Advice Request Is built-in Windows Firewall enough?

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Ink

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Jan 8, 2011
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Answer is both, yes and no. It really depends on your type of computer, whether you travel a lot and need that extra in/outbound connection protection on untrusted guest networks. But for a home, desktop computer, I seriously doubt you need anything that specialised.

If you want something lightweight without bloat see to an 3rd-party app that uses WFP (Windows Filtering Platform), which is basically Windows Firewall with Toast Notifications. Otherwise Comodo Firewall with custom settings by @cruelsister

Personally, I just use Windows Firewall, with the one-off custom rule via Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. I don't need a constant badgering of In/outbound connection alerts.
 

Ink

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It's horrible to use it to block outbound connections because there is no easy way of adding a program/rule to it.
Look up "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security", it's been around for a decade. It's not difficult to use, but might be challenge for less experienced users. Check out the guide below:
How to Create Advanced Firewall Rules in the Windows Firewall

simplewall
Latest stable would be advisable, unless you're a beta tester.
Update - Simplewall - A tool to configure Windows Filtering Platform
henrypp/simplewall

Not to be confused with a software with a similar name (Simplewall for SMB)
 

NulFunction

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Jun 2, 2018
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Look up "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security", it's been around for a decade. It's not difficult to use, but might be challenge for less experienced users. Check out the guide below:
How to Create Advanced Firewall Rules in the Windows Firewall
That link is a good resource of why the Windows Firewall is so horrible. Just look at what you have to do to allow a program. I don't care if it is "difficult" - it is just horribly designed.
Latest stable would be advisable, unless you're a beta tester.
Update - Simplewall - A tool to configure Windows Filtering Platform
henrypp/simplewall

Not to be confused with a software with a similar name (Simplewall for SMB)
Oh it got an update today. Cool. I actually meant this version. The website only had the 2.1.x version until yesterday.
 
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Ink

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That link is a good resource of why the Windows Firewall is so horrible. Just look at what you have to do to allow a program. I don't care if it is "difficult" - it is just horribly designed.
The design hasn't changed since Vista, might change in future Windows 10. Iit's not aimed for novices, as you demonstrated.

However 3rd-party tools like simplewall exist to fill that gap. It's still Windows Firewall, with a friendly UI.
 
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D

Deleted member 178

So, 1 minute for Windows vs a few seconds for 3rd parties then.
yes but i avoid potential useless resources usages, bugs, vulnerabilities and crap features. Also when your favorite 3rd party apps disappears (aka WFC) , what you do? looking desperately for a replacement because you dont have the skill and will to do it manually? no thanks. :)
 

NulFunction

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Jun 2, 2018
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Potential resource usages? What does that mean?
Here take a look at simplewalls resource usage on my VERY crappy laptop. Note that I extensively switched in the menus to push the average CPU percentage as high as possible because it would otherwise just be 0.
(Also note that you can - without any problem - close the program and still have the same firewall)
Screenshot (1).png

This thing "isn't even there".

Bugs, ok yes, can happen.
Vulnerabilities? Don't they have to be in WFC itself? So i would say: None possible.
Almost no features.
Actively developed. (Just yesterday a new stable got released!)

I don't think you have an argument here.
 
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Deleted member 178

@NulFunction look at yourself, you prove my point, when you found out that Binisoft WFC was discontinued ; what the first thing you did? looking for a replacement, and you select a app that is known to be buggy (just read its thread, no offense to its dev), instead of learning the basics of how to create rules with Windows Firewall...:sneaky:

You need tools, i don't. simple as that.

potential resource usage: means stockpiling tools that eat resources to do what you could manually.
 
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NulFunction

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Jun 2, 2018
96
I know the basics and I absolutely detest them. (Like actually many Windows-things. For example: Error messages tell you to look in the log files, but don't tell you where they are. Or they just don't even tell you the error code. Just a billion of small things in windows that are absolutely horrible)
I also never used WFC. I was just searching for IMPROVEMENT and found that it was done for.

Why are you against comfort? There is no reason to just ignore a program that saves time and indirectly improves security just because you know how to do it manually.
Do you use any batch files? I'm sure you do. Because you get nothing done if you enter every command yourself, char by char.
 
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Deleted member 178

Comfort is another topic, the OP asked "does Windows Firewall is enough?" unlike you, i said yes, because it is a fact.
If it is "horrible"/inconvenient for you, that is your opinion, doesn't mean it is true.
 
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