Windows Vista Firewall Control

General Topics
1

Does Windows Vista Firewall Control edit the built-in firewall, or is it a different application. http://www.sphinx-soft.com/Vista/order.html

2

You’ll find a complete description here:
http://www.sphinx-soft.com/Vista/index.html
It utilizes the Windows Vista firewall.

Under vista, the outbound protection is turned off by default this makes it easy to
use the Full potential of the built in Firewall.

One word of caution:
When a notice is popped up to allow or not allow a program, it’s default answer is to to block.
If you simply push the button, you’ll have blocked your program and will need to do some surgery. ;D

3

Thanks GO, This will save time and resources since I wont have to work with third- party firewalls that don’t work most of the time anyway.

Mostly though, I tend to agree with this story.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,133212-c,firewalls/article.html

4

So could I use the Vista Firewall Control to make exceptions for the built in firewall, so eventually I could stop using Vista Firewall Control once I get exceptions for all of my programs?

5

Maybe I’m not following you, but Vista Firewall is only for inbound connections. The Vista Firewall Control is for the outbound ones.

6
Vista Firewall is only for inbound connections. The Vista Firewall Control is for the outbound ones.
Not quite true. Vista Firewall has the outbound protection portion disabled by default. You can turn it on manually however, utilizing this part of the firewall service isn't very easy and Firewall Control aids in this function. Firewall Control is a GUI for the Vista Firewall. It is [b]NOT[/b] a replacement or substitute for it. Hope that clears up any misunderstandings. :)
7

Not enable by default… difficult to enable and manage. It’s almost the same as not having outbound protection (for common users).

8

Precisely why you need a tool like Vista Firewall Control. :slight_smile:

9

Or a full customizable third party firewall 8)

10

So will this make exceptions for me in the Vista Firewall outbound connections?

11

…and…

No you can not… actually you can use it to create rules what’s gonna be allowed to make outbound connections and what’s not, but why would you stop using this Vista Firewall Controll ? It is unbelievable light on system resources, you don’t even know it’s installed and running. It is for Vista, meaning if you run Vista, your system is capable of running this demanding OS. You have more than enough resources to run this little utility…

Why you can’t create rules and simply wipe out this Vista Firewall Control ? Because, your applications will eventually change, you will or they will update itself automatically to the latest available versions. That’s when you will have to give them permissions for outbound connection again… how will you do that if your Vista Firewall Control application is wiped out ? They will stay blocked (even though you allowed them before, once application is changed, every good firewall will ask you again and block it by default) and you won’t be able to change those settings until you edit those rules manually which is 100 times more complicated than with this tool. That’s why we found it pretty useful little utility.

My advice is to keep using it. No impact on your system resources, and it will give you a freedom of choice… what to allow and what not to allow.

Cheers!

12

I uninstalled Windows Firewall Control. I didn’t like the mess (message notifications) it did each and everytime you would surf on the web. Anxious for Avast Firewall Vista Compatible or Comodo Firewall Vista Compatible. Sorry to hear PC Tools is poorly rated for leaking tests! :frowning:

13

It will take a little time to compile the permissions list, etc. for your common applications you use that connect to the internet. But once that is done then it should be much quieter, this is the same for virtually all firewalls with outbound protection untill they build up the application permissions database.

14

I just wish Microsoft would make outbound connections easier with SP1.

15

About the leak tests limitations: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=29259.msg247460#msg247460

16

Whilst there is no other means of testing these other aspects then the leak tests will always be a large factor. When you consider shields-up stealth test and leak tests it gives a reasonable idea of competence. I mean if a firewall can’t even deal with many of the leak tests it hardly fills you full of confidence it can cope with these other aspects that are mentioned by Vlk.