Computer Related > Zone Alarm - do I actually need it? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: VxFan Replies: 9
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New Wed 14 Apr 10 12:28 
 Zone Alarm - do I actually need it? - VxFan
I gather that my router (Thompson, model unknown) has a firewall built in, I also gather Microsoft's firewall is pretty good these days....

So, do I really need Zone Alarm as well on my desktop PC, which is running Windows XP Home edition, SP3? I'm not using Microsoft's firewall on it.

I must admit to only using Microsoft's firewall on my laptop which is running Vista.
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 14 Apr 10 at 12:28
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New Wed 14 Apr 10 13:18 
 Zone Alarm - do I actually need it? - rtj70
Firewalls on consumer routers is not really a firewall - these mostly protect by hiding clients behind the NAT'd IP addresses. And some do some basic packet inspection. But probably good enough because nothing can attack the machines.

If you use the laptop somewhere other than home then definitely have a firewall. e.g. use in public wifi hotspots means you're open to all sorts of threats. And if the laptop got infected, then using it at home means your router's firewall is irrelevant.

If you have Zone Alarm already and it's working then I'd personally stick with it. No harm in having additional protection.
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New Wed 14 Apr 10 14:31 
 Zone Alarm - do I actually need it? - movilogo
IIRC Zone Alarm doesn't work correctly with Vista.

For Vista you can use Comodo which is free.
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New Thu 15 Apr 10 17:12 
 Zone Alarm - do I actually need it? - ....
>> IIRC Zone Alarm doesn't work correctly with Vista.
>>
It's OK with 32bit but it doesn't like 64bit.

I would not recommend the Windows Firewall that comes with XP. It only does half a job.
I can't remember which way off the top of my head but it is not a full two way firewall.
It is in Vista but there are still some holes in it.
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New Thu 15 Apr 10 23:12 
 Zone Alarm - do I actually need it? - Stuartli
>>It's OK with 32bit but it doesn't like 64bit.>>

IIRC there were versions for both 32bit and 64bit.

But I haven't used ZA for several years - the Firewall Pro (only) version from Comodo has served me well since then.

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New Fri 16 Apr 10 09:53 
 Zone Alarm - do I actually need it? - ....
>> >>It's OK with 32bit but it doesn't like 64bit.>>
>>
>> IIRC there were versions for both 32bit and 64bit.
>>
I've installed both.
32bit version works fine on our 32bit machine with Vista Home Premium, 64bit works on day one with 64bit Vista Home Premium then falls out with Windows. Windows says it is not working, ZA says it is. Some programs are blocked as setup, some are not although they have been blocked in ZA. Very messy...
Last edited by: gmac on Fri 16 Apr 10 at 09:53
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New Wed 14 Apr 10 15:17 
 Zone Alarm - do I actually need it? - John H

>> So do I really need Zone Alarm as well on my desktop PC which is
>> running Windows XP Home edition SP3? I'm not using Microsoft's firewall on it.
>>

Look up matousec and compare what protection if any you need for your surfing habits.
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New Thu 15 Apr 10 17:43 
 Zone Alarm - do I actually need it? - Zero
no you dont need it. Not used for about three years.

All I have is whatever firewall is built into the version of windows I am running (vista or 7), Windows Serurity esentials, and the Firewall of whatever router I am connected to.
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New Thu 15 Apr 10 20:37 
 Zone Alarm - do I actually need it? - Roger.
ZA Pro was on offer for £0 recently, so I tried it on our XP Home based laptop and it slowed booting and surfing to a considerable degree. Obviously just didn't gel with my set-up.
Uninstalled with their removal tool and found a great deal with one of the very best firewalls around - Online Armor, which incorporates a classical HIPS element for program control.
Go to www.tallemu.com, order and enter the promo. code "april madness" and you get the product for a $35 discount from its usual price of $39.95. Along with Avast5 (free) I now have a good set up for buttons!
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New Fri 16 Apr 10 22:25 
 Zone Alarm - do I actually need it? - sajid
you shouldnt have two firewalls running together they be fighting it out with each other, i use sygate firewall, its old but it uses less procesess
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