So what does everyone here recommend for a software FireWall? I have Sygate installed right now. Is that one of the best? I really am not good and configuring a firewall so is sygate the best choice for someone like that?
I thought that untill I discovered that Sygate has a bug/problem with a local proxy server (if any) in your computer.
If you use WebShield from avast, you must configure Sygate very very well, otherwise, outbound connections won’t be alerted to you (will be bypassed by the WebShield proxy). It’s not an avast problem, but Sygate, if you use an annonimizer program (proxy) you’ll be the same trouble.
Now, I turn back to ZoneAlarm (free).
If you could pay for, I won’t say nothing different: Outpost Firewall.
Kerio (free) became a bloatware. I never used the paid version.
Other users will recomend a hardware firewall. 
How does Kerio compare to ZA in system resource usage?
I tried ZA but it has a bug on some systems (including mine) and wouldn’t remember internet access rules for applications.
I switched to Kerio 4.1.2 and it’s working fine on my system with avast!
I don’t have an especially fast system (1.8G) or a huge amount of memory (256M) and Kerio doesn’t have any negative effect.
I know people recommend Kerio 2 because it’s lighter on resources. I followed a couple of links and ended up at sites discussing firewall rule lists. These people seem to enjoy getting their hands dirty in internals of a firewall. Maybe that’s just because that’s what floats their boat, which is fine, but I like Kerio 4 because it didn’t require me to take a course in network connections before installing it.
Kerio 2 also doesn’t seem to have an intrusion detection feature, which sounds like a useful thing to have.
I’m not at all a firewall expert. I know roughly what they do, but I just want an install it and forget it firewall.
I liked ZA- it’s the simplest to use- but until they fix the bug I’m sticking with kerio 4.
I can confirm that Kerio 4.1.2 is no problem at all even for rather old or slow systems (see below my configuration). I am using Kerio without fiddling with special rules. Of course you never really KNOW how good you will be protected. But I had no problems until now. Some additional protection might be advisable, like Spybot and something against troyans, like BOClean (not free).
Kerio is advising users now, that from the upcoming V4.2 this firewall will only work on W2K and XP, so W95 and W98 cannot use Kerio V4.2 anymore…
Hanspeter
ZoneAlarm and Kerio 4 are both very nice… But keep in mind Kerio uses quite some amount of ram 
I won’t recommend Sygate, it’s used to have holes, and it’s not easy to configure while they claim it is… Abart from that, where are the Sygate updates???
Just trial ZA and Kerio, and see wich one you like best…
About 3,000k to 5,000k at the moment (with Kerio 4.1.2), which doesn’t seem too bad. How does ZA compare?
Are this the amounts of all the three components???
oops, missed one of the little blighters.
Total for all three is 5,844k at the moment.
As you can see in my signature I’m using Outpost Pro. For me the best Desktopfirewall. No problems with Avast!
Sincerely
housi 
Me too… Unfortunatelly, the freeware version is too far from the Pro… The user really almost can’t use the free 
I can’t afford 40 quid for a firewall. 
Hang on a sec. This firewall costs £40 on agnitum.co.uk and $40 dollars on agnitum.com. What’s the exchange rate at the moment???
Once again us Brits are getting burned.
If I remember rightly there is nothing stopping you paying in dollars, so us Brits would get it a a reasonable price.
Just checked my email receipt and yes I paid in US$.
wow, that’s less, I trialled Kerio v4.1.2 last month on my system, and it used almost 30mb of RAM!!! (using Windows XP SP2)
Since Avast kicks total ass! I think it would be great if the makers of Avast made a Firewall.
Please, keep language speaking of the forum 
Anyway, good suggestion 8)
I consider WinXP SP2 firewall adequate for my purposes. True, this firewall only monitors what attempts to come in. If you get a virus or spyware and it’s in your system and attempts to access the internet, the windows firewall does not monitor this. However if you run AVAST!, Spybot, Ad-Aware and others, there shouldn’t be a problem.
I’m still using Sygate (free version) with avast! WebShield switched off.
PigDog
That’s what I found. I’ve tried to use the free version of Outpost a couple of different times and had nothing but problems. I now use the free version of Kerio and I’m quite happy with it.
I use Zone Alarm Free and Sygate both at the same time and have no problems at all.
If I had to have one, I’d use Zone Alarm.
You are leaving yourself vulnerable - if you are happy to let an unrecognised worm/trojan/spyware phone home with your usernames/passwords account details and any other info that it can get hold of (key logger looking for credit card details, etc.) then you won’t be in the ‘Pink’ (or black) you will be in the Red