Computer Question

[Eagle]

Still running Win98, but it seems I'm being forced to move up to a more contemporary version of Netscape (no, I won't run IE, so don't go there). With the added capability will come added vulnerability, so I guess it's also time for me to install one of them thar' "personal firewall" thingies.

Can any of you IT and geek types recommend a good one for the Win98 platform, that's not super expensive? I used to read about one called Black Ice, but when I just Googled for "personal firewall" Black Ice didn't even show up. Is it still available? Is it any good? What else should I be looking at?

TIA

 

[GI-John]

I used zone alarm on my 98 based system w/ netscape w/o any problems

check out www.zdnet.com and check out the download sections for firewalls. Zonealarm is free BTW.

While you're at it, you might want to try a few spyware killing programs. I use spybot and ad-aware. You'll be suprised at how much you'll find.



HTH,

John

 

[F. F.]

For a software firewall, zonealarm is not bad. Easier to configure than some. Couple it with good anti-virus and updated definitions.... is not too bad.

 

[Tucker]

I agree w/all of the above. I use ZoneAlarm at home and work, and BlackIce at work along with hardware firewalls.

The free version of ZoneAlarm has some wierdnesses (like if you set it so that it does not start up automatically at boot time, some programs are still blocked until you explicitly start ZoneAlarm) but they aren't show-stoppers even though the Pro version has more features.

BlackIce is more configurable, IMO, but it isn't free ($40 and up). You can get BlackIce here.

hth

(edited for typos)

 

[RichP]

save yourself some grief

The single most effective method and one that will allow you the most flexability in the future when you get broad band is the following:
Pick up an SMC 7004ABR HARDWARE firewall/router and a cheap actiontec v92 external modem w/built in serial cable.
You use the external modem connected to the firewall to make your internet connection over dialup and have all the features of the firewall with it's 4 port built in switch. When you get broadband all you do is plug the cable or dsl modem into the SMC's WAN [Wide Area Network] port and you are done.
Personally I find those 'personal software' firewalls alot more trouble than they are worth especially with win98. Win98 has a tough enough time managing resources and ZA is a hog.
I've been installing those SMC's at a rate of about 3 a week and alot of them are replacements for Dlink, Netgear, linksys and the other cheap home router/firewalls. Actually the netgears are not bad but don't have the built in print server and modem failover of the SMC's. If you go on to http://www.pricewatch.com and do a search for smc7004abr you will find them for about $70 and the actiontec modems are sold at circuit city for $49 as of tues when I picked up 3 for customers.
It allows you to block and open ports and quite a few other things. They are very flexible, I even use them, bigger 8 port rack mount version 7008 model, for commercial accounts that are running big pipes [T-1's on up to DS3's running 10meg which is the limit on the wan port on them]. You will also need a network card and cable for your PC but thats about it.
I don't see why everyone does not use them. Now a days I would no sooner plug a modem directly into one of my systems than I would piss on an electric fence. With the storms we had this summer I think I went thru almost 3 cases of modems, @ 24 to a case. Those routers pretty much isolate your systems or pc from that kind of damage. I have no qualms about replaceing customers PCI modems, it's just more repeat business from those that don't want to spend the money for a good amd safe setup. For those of you that say 'plug it into a good power strip with phone and cable protection' those power strips start to deteriorate from the first spike they get hit with so unless you paid upwards of $200 bucks for one and it's over a couple of years old it's not doing much good other than providing a false sense of security. The high end ones have the ability to replace the thyristor when it fails.
JMO.
Eagle,if you have more questions give me a call.
One of the nice features about ZA is it alerts you to every single *R%*#+$ thing so you feel good about buying it.

 

[Glenn B]

Rich, ya bag on Zone Alarm every chance ya get.
It is a good thing for some people, and has many good features.... some like it, some do not.
Is a Hardware firewall better? No doubt... that is why I qualified my post with "software firewall".
No matter what, in a perfect world, nobody in the industry would agree anyhow.
I would at least ask that if you like a product... great, extole the virtues of said product. BUT, no need to bag on a product that you think is a "feel good" product only. Know what I mean?

BTW: the last line of your post is WAYYYY off. You do not have to buy Zone alarm. Yeah, I have serveral licenses. No, none of my machines have it installed at the moment. Zone Alarm has its place. We are talking about a Dial-Up user running Win98 and Netscape. You want him to go buy a router now? And configure it? Then when the internet is not working... where is the problem? Sometimes it is best to just keep things simple.

You also mention it is a hog. What was the last version you ran? They have fixed that problem a few releases ago.

 

[Jeep Biscuit]

@tGuard.

That is all.

 

[Matthew Currie]

You might also check Staples, etc. for rebate deals. Not long ago I got Norton INternet Security (with a fresh copy of Anti-Virus) with a double rebates that = "free" when the check arrives. Part of the rebate requires an existing copy of some Symantec product, though. Even an oem copy of Anti-Virus will do. I actually got it partly because it's the cheapest way to renew my AV subscription for another year, but the firewall works fine too.

I'm using Netscape 7 and it works well on Win. 98, but the mail program is not as nice as 4.7 (you can't choose "delete flagged messages!"), and the browser bookmarks don't cascade, so if you have a lot of bookmarks, you have to arrow down. Otherwise, it works well, and doesn't crash nearly as often as 4.7.

 

[5-90]

Eagle -
Norton Internet Security, IIRC, now comes with Norton Personal Firewall, and that's what I've been using for a while. It backs up my hardware firewall (sorry, don't remember the model,) but I've got a home LAN and I'm pretty sure you don't - so that's not an issue for you.

Norton Personal Firewall is rather easy to configure, and does a decent job of killing a lot of ads. You will also find a setting in Netscape 7.1 that allows you to kill pop-ups, which also seems to work fairly well. I also like the "tabbed browsing" feature in N7.x, as it allows me to work on several topics at once while keeping information collected and segregated at the same time. I only open a new window for a new topic.

I also second the nomination for Lavasoft Ad-Aware for killing spyware - I started using it last year (on a recommendation from here!) and it has been quite thorough.

Expect Norton Internet Security to be about $40, there is usually a rebate. The full suite will include Nortin Anti-Virus as well.

5-90

 

[Speed_racer]

Scan for spyware, and then use mozilla, www.mozilla.org

 

[Jeep Biscuit]

@tguard was free until bought by norton. norton added a pile of junk to it and charges you for it.

 

[Eagle]

Thanks, guys. I guess I'll have to pay a visit to Staples, CompUSA, and Cicuit City to see what all's out there. At the moment I feel I now have more advice than I'm capable of dealing with :confused1: :badpc:

 

[RichP]

Hardware fireall and dial up's

The configuration on the SMC with an external modem is easier to setup than a new dialup connection in windows. It's also 'agressive' as far as maintaining a connection even after you ISP kicks you off.
As for zone alarm problems, it can be an interesting excercise installing software with that running on XP, on win98SE or ME that can turn from interesting to a nitemare. The only people that I recommend a software firewall to are those that travel with a laptop. Realistically the dialup users are pretty safe just running a good av package with up to date signature files. Most hackers won't take the time to try to hack a 28.8, it's not worth it BUT if you have a nic in that laptop and plug into strange hotels and such it can be a life saver. A few of my customers that are on broadband at home take a hardware firewall with them in the laptops bag, some even carry a good power strip. One really over kill guy keeps a USB hard drive with multiple ghost images that he updates so if he does get whacked he can still recover but he's on the road 2 - 3 weeks out of every month selling stuff and his laptop is one of those panasonic armoured military grade ones.
As for bag'ng ZA, all I can say is that I have had nothing but bad experiences with it, panic calls from customers at 11pm wanting to know what this message or that warning means and the ulitimate nitemare 'I forgot the password and can't install a new software package'. Nope, I'm no fan of it, checkpoint is another one that gives me grief but when it's running on a sun I can get around anything they can put in it so it's bearable and works OK.
Give me a cisco pix and about 2 hours to write the acl's and such and it will outperform just about anything out there but they do cost a few more bucks than smc or ZA's stuff