security - Avira AntiVir

Seems to be Ok on the whole. Still won't use this PC for online banking or shopping etc though.

Try Comodo - the latest version has virus detection heuristics as an added extra and a very broad feature set if you don't mind getting your hands dirty.

Nope -that don't likeWin7 or isit the other way round ?

Ref router -it's the standard Virgin one ,no sign of anything (and that's using iptracer) -from what I can see virgin want you to download their internet security package and from stories it's worse than Norton for slowing things up .Seen that mention of Avira -will try that -means taking AVG off (and although it'seasy to install ,had problems last time getting it off ,or it could be some reaction to takingZone alarm off at the same time )

TBH, windows 7 is still unproven and as such is probably chock full of unfound vulnerabilities, so it'd be hard to say if any existing firewall would be as effective as you'd like. It'll catch the usual ingress stuff but working what outbound activity is suspicious might be trickier.

from what I can see virgin want you to download their internet security package and from stories it's worse than Norton for slowing things up .

It's a load of ****e. Avoid at all costs.

It's a load of ****e. Avoid at all costs.

Thanks - thats the second vote for avoiding it -try to avoud these freebies -usuakky only way to get them off is Format .

The problem with that is if you download the virus, say by visiting an infected site, you're screwed straight away. Retail router firewalls have fixed variables and arent all that.

If it's fixed 'block all incoming traffic not specifically allowed', then where's the problem?

Commercial systems are much more expensive, and usually adaptive with regular updates.

Indeed, but we're talking a home PC here. No need for a PIX or Checkpoint.

On a home system, I'd always use a software firewall as you can be alerted to what is happening and what's blocked.

Quite honestly, I don't need yet another peice of software nagging me . Also, because I'm mean, my home PCs are old and don't need anything else hogging resources .

Many can also interact with your router, and secure it and auto open ports when you use an app, then close it for you.

That just sounds scary. UPNP isn't it? I'd rather control myown firewall rules.

In that situation, you're even worse off. If you're dumb enough to download a trojan, and someone makes it UPNP aware, then it can open an incoming port on your firewall.

D'oh.

I actually think user error is the most significant problem. If you don't visit obviously dodgy sites or infected files over P2P then the Windoze FW is good enough. For example, my Mom (nearly 70) has an XP PC with nothing more complicated that free AV and Windows FW. Becasue she knows not to download crap, no viruses or trojans in many years.

You are aware though that many viruses infect websites these days?

My parents and in-laws only surf general stuff, avoid dodgy things, and I've still found evidence of killed viruses from websites they've been to.

Infact I myself visit a webstore, and let them know they were infected. They had no idea! Windows firewall and NAT were on BTW, and didnt stop it. Mcafee did straight away.

You are aware though that many viruses infect websites these days?

Yep. Drive-by infections.

That is the one weakness, of course, but I think with a well patched browser (preferably not IE), you're safe from those, as the malware has to find an expolit in the browser alone. In fact, there's a good argument for using a really obscure browser because then there's less chance of a site exploiting it.

BTW, how do you find McAfee? It's what we use at work and it seems to be becoming a real resource hog.

It was fine until about 6 months ago, then it became bloated. The last few updates have sorted it right out though on my machine, older slow machine, and the old folks computers.

I'm running the 2008 total protection 4 pc licence, as it was silly money (about £26). I could extend it and take the 2009 for £18.50 for all 4.

Work use Norton, and that as always, sucks. My works laptop takes an age to start up, and it's stripped down XP pro with nothing loaded other than a custom ap and Norton!

Norton is awful, though supposedly they've trimmed it a bit.

I'd agree with your experience of McAfee.

Norton is awful, though supposedly they've trimmed it a bit.

I'd agree with your experience of McAfee.

Norton -and on PC it's norto(loading ,loading ,loading).........................n .

Reports Iheard of McAfee say the same as you're experiences .

At work we've got Norton on XP networked ,but with decent machines -don't know spec,but it's asif they're instant start PCs