Software Firewall recommendation

Okay, I keep hearing that Zone Alarm is the best thing out there but it seems to block a lot of crap that I enjoy. I'm using the free version now but the professional one you crack has antivirus and spyware scanning that seems useless compared to standalone products and it blocks irc and other programs from working correctly even when you tell it to grant these programs access. It's just retarded. Plus the whole approval thing for both versions is getting old. You figure it would keep tabs on what programs are safe by now.

Anyway, what software firewalls do you recommend?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I keep hearing good things about Sygate Personal Firewall 5.5 but isn't it like from 2004 and the company doesn't exist anymore or something? Like did Norton buy them out or something? There's something about a security product with that big a lag time and lack of future releases that I don't trust. Maybe 5.5 does the job correctly but I don't know.

Another thing I hate about Zone Alarm is that whenever the product needs to update itself you have to download a new installer and then restart your system afterwards and they like come out with a new version every week or so, so it's very annoying.


Rock, I'd love to use a router while I'm at school but unless I spoof my MAC address their network won't let me online. And even then I lose a lot of abilities I had like apache, ftp, etc. They just don't work when I spoof my MAC address in the router so I need some form of protection when not using a router.

Also, even if I had a router I don't want to use Windows' lousy firewall so Security Center won't stop yelling at me that I don't have a firewall on until I install one or use Windows' crappy one. Is there a way to set up a dummy firewall to shut it up in case I use a router and don't want a bloated software firewall hogging up resources?


Really I still find myself using a software firewall so any more information on Sygate or perhaps even Kerio?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Oh I see, go under Change the way Security Center alerts me in Resources and Security Center will shut up. Thanks.

I'd like to keep Security Center since I like automatic updates.

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

Do you mind explaining what's so good about it? A name is good and I appreciate the help but two word answers are considered spam. Can you tell me about Agnitum Outpost and what makes it better than Zone Alarm, Kerio, etc?

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