Two firewalls installed on my computer?

[newbie2005]

Hi folks,

Is it necessary to run 2 firewalls on the same computer? Everytime I start my computer, the McAfee Firewall Plus gets loaded ON. Today I just realize in my Windows XP SP2 control panel, there's a Windows Firewall icon, and is being turn OFF.

Recommendations?

 

[elmarcorulz]

you should only have 1 firewall running at once. along with only 1 anti virus.

 

[Travo925]

you should only have 1 firewall running at once. along with only 1 anti virus.

1 firewall, yes.....but having more then 1 anti virus is a good idea, different programs may have virus definitions that differ from other programs

 

[dragon2309]

1 firewall, yes.....but having more then 1 anti virus is a good idea, different programs may have virus definitions that differ from other programs

True in some ways but not entirely. Anti-Virus programs call on a lot of system resources and having more that one running could impair performance greatly. Also, they could just simply collide and crash the system.

Bottom Line: Get one very good antivirus program like Norton Internet Security 2005 and keep the definitions updated, is a lot better than having two different programs.

 

[Praetor]

Bottom Line: Get one very good antivirus program like Norton Internet Security 2005 and keep the definitions updated, is a lot better than having two different programs.

Dunno about NIS's Antiviral capability but their firewall um... blows

 

[dragon2309]

Norton Internet Security is a Security Suite (i.e. it has norton internet securtiy and norton antivirus in one control center). It's better than McAfee because McAfee is jst a resource hog, norton does the job effectively and efficeintly.

 

[Praetor]

Yeah well McAffee isnt the best firewall company either

 

[elmarcorulz]

zonealarm is a good firewall, but the free edition doesnt support ICS, or at least i couldnt get it to support ICS

 

[Praetor]

zonealarm is a good firewall

For its degree of user friendliness, yes. But its far from an absolutely good firewall (IMO)

 

[jbrown456]

well, what do you use than praetor

 

[DCIScouts]

There actually is a very good firewall and anti-virus program that's free for home use. It's Anti-Vir and it works MUCH better than McAfee and Norton, both of which I have used in the past. As far as McAfee vs. Norton, I'd go with Norton every time...

 

[kalson]

well which 1 do u guys think is better NOD32 or kaspersky? cuz i haf both installed and is wonderin which 1 should i keep