Hello…May, somebody say me if AVAST 4 replace internal firewal in Windows, same for Z.Alarm, and if I can use only Avast 4 for good protection. For the moment I have the 3 items work together and it seams that my internet surfs are very slow…(my english as you can see is very poor…and a french answer should be apprecied…oki??)
Absolute…beginner!
Unfortunatelly not.
avast is only an antivirus (the best for us ;D) and not a firewall.
Here you will find a lot of other users defending the ‘layered defense’ method: one application for each need.
You should have both Windows XP SP2 Firewall and another freeware 3rd party application (ZoneAlarm, Sygate, Agnitum Outpost, etc.) 
Isn’t it bad to leave them both enabled?
Technical,
You should have both Windows XP SP2 Firewall and another freeware 3rd party application (ZoneAlarm, Sygate, Agnitum Outpost, etc.)I think you might mean [b]either[/b] not both. If you use any of the 4 FW programs you mentioned than the windows FW programs isn't needed. If however you use the windows FW, then you need an additional program to protect you from unauthorized outbound traffic since the windows FW only protects incoming traffic. :)
( I believe that’s correct. )
Bob,
Im not 100% sure as i don’t use winXP, but i think the SP2 firewall was made not to conflict with 3rd party firewalls, so u can use layered deffence.
–lee
Lee
in a previous thread, there was a discussion about this subject and the companion to the windows firewall that was discussed was only for outgoing traffic.
absolute,
If you would like to read about my results on firewalls that are compatible with WinXp firewall please Go Here and see my results. 
It’s reply #13 in that thread.
There is NO conflict between Avast and the Internet Firewall included in Windows XP SP1. I have both operating without limitation or trouble.
In SP2, it is no longer named the IFW but Windows Firewall. It has some improvements so as not to conflict with other FWs running resident on the same machine.
The IFW monitors and protects against unauthorized INCOMING traffic.
However, if you have installed SP2 and find some trouble accessing sites, then you can adjust the FW behavior via Control Panel. The url of the site can be added to the “accept” list in the FW, or you can just shut it off entirely and go with a 3rd party FW such as Zone Alarm, Sygate, Outpost or Kerio.
Good luck.
Well, it could be not truth. I mean, not what a lot of professionals are recomending. You must configure XP Firewall to work properly. There are some ‘internal’ holes if you do not set it correctly.
You won’t get a crash using both, at the same time (XP + 3rd party).
Windows Security Center will ‘complain’ of disabling the XP firewall.
No conflict, no system hogs…
I do recommend use both (or either, I can’t see the difference in English words)