SP3 Success - Need new firewall

[Reece]

Your right Skybird:
http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.c..._firewall.html
Free, have downloaded but which to choose from, I will need to do a little research on this, I know with ZoneAlarm I couldn't get on the net with broadband till I made a few adjustments, the thing is once I'm offline that's it, I'm on my own!
Thanks.

[Skybird]

Once installed, you need to set (via icon ion task bar, down right corner), the "Firewall Security Level" to customm Policy Mode, and the "Defense + Security Level" to Safe Mode for all normal activity. The firewall of course needs to learn the software behavior of all that you have installed, and will do that whenever somethign gets called up the first time. This could lead to an annoying ripplefiring of confirmation - and choice boxes as long as you haven't set the Defense+Security Level to "Training Mode", where the alarms will be silent, and the firewall will assume that you really want the components you have started to be carried out undisturbed by the fireewall. So whenever you starts words or a game for the first time, or when you install something!!! - set it to Training Mode. Do not forget to reset it to Safe Mode when having finished, and even more so when connecting to the web.

After a short time, once the wall has learned your software habits, you will not be harmed by alarms anymore, and usually adjuist the security leveol only when in stalling new software, becasue every software installer is understood to be new software and thus alarms the Firewall, so for installing: switch to training mode, and also during the first ever-run of new software.

[Reece]

Well due to the fact that I can't find any docs & is no longer supported I think I will give Comodo a try, the popups you describe when an app is accessing the net is the same on ZoneAlarm when first installing so quite used to it, I will take some notes on the settings in ZoneAlarm first, they may help. No use puting it off, time to take the plunge, since I had to re-ghost to get here I have to clean up the system, install SP3, then setup the net, maybe awhile before I post again. A little nervous!
Cheers.

[Skybird]

I had zonealarm before, until it caused me problems, so I know how it handles and behaves. some things work differently in Comodo. the popup thing I told you because this one was very different between the two, in Zonealarm you could filter alarms easier. In fact, by interface I like Zonealarm better, it is easier to exclude a software from web activity, for example, in Comodo you need to install an individual software policy for each item, but as long as no special things are being wished for, Comodo interface all in all works okay. The security standard I checked with online test-sites, and it passed them all and proved to fully stealthen the system - completely.

[Reece]

OK, I'm back, little white shield on the taskbar shows a red flash everynow and then, the only popup I've had is when the modem was turned on & asked if this network was a trusted zone, so far firefox & outlook just connected, no popups! but I assume this is correct, they show in the traffic box. I'll wait awhile before switching on the ethernet hub to my wifes PC, thanks Skybird, I know it was a little naughty but I didn't check the Defence+ or Leak Protection, only the basic firewall, can't seem to find a list of programs that I can mark as trusted or don't allow, maybe you can point me straight to it, for example adobe reader just popped up wanting to update, I don't want this. Cheers.
I think it's the "Network Security Policy" screen.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Reece

can't seem to find a list of programs that I can mark as trusted or don't allow,

I alrready touched that topic, but maybe did not make myself clear enough: a list of software where you just tick and untick the titles quickly, like in Zonealarm, Comodo does not have - for any exception from the basic rules you control via the general setting accessible in the task bar (or the rules you have created when allowing or forbidding action in the pop up windows) you need to create an individual item policy describing what this item should be able to do and what not. At least that'S what I found out, maybe I am wrong, since I am no expert for Comodo - I set it up, got it running, tuned it to "tight", and did not care for any of the additonal options it has. The help-centre is build into the software, you can find it all there, so open the main screen, and go right there.

[Skybird]

You can check wether or not your ports are shut and stealthed by using the options available here:

http://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?rh1dkyd2

Under "All Service Ports" you wish to have nothing but green lights.