Iron Shades
join:2004-04-22
Bakersfield, CA
| Non-sucky firewall for 9x?
Alright, here's the situation: I'm working on a friend's HP computer, I had to reformat it, and reload a clean copy of Windows 98SE. Anyway, Sygate free-edition has a bug that makes it quit working on 9x right now, so it's no good, and Kerio kicked me off the internet totally and ate up resources like a politician.
So my question is, what is a freeware firewall that won't suck and eat resources like crazy that will work in 9x?
System specs: Pentium 3 650mhz, and 128mb RAM. |
|
Elefus
join:2004-11-30
United State | ZoneAlarm.
www.zonelabs.com
Free for 30 days. When it comes to internet security I'm paranoid, so I wouldn't trust anything that was freeware. In this sector of life you get what you pay for. |
|
Tactics
Green Lantern
join:2001-03-29
Pinehurst, NC | reply to Iron Shades
Zone Alarm free version will work fine. I used it for a long time before I went to ZA Pro and still using 98SE
All is well - no issues at all. |
|
kinmundy77
Premium
join:2001-09-07
Granite City, IL
 ·Charter Pipeline
| reply to Iron Shades
I'm running ZoneAlarm Pro on this 98se box and ran the free version for a couple years before I upgraded. I also ran the free version of ZA on a 300mhz PIII, 98se box. I have no complaints.
--
I can hear the voice...but I...Don't wanna listen! |
|
Iron Shades
join:2004-04-22
Bakersfield, CA | reply to Iron Shades
Okay, I'm downloading ZA free edition right now, so hopefully it works. Thanks for the recommendation guys. |
|
Tactics
Green Lantern
join:2001-03-29
Pinehurst, NC | Your welcome  |
|
Elefus
join:2004-11-30
United State | reply to Iron Shades
Glad to help. |
|
dp
Premium,MVM
join:2000-12-08
Greensburg, PA
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to Iron Shades
said by Iron Shades  :Okay, I'm downloading ZA free edition right now, so hopefully it works. Thanks for the recommendation guys. Just for info but if by chance ZA doesn't work out for you (it should), Sygate version 5.5.2710 should work for you on Win9x. The latest build 5.6.2808 did have some problems with Win9x but they have been fixed and will be available with the next update.
--
Write your questions down on the back of a $20 dollar bill and send them to me |
|
kayak2003
Premium
join:2003-01-22
Delta, BC
| reply to Iron Shades
I am running win 98 se Pentium 2, 128 mb ram, 350 mhz
I had Zone Alarm free for ages, and updated it diligently. The system got slower and slower. I tried Sygate free, it was a bit unstable and used a lot of resources.
There is nothing on this computer that would kill me if i lost it, and I am very careful on the sites I go to, so I went back to Zone Alarm 2.6 »www.oldversion.com/program.php?n=zalarm
The system is very quick (for one of this vintage)
A solution that worked for me
This post, and others got me thinking about ZA 2.6 »Free is better? |
|
HA Nut
Premium
join:2004-05-13
USA
| I ran free ZA 2.6.88 until recently. I had read that it didn't sit well with some current antivirus programs. So, while I never had any issues with it, I moved my 98SE machine up to free ZA 4.5.594.000.
4.5.594.000 works quite well and allows one to add applications manually to the controlled list. Something the older version does not do. It had/has extemely good reviews and many users are still running it today. Yes, the newest versions have some additional features but for an older machine, this is the version that I would recommend.
The download link is directly below the 4.5 Branch Release History header. »download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/i···ory.html |
|
Dustyn
Premium
join:2003-02-26
Ontario, CAN
| reply to Iron Shades
Is a NAT router out of the question?
There pretty cheap and are VERY reliable.
Using a NAT router with a software firewall (a layered approach) is an excellent way to protect yourself and others of your network. |
|
B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
| reply to HA Nut
As indicated in the thread kayak linked, I'm still a fan of ZAF 2.6 (.88 or .362). I've never seen a conflict with AV programs or anything else, so I'm not sure what HA's referring to. (Other than its harmlessly incomplete integration with the questionable Windows Security Center in XP SP2).
Your machine specs are borderline, and personally I wouldn't think of using anything heavier than ZAF 2 or Kerio 2, particularly if you've got a router (a must-have).
--B
--
In a realm outside causality and function |
|
HA Nut
Premium
join:2004-05-13
USA
| said by B :...so I'm not sure what HA's referring to... Here's the link I specifically remember. »eTrust AV demands i uninstall KAV As it turns out, my AV is EZ 7 so I felt like I didn't have much of a choice. I like EZ too well to give it up (plus I knew in my heart that ZA 2.6.x was quite old...) |
|
B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
| Interesting read. At a glance it sounds to me more as if it was EZ's problem; I mean, which product was there first and operates at a lower layer? And no one ever posted any actual bug reports; Alwill merely took CA's word for it that it was a known ZA bug.
Besides, that was about ZAP 2.6, and I prefer ZAF. 
Anyhow, that's the first conflict I've heard about. Which is pretty amazing considering the product's age and critical function. Thanks.
-- B
--
In a realm outside causality and function |
|
claudeo
join:2000-02-23
Redmond, WA
| reply to Iron Shades
My house guest browsing computer is a Win98SE 166MHz laptop with 96K of RAM, some of which is eaten up for the display Running ZA free (current version). Borderline, but works fine as long as you remember not to multitask too much |
|
B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
|
If you're behind a router or firewall, you don't really need to burden the little guy with all that. Particularly if it's just for "guest browsing". But if it works for you...
-- B
--
In a realm outside causality and function |
|
Iron Shades
join:2004-04-22
Bakersfield, CA
| reply to Iron Shades
Well, this thread got popular.
I got Zone Alarm free-edition up and running fine, along with AVG antivirus, Spybot S&D with system protection. Beside that stuff running in the background, I got Ad-Aware SE installed, and Firfox. That should be secure enough and it runs fast enough when you don't try to multitask. My friend who I fixed it for isn't really a multi-tasker anyway, so no worries there. |
|
HA Nut
Premium
join:2004-05-13
USA | Glad to hear it! Have your friend keep the AV, Spybot and Ad-Aware updated and they should remain in pretty good shape...
Oh, one other thing... make sure the Java is up to date for FF and IE. The latest non-exploited version is 1.4.2_06. |
|
kshymkiw
join:2004-12-21
Columbus, OH | reply to Iron Shades
I prefer Black ice, and have used it since i had 98, and use it today with Xp. It is tried and tested over 5-6 years with me.
Great Firewall |
|
BlitzenZeus
Burnt Out Cynic
Premium,MVM
join:2000-01-13
Beaverton, OR
3 edits | reply to Iron Shades
Well firewalls like Kerio would have worked if you had any idea how to use them correctly.... Don't blame the software, blame the user who doens't know how to use them correctly. Reading the manual does help... |
|
