If you are using Windows XP or Windows Vista, there is nothing wrong with the built in firewall that can’t be reconfigured. You also won’t be fighting with the quirks that the built in product (even when disabled) sometimes causes with 3^rd party software. Zone Alarm is great, but users have to be trained to use it properly or there isn’t any real point in paying for it. The same is true of several other firewall software products I’ve checked out.

Here is a link to a quick setup for Vista’s firewall.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/mediacenter/firewall.mspx

Here is a decent guide to XP’s firewall settings.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875357

The main thing is to have your antivirus product(s) auto-patching and train your users not to go to stupid places. If people keep going to dangerous web sites, log the time you have to spend fixing their mess the 2^nd time and forward that information to their boss. The sites they go to and the logs of that are private, but the time you have to spend fixing things isn’t.

Don Bosman
Information Technologist
Libraries, Michigan State University
  100 Library
  East Lansing, MI 48824-1048
[log in to unmask]
  (517) 432-6123 ext 233
  Fax (517) 432-8374

From: MSU Network Administrators Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Scott Cassaday
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 3:49 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MSUNAG] Software Firewalls

I have several computers that I would like to install software firewalls on. I was wondering if anyone knew of any good ones or could recommend for or against either zone alarm or Norton internet security.

Thanks

Scott Cassaday
Information Technologist
Instructional Media Center
Michigan State University
517-432-8193
[log in to unmask]