Less restrictive firewall?

Bishop22 · #1 01-11-2007, 02:14 AM

I've been trying to add a software firewall to my otherwise comprehensive security suite however I cannot find one that does not cut my internet bandwidth in half or worse. I've tried Comodo and Kerio which are supposed to be two of the best. When I run a bandwidth test with the Windows firewall on I get 3-5MB/sec but when I have the other firewalls on I get less than 1MB/sec. Is this just standard? Any settings that can be changed? Would buying Zonealarm that works with my router solve the problem?

jk1986 · #2 01-11-2007, 02:46 AM

Give AVG a try (googleit)

bawcerelli · #3 01-11-2007, 04:02 AM

what do you mean zone alarm that works with your router? is there a zone alarm for routers? what brand of routers? wtf is going on? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Bishop22 · #4 01-11-2007, 04:55 AM

It is a linksys router (wrt54g) there was an option during configuration to upgrade to zone alarm pro, I guess that wasn't relevant. I am pretty computer literate but I am clueless with firewalls.

bawcerelli · #5 01-11-2007, 05:53 AM

it seems to me that the network bandwidth isn't where the problem lies as far as performance goes. just seems like your pc is using plenty of cycles for the firewall, not your internet bandwidth getting cut down. but that's just how it seems from reading your post.

Beavis68 · #6 01-11-2007, 01:59 PM

a firewall should not be trashing your bandwidth. it is probably some download virus scan that is doing that.

Bishop22 · #7 01-11-2007, 07:17 PM

[ QUOTE ]
a firewall should not be trashing your bandwidth. it is probably some download virus scan that is doing that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is it possible this is built into the Kerio Firewall?

udbrky · #8 01-11-2007, 08:15 PM

Zone Alarm basic is very good. You can change settings and after you allow a program, it doesn't slow down your internet at all. And, it's free.

Bishop22 · #9 01-11-2007, 09:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Zone Alarm basic is very good. You can change settings and after you allow a program, it doesn't slow down your internet at all. And, it's free.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cnet dropped ZA Basic from its recommeded list because it scored the lowest on the intrusion tests of all the free firewalls, I hear ZA Pro is good tho.

BiPolar_Nut · #10 01-11-2007, 10:08 PM

I run Comodo on one of my remote servers, and get 80%+ of the advertised 10Mbps upstream and downstream. Something else is affecting your bandwidth (FWIW, that server is very weak on processing....only a 3GHz Celeron but the server is optimized and only serves one low-processing use service)