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FireWall Opinions - Pros & Cons

1K views 9 replies 6 participants last post by  etherdose 
#1 ·
K...

I try not to ask too many questions in here, as I do know some stuff, but it's frustrating to all hell when you know one professional who says one thing, and yet another who claims the opposite. Both certified, and both having an opinion. Both being of credible standard.....I will ask here since I am getting Yin Yang on this topic.

I play online games. Warcraft, Neverwinter Nights, and Guild Wars. Like many men, I look at porn, (some being cheesy local American junk, other stuff being more exotic European and slower to load junk.) I play offline games, use email, browse the net as a giant library of sorts, and just as well, I use my computer to compose music. I said everything I do since I figure if I omit something, I may not get a proper or concise opinion.

I use Peer Guardian if I ever use BitTorrent or Emule, I use the German AntiVir program...(which I highly recommend for a free-bie), and I have my basic Windows Xp firewall on. Lastly, but not least, I use Firefox newest version as a browser, and I have the add-ons Adblock Plus and NoScript installed using newest version as well as updated...(any site I go to, I usually inspect it before I give the ok for Java code to run its thingy)

Do I need a firewall?? Would this make any porn or other site browsing safer?? AM I paranoid?? As it is, I NEVER believe in using Outlook, (I just use Gmail or Inbox.com for email....) and I am cautious with attachments. Yet, simply, I am not using a firewall. I hear that ZoneAlarm is the best free one.

Any advice or ideas??? Should I use a firewall besides the standard Windows one?

Note: No, I have not gone blind yet, but I have noticed more viruses not from porn but oddly from free wares and various stuff downloaded from the internet, (say like funny flash files from Starterupsteve.com) I doubt Steve meant to plant the viruses, and often when I report them, they are gone, but it's weird that I find them in the most innocent places and not in randy porn sites.
 
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#2 ·
IN MY OPINION, firewalls are only necessary if you feel that you need one. I used to have Sygate which used barely any resources and basically the main thing it did was told me if I connected to any IP's. I uninstalled it after using it for a couple days and realized that I didn't need it because I feel safe with the sites/programs that I go to/open. Obviously, with the kind of stuff that you do, you may feel that you need to use one more than me.
 
#3 ·
True.....I understand what you mean. I tried Sygate. Not bad....tried it about 4 years ago. I had issues with it allowing games, but it was a simple, and quite effective firewall. It's weird, but with the ports it complains about that are being 'attempted'.....I see a long list with Zone Alarm...and I wonder...are these actual 'attempts'.....or is Zone Alarm throwing some type of Ip religious candor at me..(aka being hyper sensitive).. I mean, if it is true I am being 'pinged' by as many as it claims....then christ....I would want a firewall...yet when I use a simple yet solid firewall like Sygate, it only barks at me when a port is triggered or something is compromised. Good point.... anyone else??
 
#4 ·
I think a firewall is vital even if you surf safely. There's so many potential security loopholes out there and so many viruses, just by visiting a supposedly safe site can download a 'nasty' nowadays. The xp firewall only stops incoming but not outgoing. Zonealarm has a 'gaming' mode which drops security whilst playing.
 
#5 ·
Hi etherdose. It seems strange to me that an advanced user would question the need for a firewall which just sits on the task bar and alerts the user to any attempted intrusion maybe you have been lucky in the past but there are a lot of nasty people out there who find great joy in messing up others machine. If you feel that you are invulnerable against attack ok if not try comodo firewall.
 
#9 ·
ok....


sounds agreeable.

Thank you all for your time! =)
 
#10 ·
Also...

I did try the Commodo firewall and I am impressed so far. Simple with resources, yet effective.

Thanks guys for the ideas!! This forum kicks *** and god-speed to it..
 
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