BWMeter (Firewall) Update 8.4.9 and mini review!

Tutman

Level 12
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Apr 17, 2020
542


BWMeter is a powerful bandwidth meter, monitor, traffic controller and firewall, which measures, displays and controls all traffic to/from your computer or on your network. Unlike other products, it can analyze the data packets (where they come from, where they go, which port and protocol they use). This makes it possible to distinguish between local and internet traffic for example. BWMeter can also be used for traffic control by setting a speed limit for all kinds of connections or restricting access of applications to certain internet sites. It creates statistics for all computers in your network, measuring and displaying all LAN traffic as well as download / upload from the internet. You can even define filters which show your transfer with certain internet addresses

UPDATE Version 8.4.9(17.09.20)

  • New: ping name in each line of ping log (for filtering)
  • Fix: notification windows not being on top of other windows
I am LOVING this software! The installer download is less than 2 mb and on my system it runs at about 17 mb of memory and 0.10 cpu resources.
It is very small and light!

It is sooo customizable. Alert or no alert, default sound file with alert or no sound or pick your own sound file! It reacts fast with alerts and pauses the programs and for the most part doesn't cause a break while it waits for your prompt as long as the program waits and doesn't have it's own timer. And the alert and traffic control is HIGHLY configurable as you can see by the pictures.

alertoptions.png filters.png

bwmeterAlert.jpg

You can set it what to do on double click on tray icon (or single click!) and change from silent firewall to interactive:

options.pngdoubleclick.png

bwmeterOptions.png

You can look at the internet/lan activity and info of specific program using the internet:

internetactivitiy.jpginternetINFO.png

And internet rules and statistics tab to keep log of usage at a glance:

internetrules.pngstatistics.png

And it is all laid out to me very comfortably and logical with simple understanding. Oh yea with graphs at a glance on your
desktop if you wish (Like glasswire) and you can toggle them in the tray settings AND stop all traffic from the tray if needed!
You can place the graphs anywhere on the desktop AND make them stay visible OR pop up when a certain bandwidth is being used.
I don't use these graphs but I use the simple one in the tray that I can see at a glance if something is using the internet.
(That is also HIGHLY configurable and can be off or on and any color combo!)

graphalert.pnggraphs.pngtraysettings.pngTrayGraph.png


Ok whew. I am done. Um, this didn't turn out to be a "mini" review. ;) I don't get paid enough for this! (Oh right, I don't get paid at all!)
Hope this was informational and you enjoyed!
 
Last edited:

bellgamin

Level 4
Verified
Well-known
Oct 11, 2016
160
Netlimiter doesn't seem to have all of BWM's capabilities. Id est, in addition to the network monitoring schtuff, BWM has a full-on firewall. Does Netlimiter?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nevi and tipo

Tutman

Level 12
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Apr 17, 2020
542
Netlimiter keeps giving alot of errors and won't startup at random times for me on three different PC's.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nevi

Freud2004

Level 10
Verified
Well-known
Jun 26, 2020
440
Netlimiter doesn't seem to have all of BWM's capabilities. Id est, in addition to the network monitoring schtuff, BWM has a full-on firewall. Does Netlimiter?

I don't think that Netlimiter has a full firewall, for me is a graphic complement to KIS firewall. Is easy and fast to set rules for applications in netlimiter, KIS is not so easy and I have to navigate to a lot of menus to go to applications rules.
 

Tutman

Level 12
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Apr 17, 2020
542
** UPDATE **

New version 9.0.1: General bug fixes


There seems to be a problem with the page looping over and over with the captcha and they are asking for email to download the "demo" version? BTW if anyone else can get it download see if you get virus alert. AVG and WiseVector both are giving me alerts for the installer!! :confused: Hoping the new owners of BW Meter not up to something with the alert flags and vague changelog information.

EDIT/UPDATE: Hmm it seems the reason I can't download the file from their web site is the URL is on the blacklist for AVG?!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Nevi and harlan4096

HarborFront

Level 71
Verified
Top Poster
Content Creator
Oct 9, 2016
6,014
Does BWMeter firewall need Windows default firewall to be enabled? Can it work if Windows default firewall is disabled?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Nevi

Tutman

Level 12
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Apr 17, 2020
542
Does BWMeter firewall need Windows default firewall to be enabled? Can it work if Windows default firewall is disabled?
No it does not need windows firewall enabled but you know Windows, it doesn't want to disable itself! I use a registry script file to disable it from Brinks over at TenForums.
 

HarborFront

Level 71
Verified
Top Poster
Content Creator
Oct 9, 2016
6,014
No it does not need windows firewall enabled but you know Windows, it doesn't want to disable itself! I use a registry script file to disable it from Brinks over at TenForums.
Does it have a Whois IP search feature?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nevi

Tutman

Level 12
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Apr 17, 2020
542
Yah, there are many sites to do that, but It'll be convenient if it's a built-in feature in BWMeter firewall. FI, FortKnox Personal Firewall has Whois IP search built-in
I am not sure, I know it can do pings.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nevi

Tutman

Level 12
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Apr 17, 2020
542
Well Kaspersky online threat portal and Jotti found nothing malicious in the new BW Meter installer. (I think two false positives from iffy off brand AV on Jotti) So I assume the AVG is a false positive also? It says it is filerep malware and their home page is on the URL blacklist for Hexagonwebs.com but not sure why. :unsure:
 

SomeRandomCat

Level 3
Well-known
Dec 23, 2020
124
Always scary when software companies get bought. 99% of the time the people who made the purchase, are too stupid to keep developing the software properly. The new website is extremely depressing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tutman

Tutman

Level 12
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Apr 17, 2020
542
Always scary when software companies get bought. 99% of the time the people who made the purchase, are too stupid to keep developing the software properly. The new website is extremely depressing.
I am sticking with the version 9.0 for now. I know it and previous release 8.49 are both fine. (I am sure "9.0" was just cosmetic rebrand for new owner and update for the server info and was basically same as 8.49)
 
  • Like
Reactions: roger_m

About us

  • MalwareTips is a community-driven platform providing the latest information and resources on malware and cyber threats. Our team of experienced professionals and passionate volunteers work to keep the internet safe and secure. We provide accurate, up-to-date information and strive to build a strong and supportive community dedicated to cybersecurity.

User Menu

Follow us

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to know first about the latest cybersecurity incidents and malware threats.

Top