Software Firewall on LAN

So yeah I got that huge virus when I got back from my vacancies and I decided to use to a firewall again.

I naturally went to Zone Alarm Free Edition as I used to use it for a while before, but I didnt have a second computer at the time.

It would seem the free edition of Zone Alarm just won't let the internet sharing between the 2 computers work. That, or I suck at configuring that kind of stuff. Probably a bit of both. The 2 PCs are on a wired LAN. No router. PC#1 is linked to internet, PC#2 connects through PC#1. ZA is on PC#1 (duh).

So hum, any firewall to recomend or solutions with ZA ?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Assuming your running XP, ZoneAlarm is blocking you Internet Connection Sharing between the two computers. I've never used ZA before so I don't know how to configure it.

I can recommend Sygate Firewall 5.5 instead, though. It's awesome, non-restricting but totally configurable and flexible. Also not as a resource hungry as ZA.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Only ZoneAlarm Pro will allow you to use Internet Connection Sharing.

The only things I can think of is either shell out the money for the pro edition (keygen, maybe?) or set up a proxy on the first computer (much more work than you want, in my experience).

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Yeah I'd really prefer a solution that doesnt involve spending money and configuring networks for hours so ... I guess I'll give that Sygate one a try. =)

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by niki

So yeah I got that huge virus when I got back from my vacancies and I decided to use to a firewall again.

Note that firewalls don't stop viruses from befalling your computer. Nor are they intended to do so, for that matter.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Rock

Note that firewalls don't stop viruses from befalling your computer. Nor are they intended to do so, for that matter.

They're intended to stop unwanted intrusions, which is how most viruses propagate these days. Thanks anyway professor. <_<

I tried Sygate 5.6 and, while it effectively allowed internet connection sharing, I kept having some weird issue with it. Basically, it just wouldnt start on XP boot. I'm not sure if it's some sort of malfunction or caused by yet again some weird virus.

Just as a sidenote, the thing that I'm currently fighting against is particularly powerful. It pings my comp 2 seconds after first XP boot, contaminates basically every .exe it can find, blocks access to famous antivirus sites, and ends up automatically closing every security-related software I open.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Most viruses are actually distributed via E-Mail or downloaded files. I've never heard of any firewall able to stop a virus, because that's what anti-virus software is for. Firewalls are for controlling in and outbound network traffic and inspect it for broken TCP packets, flooding and the like. You'll never be able to stop unwanted intrusions with a firewall. If you download a file containing a virus, it'll be on your computer, regardless of the firewall you're using.

Originally Posted by niki

Just as a sidenote, the thing that I'm currently fighting against is particularly powerful. It pings my comp 2 seconds after first XP boot, contaminates basically every .exe it can find, blocks access to famous antivirus sites, and ends up automatically closing every security-related software I open.

Any decent anti-virus software should allow you to create a bootable CD for scanning/removing viruses. Alternatively, get one of those mini-Linux (Knoppix) or mini-XP distros bootable from CD and bundled with malware removal software.

If this still doesn't help, I guess a system disk format would be in order.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Rock

Most viruses are actually distributed via E-Mail or downloaded files. I've never heard of any firewall able to stop a virus, because that's what anti-virus software is for. Firewalls are for controlling in and outbound network traffic and inspect it for broken TCP packets, flooding and the like. You'll never be able to stop unwanted intrusions with a firewall. If you download a file containing a virus, it'll be on your computer, regardless of the firewall you're using.


Any decent anti-virus software should allow you to create a bootable CD for scanning/removing viruses. Alternatively, get one of those mini-Linux (Knoppix) or mini-XP distros bootable from CD and bundled with malware removal software.

If this still doesn't help, I guess a system disk format would be in order.

Formated two times already but I keep a partition ready for XP. The thing always hit me as soon as install is over. To counter this, I just un-hooked the internet cables and installed a version of AVG I had time to download before I had to format. Guess what happened? In 2 seconds AVG was hijacked by viruses probably downloaded from a trojan that survived the format. So I reformated, and enabled XP's firewall. This time the anti virus could do it's job and clean the trojan from the other partition *thanks* to the firewall. That's all I meant.

I just installed Kerio, and after configuring ports for a bit, internet works on both comps and viruses are'nt back so far... *crosses fingers*

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?