9 replies to this topic

[sun]

I am new to firewalls and tried out Zone Alarm Pro 5 the purchase version, a resource hog....it slowed my computer so badly on startup and browsing I got rid of it.
My computer is 1.9 ghz, 512 RAM, 40 Gig with 26 Gig free pentium 4 xp "OS".
The Outlook is 2.5 mb compared to over 7 with ZAP and I was wondering if anyone has experience with this program?
I noted that it had an update option which I clicked on and it indicated connecting and 438 kb and did nothing.Did I do something wrong in the install or perhaps this
Is not an option for the free version and only for the purchase Pro version?
Also does anyone know what the extra features of the Pro version would be that would help a Firewall Novice or is the free version sufficient?
And lastly being a novice I surfed the security forums on firewalls and keep coming up with the"Rules" mentioned and needing to be set.
Is there somewhere that I can do some reading on what this is all about and how to go about doing this?

Zone Alarm Pro 5 that I had; talked about the same thing but gave no good documentation which left a Novice like me out in left field. I didn't know what rules had to be set.

I really hope that members can respond to this.

Thankyou in advance.

Edited by sun, 29 January 2005 - 10:54 AM.

[Paranoid]

I am new to firewalls and tried out Zone Alarm Pro 5 the purchase version, a resource hog....it slowed my computer so badly on startup and browsing I got rid of it.
My computer is 1.9 ghz, 512 RAM, 40 Gig with 26 Gig free pentium 4 xp "OS".
The Outlook is 2.5 mb compared to over 7 with ZAP and I was wondering if anyone has experience with this program?

I noted that it had an update option which I clicked on and it indicated connecting and 438 kb and did nothing.Did I do something wrong in the install or perhaps this
Is not an option for the free version and only for the purchase Pro version?

Outpost 1 is no longer being updated. But it's still viable, since unlike antiviruses, firewalls dont have to be constantly updated with signature updates, unless some flaw is found.

Also does anyone know what the extra features of the Pro version would be that would help a Firewall Novice or is the free version sufficient?

Quite a bit. http://www.agnitum.c...st/profree.html

As for whether it's sufficient, I think so, it depends on how paranoid you are really. The packet filtering in outpost 1 is fine, the pro version adds additional stuff that relates to application/process control to fight leak tests. I see you are actually quite worried about leak tests, so you need Outpost Pro then.

And lastly being a novice I surfed the security forums on firewalls and keep coming up with the"Rules" mentioned and needing to be set.
Is there somewhere that I can do some reading on what this is all about and how to go about doing this?

Hmm you are asking a lot . There's a manual / help file that comes with the program, that should help.

Rules making can be done in many ways. The simplest way, would be to set outpost to run in rules wizard mode. Then outpost will prompt you when some application wants to make a outward connection and you approve it. That's all.

As you learn a bit more about networking, you might want to set tougher rules, restricting connections to specific ports, network addresses, fool around with loopback rules, handling ftp connection, rejecting certains flags etc. But that's for the future.

Edited by Paranoid, 29 January 2005 - 11:48 AM.

[ErikAlbert]

sun,
Some links :

General Firewall Q&A
http://www.vicomsoft...firewalls1.html

Agnitum Outpost Manual :
http://www.agnitum.c...d/outpost1.html

Being novice and Agnitum Outpost Firewall ? Weird combination. Work hard and good luck.

ZoneAlarm Manual, if you are still looking :
http://www.dial.pipe...tml#user-manual

Edited by ErikAlbert, 29 January 2005 - 03:34 PM.

[Paranoid]

sun,
Some links :

Agnitum Outpost Manual :
http://www.agnitum.c...d/outpost1.html

Being novice and Agnitum Outpost Firewall ? Weird combination. Work hard and good luck.

Sun seems to be visiting quite a few security forums. Probably wont be a newbie shortly.

Outpost can work well for a newbie too.

[sun]

I wondered if the comments made regarding Outpost and a Newbie, could mean that it is not a proper match for a person of my knowledge base?

i also wondered what version is it that gets updates the Pro version and if so what number is that?

Also does anyone know the size of the program compared to the Zone Alarm Pro Resource Hog that slowed my computer to a crawl.

I really appreciate your comments.
Have anyone of you actually used the free program.

i did look at the purchase version and in a couple of security forums there were members that were encountering error messages with the program and were being advised to go to a site for a patch.

i'm simply trying to be thorough before i decide on what firewall to use.

I look forward to any others that may come to mind.

[GoonMan]

Hello sun,

You can find information at Outpost Firewall User's Support Forum, there is information there in the OutPost FAQ and the V2 FAQ.

You can also go to The Web Hikers guide to OutPost Firewall this was written for Version 1 but alot still applies to Versions 2.0, 2.1 and 2.5.

Note: Before installing OutPost please follow the Extended Zone Alarm Uninstall/Outpost Install Instructions this is to stop any possible known conflict between OutPost and any remnats of ZA.

Edited by GoonMan, 29 January 2005 - 04:38 PM.

[ErikAlbert]

sun,

Being novice and Agnitum Outpost Firewall ? Weird combination. Work hard and good luck. 

I wondered if the comments made regarding Outpost and a Newbie, could mean that it is not a proper match for a person of my knowledge base?

I would never recommend Agnitum Outpost to a total newbie on computers. In that case I would recommend a userfriendly firewall, like ZoneAlarm Free or any other userfriendly firewall.

Outpost is a firewall with an open architecture and has several additional programs. First you have to learn what the purpose is of these programs and then you have to install them and learn how to use them properly.
What's the point of having such a firewall, when you don't use all its possibilities.
It's like buying a scientific pocket calculator, while you only need the basic calculations : + - x and :
So these firewalls are more difficult than userfriendly firewalls, especially for a typical user, who hardly heard about firewalls.
As far as I know Outpost is the only firewall with an open architecture.
There was at least one additional program, I couldn't even understand, which required a technical knowledge of the internet.
That's why I dropped Outpost. I don't have time enough. I have other priorities.
Visit the Agnitum Forum, read the posts and you will see how difficult Outpost can be, which isn't a problem for Paranoid of course, but Paranoid isn't a typical user.
It depends how much time you like to spend on a firewall and how much you know about all that (technical) stuff of internet.
Nevertheless, Outpost is one of the very best firewalls with unique features.

Reading the rest of the posts, I see you are obvious not a total newbie on computers.
Blame it on the fact, that I don't know you, while Paranoid seems to know you better.
Isn't that always a problem in a forum : who knows what ?
So you can choose and use any firewall you like after being well informed.
I already made my personal choice.

Reviews of firewalls, for what it's worth
http://www.personal-...tenreviews.com/

Edited by ErikAlbert, 29 January 2005 - 10:44 PM.

[Paranoid]

sun,

I would never recommend Agnitum Outpost to a total newbie on computers. In that case I would recommend a userfriendly firewall, like ZoneAlarm Free or any other userfriendly firewall.

I wonder what a newbie friendly firewall looks like. Most of those rule based firewalls which are supposed to be for "experts" (ha ha) can be used like ZA.

Outpost is a firewall with an open architecture and has several additional programs.

You don't have to use those other plugins! Many of those except for maybe blockpost arent really firewall features anyway.

First you have to learn what the purpose is of these programs and then you have to install them and learn how to use them properly.
What's the point of having such a firewall, when you don't use all its possibilities.
It's like buying a scientific pocket calculator, while you only need the basic calculations : + - x and :

I suppose the point is that you won't be a newbie forever? And as your knowledge base grows you can learn to appreciate all the other features?

So these firewalls are more difficult than userfriendly firewalls, especially for a typical user, who hardly heard about firewalls.
As far as I know Outpost is the only firewall with an open architecture.
There was at least one additional program, I couldn't even understand, which required a technical knowledge of the internet.
That's why I dropped Outpost. I don't have time enough. I have other priorities.
Visit the Agnitum Forum, read the posts and you will see how difficult Outpost can be, which isn't a problem for Paranoid of course, but Paranoid isn't a typical user.

Actually my Dad who knows less about computers than a typical assistant helper on SYI , uses Kerio 2 and that is supposed to be a rule based firewall that is complicated to use.

All he needs to do is to decide whether to trust an application to allow outbound. That's all. Same as in zone alarm , and in other "newbie firewalls" (however you define it).

Same thing with Outpost. In Outpost things get complicated when you have newbies who want to learn more, who want to play with more stuff, that's where it's gets hairy.

Reading the rest of the posts, I see you are obvious not a total newbie on computers.
Blame it on the fact, that I don't know you, while Paranoid seems to know you better.
Isn't that always a problem in a forum : who knows what ?

It's a safe bet people who can't figure out how to use Outpost probably knows little .

So you can choose and use any firewall you like after being well informed.
I already made my personal choice.

Which is? I'm curious what fits the bill of a newbie firewall in your book. Other than zone alarm that is.

[ErikAlbert]

Paranoid,
Why don't you answer sun's other questions, in stead of wasting your time on a typical user.

[stockkbroker]

Before you decide on any firewalls, check out if it is worth buying at all

http://www.firewallleaktester.com/

If your firewall is as leaky as your bathroom faucet, dump it!

FAST!