Best Free Firewall

[RitualOfTheTrout]

With all the recent things going on with organization trying to get into people pcs.. the RIAA sueing people.. whats some good software that can help protect my computer from these people as well as other would be hackers?

 

[Curtis]

I don't know if a firewall would help you with the RIAA - packets of copyrighted music with your IP address are still going to your computer...

In terms of free firewalls, I think Zonealarm remains the best personal firewall. It's not terrible configurable, but most free ones aren't. If you are looking for a beefier solution, use a spare PC and install something like Smoothwall, IPCop or some similar linux based, web-administered dedicated firewall/router.

 

[gameboy900]

Or just get a cheap hardware cable/dsl router which comes with a firewall in it. Better solution than a dedicated PC (and takes up alot less room too).

 

[Link Hylia]

Kerio Personal Firewall is an excellent rule based application based firewall, that you can configure, for example, to block Kazaa from using port 80 (make a new rule, block in/out port 80 for the Application Kazaa)

http://www.kerio.com/us/kpf_home.html

if you have ever used Tiny Personal Firewall in the past, KPF is an updated version of TPF, retaining the simplicity that was the original.