firewall

[phredi]

Exactly how secure is the Windows XP Home Edition Firewall.

I currently use Norton Firewall and it stops endless
threats on my computer, and lets me know when it does.

Now there are some websites that I can not go to because of
the firewall, that Windows is letting me go to.

I'd like to disable my Norton Firewall, but I'd like to
know just how stable and powerful Windows firewall is.

Any help would be greatly appriciated.

Thanks

[Jupiter Jones]

Your Norton Firewall is every bit as secure as ICF and more.
If ICF lets you in where Norton does not, you need to change the
settings.
ICF is stable.
ICF is good for inbound only, Norton is good both ways.
Use Help and check the manual to properly configure Norton firewall.

--
Jupiter Jones
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
Please respond to newsgroup only for everyone's benefit.


"phredi" > wrote in message
...
> Exactly how secure is the Windows XP Home Edition Firewall.
>
> I currently use Norton Firewall and it stops endless
> threats on my computer, and lets me know when it does.
>
> Now there are some websites that I can not go to because of
> the firewall, that Windows is letting me go to.
>
> I'd like to disable my Norton Firewall, but I'd like to
> know just how stable and powerful Windows firewall is.
>
> Any help would be greatly appriciated.
>
> Thanks

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

WinXP's built-in firewall is fine at stopping incoming attacks, and
hiding your ports from probes. It doesn't give you any alarms to tell
you that it is working, though. What WinXP also does not do, is
protect you from any Trojans or spyware that you might download and
install inadvertently. It doesn't monitor out-going traffic at all,
much less block (or at least ask you about) the bad or the
questionable out-going packets.

To enable the built-in firewall, Start > Network Connections >
Right-click the connection > Properties > Advanced > Protect my
computer.....

ZoneAlarm or Sygate are much better, and there are a free versions
available. Personally, I've been very happy with Symantec's Norton
Internet Security 2002 (NIS 2003 is now available), which includes
Norton AntiVirus, Norton Personal Firewall, parental controls, privacy
controls, and ad blocking. (Just the elimination of most pop-up ads
on the Internet made the price worth-while to me.)


Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
----
You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"phredi" > wrote in message
...
> Exactly how secure is the Windows XP Home Edition Firewall.
>
> I currently use Norton Firewall and it stops endless
> threats on my computer, and lets me know when it does.
>
> Now there are some websites that I can not go to because of
> the firewall, that Windows is letting me go to.
>
> I'd like to disable my Norton Firewall, but I'd like to
> know just how stable and powerful Windows firewall is.
>
> Any help would be greatly appriciated.
>
> Thanks