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Lightweight firewall for Windows 2000
Flying Dutchman
278 Posts
(Offline)
1
December 10, 2010 - 3:20 pm

I'd like to hear suggestions about choosing a lightweight, free firewall to install on a number of P4-1.7GHz/ 256MB RAM machines running Windows 2000.

The users are children (6-10 years old), so the firewall should be a "set it and forget it" one.
I was thinking of trying out Ghostwall, which, if I understand it correctly, acts more or less like the Win XP inbuild one.
Any thoughts?

Thanks.
P.S. Replacing the PCs or the OS is not an option, at least not at the moment - don't ask why, please.

I am human

Jim Hillier
2700 Posts
(Offline)
2
December 10, 2010 - 6:51 pm

Hey FD - I believe Ghostwall only monitors incoming connections, same as Windows Firewall. However, it is reputed to offer better protection.

Have a read through here: http://www.wilderssecurity.com.....p?t=132711

I think Ghostwall may be your only choice, you are very limited with just 256MB RAM [i:37k8zngq]and[/i:37k8zngq] requiring support for WinK2.

I couldn't find many around which still include support for the older OS, here are two: [url=http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Home-Home-Office/Sunbelt-Personal-Firewall/:37k8zngq]Sunbelt-Kerio Personal[/url:37k8zngq] which supports the [b:37k8zngq]Pro[/b:37k8zngq] version of WinK2 only and [url=http://www.filseclab.com/eng/products/firewall.htm:37k8zngq]Filseclab Personal[/url:37k8zngq] which can be downloaded from CNet [url=http://download.cnet.com/Filseclab-Personal-Firewall-Professional-Edition/3000-10435_4-10421597.html?tag=mncol;1:37k8zngq]HERE.[/url:37k8zngq] You can read through some user reviews there too.

You could try running either of those with security settings all set to minimum but that would be sort of defeating the purpose and still would not guarantee either would run successfully with just 256MB RAM.

What security programs are currently installed on that machine? Any chance of maybe doubling RAM to 512MB?

Cheers....Jim

Chad Johnson
867 Posts
(Offline)
3
December 10, 2010 - 8:55 pm

Wow. Win2k.

Back in the day I ran ZoneAlarm. My servers didn't run any on board firewall however, and everything was done with hardware firewalls.

you can download old versions from here: [url:3q1amukh]http://www.oldapps.com/zonealarm.php?old_zalarm=1[/url:3q1amukh] but I don't think they sell licenses for it anymore.

Sunbelt appears to be a good choice as well, but I have never run it personally.
[url:3q1amukh]http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Home-Home-Office/Sunbelt-Personal-Firewall/[/url:3q1amukh]

--Zig

Flying Dutchman
278 Posts
(Offline)
4
December 26, 2010 - 7:49 am

Sorry guys for not replying sooner, but had a nasty cold since the next day I posted here and started recovering just a couple of days ago.

Thanks for your interest and suggestions. In the meantime, things have been taking care of on the hardware level.
Thanks again.

I am human

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