Does anybody know where I can find a freeware firewall that'll work with Windows xp? All I want to be able to do is block incoming connections. This is for my dad so I just need something simple, I don't care about being able to open ports or any customizations. I just want to block incoming connections.

[quote author=iago link=board=2;threadid=5781;start=0#msg49451 date=1079321448]
Does anybody know where I can find a freeware firewall that'll work with Windows xp? All I want to be able to do is block incoming connections. This is for my dad so I just need something simple, I don't care about being able to open ports or any customizations. I just want to block incoming connections.
[/quote]

I thought Windows XP had a built-in firewall that blocks incoming connections?

ICF is horrible. Some options:

ZoneAlarm: http://www.zonelabs.com
Tiny Personal Firewall: http://www.tinysoftware.com/home/tiny2?la=EN

I've also heard good things about BlackICE, but I don't think it's free: http://blackice.iss.net/

AtGuard is great, but I think you'd have to pirate it off Kazaa.

I used ZoneAlarm for quite some time, worked well, Stealth has the link.

[quote author=dxoigmn link=board=2;threadid=5781;start=0#msg49454 date=1079321943]
[quote author=iago link=board=2;threadid=5781;start=0#msg49451 date=1079321448]
Does anybody know where I can find a freeware firewall that'll work with Windows xp? All I want to be able to do is block incoming connections. This is for my dad so I just need something simple, I don't care about being able to open ports or any customizations. I just want to block incoming connections.
[/quote]

I thought Windows XP had a built-in firewall that blocks incoming connections?
[/quote]

The built-in firewall xp has it terrible, it doesn't block anything as far as I could tell. I managed to get Blaster with it (I was on dialup trying to get the patch to block it).

Thanks, Stealth, I'll grab one of those.

When I last checked (which was admittedly a very long time ago now -- easily 2-3 years), ZoneAlarm did not work well with NT based kernels. Some buggy driver caused it to do things like leave Starcraft open, and eventually cause complete system failure. It may have improved since then.

I've heard lots of bad things about BlackICE - in particular, that it doesn't support egress control. You can keep things out, but you have no control over things in the system that are trying to call out. This may or may not be an issue for your father, but I rather like being able to exercise some control over the outbound activities of the programs I run.

[quote author=Kp link=board=2;threadid=5781;start=0#msg49495 date=1079362534]
When I last checked (which was admittedly a very long time ago now -- easily 2-3 years), ZoneAlarm did not work well with NT based kernels. Some buggy driver caused it to do things like leave Starcraft open, and eventually cause complete system failure. It may have improved since then.

I've heard lots of bad things about BlackICE - in particular, that it doesn't support egress control. You can keep things out, but you have no control over things in the system that are trying to call out. This may or may not be an issue for your father, but I rather like being able to exercise some control over the outbound activities of the programs I run.
[/quote]

The thing I want to make sure of is that Blaster stays out while I'm installing patchings. That's my #1 concern. And I don't want anything that he has to fiddle with configurations to get programs to run. I got him Norton Antivirus, so if anything is trying to go out it is (probably) legit.

I tried Norton Personal Firewall, I can say it's alright but since i really dont need, i keep it disabled most of the time.

On "Tiny Personal Firewall"'s website,
[quote]Stops Unknown Viruses and Spyware [/quote]

Woo! If it knows the virus it's allowed!

[quote author=Stealth link=board=2;threadid=5781;start=0#msg49461 date=1079327047]I've also heard good things about BlackICE, but I don't think it's free: http://blackice.iss.net/[/quote]My dad bought and uses BlackICE. I hate it.

Then again, I hate all firewalls, and I hate NAT too.

The version that he uses does indeed not have control of outbound connections.

I just turn it off whenever I use his computer.

I know of a free firewall, Norton Intenet Security with crack :D

[quote author=l]ante link=board=2;threadid=5781;start=0#msg49736 date=1079448715]I know of a free firewall, Norton Intenet Security with crack :D[/quote]

Since you posted this, I'm going to assume you're too new here to know better. Software piracy is neither supported nor condoned here.

Ok, thanks for the 411.

P.S. Piracy is wrong