Best Windows Based Firewall Software Programs

A couple months ago I wrote an article about the best firewall software known to modern man, Guard Dog. Not only will it protect and defend your computer from malicious attacks, but it will also counter strike the attacker. This is a Linux based program that does work on Windows, but it is a little difficult to "finagle" into a Microsoft setting and not all of the features can be used. This has made many people a little timid about using Guard Dog (that and the malware and attack tools that it unleashes on your assailant possibly getting loose on your machine). This has lead to several people asking me about different firewall suites that are geared to windows. Here is a look at a couple of the better ones, but this is not an all inclusive list. There are many more out there and I urge you to add any that you like to the comments. This may help someone find the perfect software for them.

The first one that we will look at is Comodo. This has been rated as one of the top firewall suites on the market. If you really need firewall software, this one has a lot of protection. It causes a little lag, but the protection is well worth the speed loss. You can even upgrade your protection levels (for a fee), but much of that is not necessary. This program has been geared for windows and will work on most platforms (it has problems with some of the dinosaurs out there). It has a very small footprint on your memory and works mostly in the background. The best part of this one is the name (I love reptiles and it reminds me of the dragon). This platform goes well beyond the name. It comes with a very well established anti-virus and offers some award winning protection. Comodo is definitely worth a try. After all, it is free.

Zone Alarm from Check Point Software Technologies is another great one. This is a little smaller than Comodo and runs a little faster as well. It is not as well known as the others, but it works just as well. There are many people out there that swear by Zone Alarm. One of the best features of this one is that you can control the outgoing traffic as well. This will help you to limit spyware and some needed programs that send your personal info back "home". This is a great package for anyone that is into Google or iTunes downloads. It can really limit the amount of outgoing traffic that these companies set their software to send. I really like the fact that there are few alarms that I deal with as well as fewer popups. This thing really runs on its own. All you need to do is set it up and let it go. There is almost no loss of speed as well.

Online Armor is the last of the suites that we will look at today. This one has gotten some good reviews from Tucows and has been given the five cow award (you can see the video on the Online Armor site). For the casual surfer that doesn't need a lot of protection, this is a great setup. It is very easy to use and reliable. The best thing about this is the cheap upgrades. While the basic firewall is free, you can get added protection for relatively cheap. This will expand Online Armor to protect your banking, protect from malware, phishing, and spyware, and several other features. If you need total protection, you will have to pay for it and Online Armor has one of the best prices. This suite is quite capable whether you are using the free version or upgrade.

These are just three of the different software suites on the market. If you feel that you really need a firewall, there are several more. You need to try out a couple of them and see which one works best with your machine. For most Windows based computers, the Windows Firewall that comes installed can be suitable if you know how to use it. Many people get tired of the popups and permissions and shut it down or make it very weak. Try increasing the settings and see if it works for you. If you are on your own personal network, your router's built in firewall should also be sufficient. Most routers have top of the line firewalls built in and can give you better protection than software based ones. The problem is if you travel with your computer. Once you leave your home network, the router's firewall stops protecting you. For all of your laptops and portables, you may want to look into a software suite. If you use a lot of public (library, rec centers, or other free to the public networks) you may need to get one of these three suites. Constant access to unsecure and widely used networks can expose you to attacks. Hopefully, you are never attacked, but if you are, I hope this article helps you.