XP SP 2 Firewall - thoughts

[Ghosthunter]

Has anyone been using the firewall?

If so how is performance?

Would you use it? I know there are much better third party ones.

[Roody]

No, I havent been using it myself although I have seen it in action. With firewalls out there that are free like Zone Alarm IMO people would better be served to stick with it. Ive tested it out, but not used it on my own PC's and Windows firewall is flawed IMO.

All that said its better then nothing.

[Ghosthunter]

How do you find it flawed?

[hayc59]

Windows XP SP2 Firewall tested

What does it worth against the leaktests ? :

The long awaited Service Pack 2 for Windows XP sees along it a rebuilt firewall, better than the SP1 one.

However, althought bringing to the user popups to the screen about applications, XP SP2 firewall still stay an inbound firewall only. This can be confusing because usually when a personal firewall warns the user about an application, it's about an outbound traffic. At the opposite, SP2 firewall warns the user when an application binded to the network interface (listening on a port) is receiving traffic. In this way, using IE will not bring any popup, whereas using a software acting like a server (P2P softwares, IM file transfer, etc...) will.

For the users having no firewall at all, it's better than nothing and provides a good inbound protection against unsolicited connection attempts.

However, for the other users, unlike what I have read sometimes, dumping your current personal firewall to replace it by the SP2 firewall is not a good idea, SP2 firewall does not have outbound protection, and does not protect against a single leaktest.

It's a good step from Microsoft, but not an option if you have already a personal firewall.

The test page has been updated to add SP2 firewall only, nothing else is changed.
MoreIno--->
http://www.firewallleaktester.com/news.htm

[Roody]

Looks like hayc covered most of my points.

[Ghosthunter]

Here is the issue I have...not really an issue.

I am not really discussing this for my home PC per se, but for my users @ home who are VPN in.

I have most of them using Zonealarm..but here is the problem, majority get annoyed by the pop up by Zonealarm, do not know what they are even saying yes or no to, so majority time just say yes to everything and defeats the purpose of even having the Zonealarm.

So even though XP SP 2 firewall is maybe inferior on outgoing requests, if I can save money so we dont purachse ZA, and make it easier for users.

It is a plus/minus what to do.

[hayc59]

Ghost here is the problem if you can work with that then your alright
XP SP2 firewall still stay an inbound firewall only.
and ofcourse its free
to bad you cant check out Outpost
its a kixk arse firewall

[Ghosthunter]

Thanks

and did yo have that avatar yesterday? Holy crap she is hot and who is it?