How Efficient is Windows Firewall?

Windows Sp2 firewall is like locking the front door with the most advanced lock in the world and leaving the bac k door open

and a window too


u shud try Zonealarm or kaspersky anti-hacker.. both of them are really good...

Windows firewall is quite efficient ... enough for LAN
( belive me .. LAN is a bigger source of virus/trojans than internet itself )

BUT .. the problem lies somewhere else ..
Its not customizable enough.
It doesnt allow you to bypass the firewall for certain IPs (very imp if you want to open shared files on friend's comp .. or want to share it yourself )
Its support for applications is quite hard to manage.
for ex. ZoneAlarm allows you to allow/block each and every application running for network access. There again, you can allow applications to recieve data but stop it from sending any data.

Windows Firewall is good .. but such a pain to use. Customization is next to Zero. Better use some other ( I say ZoneAlarm ) firewall

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alibi

The answer is no!
Windows Firewall is not sufficient...
If u search, u can find that its not very secure.

Better u go for Zone Alarm or other s/w.

Windows Firewall is pretty good but if you are a serious surfer and have important data on your system, I'd suggest getting Zone Alarm. This tool is amazing and very very handy!

if u are on lan then i would say using windows firewall is like using no firewall go for better alternatives i suggest AVG or Zone Alarm

There was a time when Micro$oft introduced its own firewall it was expected that the third pary firewall companies will go out of business.

But the efficiency of Gates firewall being what it is the other companies have survived.


For how long we can't say.

Win F/W is nothin in front of ZA. Better use ZA

Well its a very basic firewall .... not good for extra security ...

it's not that secure. especially if you make money transfers trough the internet. it's ok for normal non secure surfing.

Just disable file and print sharing in the LAN properties, and you are perfectly safe from attacks. It just does not have outbound filtering. And f you have a good anti virus and you know that you dont install cr@p on your pc, then its enough! Zone Alarm is a BIG resource hog. I am on windows firewall since almost 6 months now, never had any problems. If you really need a firewall, i would suggest Outpost.

WindowsXP SP2 firewall is specifically dedicated to arrest the development of P2P softwares like emule, torrent and kazaa.

I am totally amazed to see so many replies saying windows firewall is inefficient. Well, I used it for very long time and couldnt see anything like that. It's quite efficient, hides the computer from network and blocks all ports as required by a firewall. Only problem is that there arent many options in it.
The "extra-security" that ppl talk about is totally hypothetical. It can only be achieved when you start using your brains, not installing useless softwares, not clicking yes just anywhere, and other such cautions. It's not dependent on Firewall or AV. Windows Firewall can easily do the job it's reqd to.

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alibi

You have pretty much summed it up for me alib_i.
All the whining of windows firewall not being effective was expected for me.

I've been using it for more than a couple of months & I dont see why it isnt effective.Ofcourse I do have a old pc running Smoothwall which more than often does the job for me but at times I dont start it & keep it simple to the windows firewall.


I admit though that windows firewall lacks outbound protection in its armour but apart from that it very well does the job of any application based firewall for a home user such as ZA.[Sorry but I also have nothing against ZA or any firewall for that matter]

If all the above baseless comments w.r.t WF were because of the lack of outbound protection then I'm happy for you cause you know what you want,if not then I pity you for going with the everyday joe for the "best firewall" .

Another user using Windows Firewall solely from the time SP2-RC was released and quite satisfied with the basic firewall. Have the same comments as alib_i and that really sums it up.

Windows firewall crawls in front of ZoneAlarm!!!

Exactly! Windows firewall is the most efficient firewall out there! (Cause it uses minimum resources!) As i said, if you dont deal with cr@p, then its the best firewall! There's nothing like windows firewall is insecure! Everyone who is saying that WF is bad go to: *www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

Test there once with your current firewall and then test it with your current firewall disabled and only windows firewall enabled. Tell me then whats the difference!

lol look at the range of replies
i just found it funny so im posting
"windows firewall is crap"
"windows firewall is efficient" and
"windows firewall is the BEST (as stated above)

hehehe
see the point with any software is knowing how to use it

most usually simplicity of use wins for any software
now it may seem windows firewall is the easiest to use as u just need to put it on ... but it looses out on options and felxibility

now once u install a software like zonealarm u jsut usually leave it ..
but with windows firewall it leaves a lil to be desired .. and thats the only problem

but yes ... security wise it may block ports .. but yet it is considered as a non secure firewall
again like i said its a matter of flexibility
if u can work with it then cool
out of the box however i dun think its strong enough