Thanks. I've limited experience with it but was the only thing that came to mind. I probably should have mentioned something else but have the firewalls out there seem to be front ends for WF.
Windows Security Firewall Providers
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Yeah, you haven’t got many options then. You can try ZoneAlarm, their firewall is quite good. What I don’t like is that even the firewall only, installs the Endpoint Forensics Recorder. ZoneAlarm (for now, I will be the first one to reflect it when there is a change) uses an ancient version of the EFR which is not optimised, it has high memory and CPU usage. In other products they’ve already fixed that.
The EFR is necessary for the Anti-Bot to identify bot-related behaviour in software (behavioural monitoring).
So ZoneAlarm Free Firewall will duplicate the functionality of your AV and you’ve got 2 guys doing the same.
You would be better off installing the full ZoneAlarm Extreme Security in this case.
Moving the AV out of the Kernel is long overdue. The last straw could be the Crowdstrike outage last year.
For a cheapish hardware firewall with IPS ( suricata or snort ), go with Netgate pfSense Plus How to buy . We recently had it pen tested - it was solid. (using mostly default rules; all classes of snort rules enabled) Then if you choose to use snort, purchase the paid rules ( $30/yr for home users)
It uses VLANs for each physical port. So you connect a dumb switch to each port and you have segmentation for each network,.
It uses VLANs for each physical port. So you connect a dumb switch to each port and you have segmentation for each network,.
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In my opinion, a firewall and IDS/IPS on your computer is absolutely necessary. Sometimes you can't trust all the devices on the network so the router firewall is not going to help when you're on a public network.
I also really hate Windows Firewall. It allows apps to automatically create rules without your knowledge.
Also, any app that interfaces with Windows Firewall has this annoying issue where if the firewall prompts you to allow/block the traffic, and you allow it. The 1st connection gets dropped.
For example, you run an installer. In the middle of it, the installer tries to connect to the internet. You allow it via something like SimpleWall or other related popular firewalls, but the connection was blocked and the installer fails so you need to restart the installer again.
I've been using Netlimiter 4 Pro as my firewall and it doesn't have the above issue. It actually pauses the connection until you decide to allow or block it. It doesn't allow 3rd-party apps to add rules.
SEP Firewall was pretty good, but I find it buggy when I try to update it. It would break my network adapters until I uninstall SEP
I also really hate Windows Firewall. It allows apps to automatically create rules without your knowledge.
Also, any app that interfaces with Windows Firewall has this annoying issue where if the firewall prompts you to allow/block the traffic, and you allow it. The 1st connection gets dropped.
For example, you run an installer. In the middle of it, the installer tries to connect to the internet. You allow it via something like SimpleWall or other related popular firewalls, but the connection was blocked and the installer fails so you need to restart the installer again.
I've been using Netlimiter 4 Pro as my firewall and it doesn't have the above issue. It actually pauses the connection until you decide to allow or block it. It doesn't allow 3rd-party apps to add rules.
SEP Firewall was pretty good, but I find it buggy when I try to update it. It would break my network adapters until I uninstall SEP
It bothers me that there's really no good third party, driver-based, firewalls anymore. Either they are based on Windows' firewall, like Windows Firewall Control, Glasswall, Tinywall, or their based on WFP, like Simplewall, Windows11FirewallControl, or Fort Firewall. Even if you want to use a WFP firewall you'll still have Windows Security yelling at you like a bitchy ex-wife. There's nothing other than suites, and I include Comodo in that, for home users.
Honestly network attacks are becoming less and less frequent and important. It's all about identity management and socially engineering creds now because IDS/Firewall/EDR/NDR are actually very good at spotting stopping attacks and with A.I. detection will become heaps better. You can spend hundreds if not thousands on a UTM or enterprise kit but for home users they are a waste of money.
n9chavez why not just go Linux? Seems like all the bells and whistles and FULL control you want in VPNs/Firewalls etc could be done in Linux! Maybe try stock or cinnamon Debian/Ubuntu/Fedora?
n9chavez why not just go Linux? Seems like all the bells and whistles and FULL control you want in VPNs/Firewalls etc could be done in Linux! Maybe try stock or cinnamon Debian/Ubuntu/Fedora?
I dual boot between Linux and Windows. The problem is I barely use Linux because the software I need for work is Windows-only.
Can AV still intercept threats effectivley after moving it out of the kernel?
SimpleWall is intended to run along side Windows Firewall. It is not meant to be installed and then disable Windows Firewall. Ask the developer, henrypp+.
Software firewalls are a non-starter. Not profitable and therefore there is no incentive to produce them, let alone maintain them with never-ending problems and complaints. Software firewalls are geek tools with a PITA user base that are far more trouble than they're worth.
When people don't want to pay - and pay a lot for niche software - then they should expect that ultimately the software will go the way of the dinosaurs.
TinyWall is essentially dead. I've talked directly to the developer and he's not interested in putting anything more than a bare minimum amount of effort into it. His gig is specialty hardware - where he actually earns income.
Henrypp+, I don't know what that guy is still doing around.
Sphinx (W10 Firewall Control) went ghost like others. Surprised it took so long.
WFC is the hanger-on until the developer has had enough.
Sphinx Software Windows11 Firewall Control isn't abandoned yet. About one month ago they released for free and without need of registration a Windows 11 updated version on Github, here is the webpage for download Release v9.1.0.97 · Windows11FirewallControl/Windows11FirewallControl . They released Plus and Server editions, English and German languages only . The original official website : Sphinx Software is still active but it lacks all infos. Windows11 Firewall Control's features can be found here GitHub - Windows11FirewallControl/Windows11FirewallControl: Simple and exhaustive solution for applications network activity controlling and monitoring.
As we talks about firewall, anyone ever try this :
However, bitdefender anti-tracker doesn't like it
However, bitdefender anti-tracker doesn't like it
And when you look at the website you get an idea what sort of product you will be using…As we talks about firewall, anyone ever try this :
However, bitdefender anti-tracker doesn't like it
Zero attention to details and zero commitment to quality.
I have not been following Sphinx for a very long time, but it was apparent to me years ago that the code owner/developer was ready to move on. Looking at the GitHub project the activity does not inspire confidence that the product is being developed further. It appears that it is not.
The Sphinx support website still exists vistafirewallcontrol but I would be surprised if it is up for much longer. The developer is aging, I think already in advanced years. As a one-man shop there is a cliff that will be reached.
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I could agree with you on this point. The previous version, Windows10 Firewall Control, for which I purchased a license for the Plus edition several years ago, didn't receive frequent updates so it could be the same for Windows11 FirewallControl. Also the GUI of the new version is pretty identical to that of the previous version. I can only say that since I installed Windows10 Firewall Control I never had a issue with it, the same after I updated to Windows11 Firewall Control and in my opinion is a good firewall. If anyone is interested, they can find a review with some screenshots of the previous version, which as I wrote was a paid version, unlike the current one, which is free, in the dedicated thread here Advice Request - Windows 10 Firewall Control - Sphinx Software - opinions ?
The publisher was always focused upon fixing reported bugs and problems. Unless there is evidence to the contrary, if he can be contacted, one would assume that his focus is still the same.
He can be contacted, other than Tapatalk forum, as you wrote, on GitHub issues webpage too Windows11FirewallControl/Windows11FirewallControl
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