Kitz Forum
Internet => Web Browsing & Email => Topic started by: renluop on March 30, 2012, 08:27:52 PM
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My son use the free versions of Comodo and Avast7 on his XP computer. He tells me that, despite setting up a list of sites to trust, Comodo fails to retain his instructions.
Has anyone had similar problems; could there be an incompatibly between firewall and antivirus?
Any advice to pass on would be appreciated.
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This has been discussed on the Avast forum so he might find the answer there.
Personally I would drop Comodo and use the Windows Firewall. If he wants to use outbound control there are a few apps around to make the settings easy, this >> http://wokhan.online.fr/progs.php?sec=WFN is a simple and very effective application that will do all he needs.
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Thanks! :)
He's still XP! Could've got Vista but chose not to, which was not a bad decision, but as I understand it WFW is not sufficient for XP.
Further ideas anyone?
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This one then >> http://www.privacyware.com/personal_firewall.html gives superb protection.
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@ AdrianH I was very interested in your recommendation as I also use XP. Is Privatefirewall just a firewall or is it AV too? I'm a bit unsure after reading their website. I use Avast for AV and don't want to download anything that would conflict.... :)
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@ AdrianH I was very interested in your recommendation as I also use XP. Is Privatefirewall just a firewall or is it AV too? I'm a bit unsure after reading their website. I use Avast for AV and don't want to download anything that would conflict.... :)
Hi jazz, it is a firewall with selectable "extras" which are found in the advanced settings. I have run this application alongside avast free and also Auslogics antivirus and saw no issues using all the features.
Private Firewall is a more hands on application, you will see plenty of popups in the first week or so as you set rules but the upside is that you see exactly what is going on with your system. Certainly you will have a lot more security using it.
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Thanks Adrian! I shall pass your recs on. :) Of the more familiar what are the favs now days?
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Thanks for the information Adrian - I'll take a closer look at it! :)
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I downloaded Privatefirewall 7.0 yesterday and have been using it for the last 24 hours. It is a very small programme and has had no slowing effect on my computer. it has been asking for a few permissions but it is much quieter and easier to manage than ZoneAlarm (free version) which I used to use before I reverted back to just XP Windows Firewall. (I did that a few months ago because I was fed up with ZoneAlarm seeming to get more and more bloated and intrusive). So far I am very pleased with the result and have found no interference with Avast. Thank you for the recommendation Adrian! :)
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Good isn't it :) did you find the User Manual (.pdf) on the support pages? There is plenty of info and support from them which is great for a totally free product.
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Yes, thanks for the pointer. The main thing puzzling me at the moment is that there are no entries at all in my firewall logs. I don't know if they are switched off by default or whether they only log "intrusions" - in which case I haven't had any! However the reviewing of my security over the last couple of days has now got me investigating free Password Manager programs (I'm curently looking at Keepass)! :)
Edit: - Stupid me!!! I've now read the VERY CLEAR note on the screen that says the Firewall Log shows all packets blocked by Privatefirewall so it's perfectly ok for the log file to be empty!!
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Passed on to son, but have heard nothing from yet (Easter egg eating? :-\ ;D). Also trying it out myself. One personal problem is that looking down to right or left and focussing can sometime be difficult for me. Because of that I have relocated the Windows Taskbar to top of screen. Is there a way to do similar with Private Firewall, or setting to make the Alert larger in the program?
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Passed on to son, but have heard nothing from yet (Easter egg eating? :-\ ;D ). Also trying it out myself. One personal problem is that looking down to right or left and focussing can sometime be difficult for me. Because of that I have relocated the Windows Taskbar to top of screen. Is there a way to do similar with Private Firewall, or setting to make the Alert larger in the program?
There are no settngs available to alter the notiifications. The fact that the popups do not follow the placement of the taskbar is in my view a flaw which needs addressing. I also think the size/appearance/clarity of the popups could be greatly improved, perhaps a message to the support team would be in order.
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On the to do list.