Which firewall?

[Feline]

Hello,

since I found valuable help in here before, I might bother you once again with a problem/question... I'm unhappy with my Windows firewall. First, it didn't pass the leak test of PC Flank. Second, it makes me itchy that I don't notice it. While this should be good for a computer illiterate like me, it rubs me the wrong way. Before I had XP I ran the free Sygate Firewall with Win98SE for years and years and I loved it. I just like to know what sneaks out of my comp and the Sygate told me.
And third, I don't like Windows Updates. On the last run I downloaded 'high security updates' only and ended up with Windows Media Player and a row of stupid online games (I had neither WMP or any stupid online games before; it took me a full day to get rid of that *** WMP). So Windows Update won't see me again for as long as I can prevent it, which means the Windows firewall won't see any updates either.

In short, I need a new one. Sygate isn't supported anymore, so I need another one.

I'm undecided between the following:
1. Comodo - only the firewall, no extras, no suites, no nothing, just the firewall.
2. Online Armor or Outpost
3. ???

My system is Windows XP/SP3 on an elderly Pentium 4 with 2 gigahertz and 1 GB RAM.

My security set up is as follows:
Antivirus program - Avira AntiVir
On demand - SuperAntispyware & MalwareBytes
Precaution - Sandboxie & Time Freeze Free
Main browser - Firefox with Karma Blocker, Ghostery, StopAutoplay, Better Privacy.
Second Browser - Iron

Finally I have Mailwasher to filter the emails before Outlook Express can grab a hold of them and CCleaner.

What firewall would you recommend for me? I'd like something like Sygate again - not too complicated, but still telling me what's up. Good and reliable enough to run well on default when I prove too dumb to understand what's going on. And not one that tries any nag or scare tactics to get me to buy anything. As said, I'm thinking of Comodo, but I'm not sure if I can handle it.

What would you think?

Thanks a bunch,

Feline

[MidnightCowboy]

The fact that Sygate isn't supported any more counts for nothing. Browse the various forms now and see the problems folks are having with the latest bunch of "supported" creations

Mine's bigger than yours, blocks mega-malware, sees in the dark, floats in the clouds, you name it they've made it and called it a firewall. If this sort of thing inspires confidence then fair enough but I've found most of them to be more trouble than they're worth.

If Sygate worked for you then it will work for you now or at least until IPV6 becomes the dominant protocol. Sygate won't pass all of the modern leak tests either but these are only relevant if you plan to get infected and then let you malware collection phone home

I've used Sygate extensively with XP and before moving to Linux it was the program I missed most during a brief spell with Windows 7.

I would leave the malware protection to your AV components and use the firewall for what it was designed for, filtering network packets. The old 'uns like Sygate and Kerio will still do this admirably.

[Feline]

Hi Midnight Cowboy - the thought of getting Sygate back is enticing, as I do miss it (I've only switched from 98SE to XP at the beginning of this year, and probably wouldn't have done it had Firefox not stopped supporting it. I'm still sour thinking that I never had any security problems with a well tweaked 98SE...). Not one virus/trojan/worm/whatever in about ten years, merely a bunch of tracker cookies now and then. Alas...

And I sure don't want a big suite with bells and whistles, I reckon my old comp isn't big enough for such ressource hogs, anyway. That's why I thought of the 'naked' Comodo firewall only.

But the Sygate... you said it wouldn't past all the modern leak tests. Unfortunately, I'm not very firm in technical details, and I sure couldn't tell what would be an acceptable leak and what a desastrous one. And while I don't plan to get infected, one can never know. That dadburn trojan/whatever that caught me awhile ago came out of the blue, which makes me feel rather insecure.

Although, that wouldn't have happened with 98/SE+Sygate... darn XP!

Feline

[bo.elam]

I am doing it with the Windows XP firewall. MC, you probably so right when
you say "but I've found most of them to be more trouble than they're worth".
I tried some of the bigger names, wanting a HIPS a few months ago, and
there was always something that told me that they were not for me.

Bo

@Feline
If you decide to stick with XP firewall, then here is a good guide for configuring it.
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=218517

[eyeb]

i still use sygate on xp and still no issues with it. sure it fails leak tests... so what? I use sygate to tell me what is connecting to internet and lets me block/allow them. I don't expect my firewall to tell me the weather, if i got a virus, etc... I have AV/other to do it. I just want a simple but effective firewall which sygate is.

the new firewalls i find too bloated and try to do everything for you. I don't need a sandbox/hips/av with comodo/etc because I already have those from another software. What I do want is a firewall and just that.

if in the case that I get infected, I know that sygate will allow me to block it from phoning home. I don't blame it for allowing me to be infected since it would be the AV's job to do this.

[Feline]

Thanks for your replies! The more I think about it, the more I tend to Sygate - would be nice to have the 'old buddy' back...

After all, the job of a Firewall is merely to control what's going out and what's coming in. With the ports still being the same (I think), it should do its work.

I hope Symantec have not completely loused it up. They've already ruined the good name of Peter Norton...

Feline

... who still runs the old Norton Commander...

[Feline]

Uh oh...

I've installed the Sygate now, and it seems I'd need some help...

According to PC Flank, my port 135 is open. ShieldsUp also reported 135 to be open in the 'common ports test', then in the 'all service ports' test all ports were stealthed, including 135. Looks like this port is on/off or something. PC Flank recommended to get a firewall...

Please, can anyone help me to get that fixed?

Feline

[WES]

Kerio Personal Firewall 2.1.5 ( free ).
But I personally love the old fashioned Sygate firewall.
Besides...with DefenseWall I feel safe.

[Feline]

Thanks... it's rather confusing, as the ominous port 135 seems to be open in one minute and stealthed in the other.

And there's another question - is it normal for Firefox.exe to be present multiple times in the Sygate's running applications window??? It sits there with at least 6 instances, part connect, part listen, occupying ports 1616 to 1619 and 1711, 1713 and 1714.

As far as I remember, the old Firebird had only ONE connection running in the Sygate window, but that was long ago.

Avira sits silent and obviously sees no trouble, both SAS and MalwareBytes ran through fine.

But that port 135 bugs me big time...

Feline