I switched to avast! last night, and am very satisfied so far with both the web and standard shields. I am unsure whether or not I should also install the network shield. I already have a hardware firewall, so would the network shield serve any purpose?
Quote from: Extract from avast! help file
Network Shield provider protects your computer from Internet worm attacks. It works similarly to a firewall, even though it does not fully substitutes it. The Network Shield does not require any user interraction.
“though it does not fully substitutes it.” I myself would say that you should still implement the shield. Of course that decision is strictly up to you the user.
It is a handy backup to an inbound firewall on a number of occasions it alerts people that effectively their firewall isn’t doing its job as that should detect those possible attacks. Network Shield would effectively sit waiting if your firewall is working and since it isn’t working it isn’t using resources.
With a hardware firewall there is I assume less of a possibility of it being disabled or breaking, so it would be your choice. I would however, say you need to look at a third party firewall to protect against unauthorised outbound connections, something your hardware firewall probably doesn’t do.
Any malware that manages to get past your defences will have free reign to connect to the internet to either download more of the same, pass your personal data (sensitive or otherwise, user names, passwords, keylogger retrieved data, etc.) or open a backdoor to your computer, so outbound protection is essential (IMHO).
I don’t know but I think if you have a well-configured firewall installed then you don’t need the network shield. I’ve used Avast with only standard shield, web shield along with my windows firewall and everything goes fine.
Yeah. I know its limitations but I’m quite happy with that limitations, I hate using two-way firewall. On my machine, I’ve had only Avast! Home and windows firewall as my whole security solutions.
in my opinion,if u have the windows firewall activated and the network shield activated aswell u will not encounter any problems…but u still need a antispyware solution like spybot search&destroy(it a real-time protection with internet explorer and on-demand scanner to scan ur pc for spywares and other potentially threats) and spywareblaster to prevent spywares from getting in ur pc(i use that coz i don’t like IE and i use Mozilla firefox)…if u have these and u perform a monthly online scan with bitdefender online free scan for example u won’t have any problems…but it’s my personal opinion…nothing is sure if u don’t test it…
XP’s firewall is a constant target to be disabled (seen in a number of posts in these forums) and or hacked (as can other firewalls), so having Network Shield is a useful back-up/second level of protection without a performance or resource impact.
I’m on non-admin account so I think it’s hard for malware to silently attack my system or disable my windows firewall even I don’t have any antivirus.
I used to have Kerio 'cause I like its simple behavior blocking but I don’t use it anymore, Kerio made my machine freezed from time to time when using BitComet.
“I used to have Kerio 'cause I like its simple behavior blocking but I don’t use it anymore, Kerio made my machine freezed from time to time when using BitComet.”
You could always use Tiny personal vs 6.5 ( not the newest) or jetico firewall.They are prob the best out there…not really easy to set up tho