Which firewall is the best?

[tmapj]

Which firewall provides the best protection for home computer users? I am just using one old compaq presario laptop on broadband and I was just wondering what firewall would be best for me. Spysweeper firewall is cheap, but is it a good firewall?

[tenkani]

I use ZoneAlarm and have gone to a couple sites that are supposed to check for open ports and the like. They found no chinks in my armor. Also, I've read a couple reviews that said Zone Alarm is an excellent firewall so I'm sticking with that until I hear of something better.

[tmapj]

thanks tenkani how much did you have to shell out for that?

[tenkani]

Um...

It fell off a truck.

Anyway, there is a free version of the firewall available online, or at least there was last time I checked. I think it's fully functional but you can't get all the updates...something like that.

I actually have the Zone Alarm Security Suite, which also includes a virus and spyware scanner.

[TehBorken]

tmapj wrote:
Which firewall provides the best protection for home computer users?

I highly recommend spending $40 or so on a hardware firewall. Best purchase I ever made. I use ZoneAlarm just to see what's trying to phone home, but a hardware firewall is really the best solution.

[tenkani]

Very true!!

I have an SBC Yahoo DSL wireless router that's supposed to function as a hardware firewall. Not sure if it's any good though. Also, I guess wireless is inherently insecure hey?

[tmapj]

i have this. is this firewall hardware?