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| From: Avanquest
List Price: $69.99
Buy New: $20.00
You Save: $49.99 (71%)
New (2) Used (2) from $15.99
Rating:  113 reviews
Sales Rank: 2832
Format: Cd-rom
Platforms: Windows Me, Windows Xp, Windows 2000
Media: CD-ROM
Operating System: Windows XP
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 7.9 x 2.1
MPN: 4840
Model: 8300
UPC: 018059048409
EAN: 0018059048409
ASIN: B000B5I0O2
Release Date: September 6, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Brand new in sealed retail packaging. UPC intact.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 6-10 of 113
 Essential Firewall Security October 4, 2005
OverTheMoon (overthemoonreview@hotmail.com)
21 out of 22 found this review helpful
If you can't afford a Router (hardware) then use this software instead.
Although MSWIN XP has its own Firewall you would do better to turn it off, go to the `Zonelabs' website, download the Free version of Zonealarm, install it and give it a go. Study it for an evening and see how many access attempts there are on your computer. I promise - you will never go back from using this great firewall. Go to the Gibson Research Corporation on the internet and test your systems vulnerability using the software on that site - all free. Now if you want to make the next leap by having a more sophisticated version of Zonealarm then go Pro with this one. The pro version offers the following additions to the free version.
- An improved approval program for Internet Access.
- Advanced security controls.
- Automatically stops pop-up ads so you can surf in peace.
- Prevents personal data from leaving your computer without permission.
- Checks for and deletes adware cookies.
- Blocks adware cookies but allows cookies from trusted sites.
- Protects your privacy and improves PC performance.
- Tracks hacker attempts and anonymously reports offenders to their ISPs.
- Monitors outgoing email and halts messages with potential viruses.
Now as an all in one tool you could also opt for the ZoneAlarm Security Suite that gives you an anti-virus program to top it all off, so as an all in one security system this really is a great solution for the home user. If you stick with the free version make sure to also use adaware and AVG, both free anti-ad/anti-virus software packages that help complement the free version but the all in one Security Suite is still you best buy.
In Short, this is an essential security product.
 If you have a home network, be wary... October 23, 2005
J. Scott (Co. Down United Kingdom)
21 out of 22 found this review helpful
I purchased this item, like other reviewers, because of growing dissatisfaction with another 'big name' product.
My initial impressions were VERY favourable. My PC started up much faster, shut down faster, and generally didn't seem to be labouring under such a heavy load as with Norton. I was delighted.
Then I tried to get my home network to connect to the internet, and the nightmare started. Nothing seemed to work. This surprised me, because Norton just handled the whole thing transparently with no effort from me.
Worse, when I visited the Zone Labs community discussion forum, the same topic came up with shocking regularity "CANNOT GET HOME NETWORK TO CONNECT TO INTERNET."
(Usually followed by a string of replies saying 'if you find out how to do this, please let me know too.' - but no solutions)
Oh dear.
Eventually I found out that it CAN be made to work (you have to delve around in the innards of Windows, get DNS settings, and enter them manually into Zone Alarm). OK, I'm a PC dunce. I don't even know what DNS settings are, but I assumed that once I'd gone through this procedure once, I could forget all about it again.
Not so... It seems that DNS settings change occasionally. So you need to go through the whole rigmarole on a regular basis.
For this reason, only three stars if you're a network user. But if you have a standalone, non-networked PC, then go for it. You'll be happy, and unaffected by this shortcoming. But I would echo a past reviewer's advice - visit the Zone Labs community board first, and see what long-time users of the product are saying.
It turned into bloatware like Norton. :( May 7, 2006
J. Groom (tampa, fl)
20 out of 22 found this review helpful
I used Norton for a long time, and then hated how it SLOWED DOWN my tricked out system. It was then I noticed the Zone Labs free firewall, and fell in love. So I went all out and ditched Norton and went with the full Zone Lab Suite. Don't get me wrong, it is pretty awesome. However, I started having problems with it in constantly tweaking it after I'd install new software for different security and features reasons. It became pretty unstable and started to slow down the system more and more - until I removed Zone Alarm and installed the trail version of Sunbelt-Software's Kerio Firewall. It is nice and stripped down like Zone Alarm used to be.
One of the things that got me worried with Zone Alarm was it was showing these programs that were accessing the internet with no name, properties, or file location. I would disable them, and in a few hours it would reappear. WTF? I went to the Zone Lab’s forums and found users with the same issue. And they had no solution. And that stuff makes you a little paranoid. (And I am well aware that watching every process and program in the OS can be unnerving, especially if you don't know what you are looking at; except I do for the most part.)
Anyway, I found out the unknown process accessing the internet was Yahoo's desktop search. I found this out through Kerio's firewall. It still showed it with no file attributes; however it displayed the icon identifying it as Yahoo.
Kerio is a lot more intuitive to use for me, even as a long-term Zone Alarm user. It is easier to me to apply changes to a program's access to the internet and other programs.
And the final straw was I thought I would give Zone Alarm one more chance, because it really is a GOOD PROGRAM for the most part. I reinstalled it and couldn't get past the Zone Alarm splash screen on reboot. It was locked up preventing access to programs and system process before it started its own firewall.
Most people will have no problems with this Suite, however - if you constantly MOD your PC like I do, it becomes a bit of a drag and more like intrusive bloatware.
Oh, yeah. I still have 155 days left on my license with it. feh.
From a Computer Security Expert... August 26, 2006
Baivab Mitra (Jersey City, NJ)
20 out of 21 found this review helpful
I am IT security expert. I'll try to be as much non-techie as possible.
I have evaluated numerous products, available today in market. From Norton to Norman. After due considerations, which essentially depends on cost + features I bought this product.
I was pleasantly surprised. Let's review in more detail --
1. Anti-virus : The product has a very, very good anti-virus protection. For those who know, nowadays the original virus infection has "died down" considerably. This is because, viruses need a way to propagate, which earlier was floppies, then emails. Nowadays all email providers have good enterprise-level scanners preventing the spread of viruses and with broadband a detected virus is neutralized quickly since info. 'bout the virus is quickly dissapated and scanners upgrade themselves realtime.
2. Firewall : The best in the market, I mean it! With the network protection + OS firewall protection available - it means that if this is installed from day-1; all available ports (TCP/UDP) are by default blocked. The good part: The pop-up encourages 2 options - Temp/Perm. of either opening / blocking the port. Thus, user doesn't get repeated msgs. I used a particular component called SNOOP; which basically tries to find open ports across the network. Tried to Snoop into the ZA protected machine - not sucessfuly. Used SNOOP to GO OUT from ZA protected machine, ZA provided pop-ups for each such attempt.
3. Anti-spyware and privacy protection -> very, very solid.
Here's the BAD POINTS -> There should be a background scanner, which scans the CONFIGURED options in program control, component control, etc. to determine those that are (a) No more valid as (maybe) s/w has been un-installed/changed (b) not used for a very long time. Those should be cleaned automatically. Why ? As time passes by, due to large and large amount of data residing in these 2 sections, more and more time is required to load ZA.
-> Bad backup options available. God forbid, if you have some issues requiring re-installation of ZA. Then you'll need to re-configure everything from scratch! The backup and restore option do not restore everything.
-> Game mode : Not very clear in it's use; for upon using it; found spywares entering the systems.
-> Poor support for Firefox - Although firefox is more stable, however there should be more in-built protection from ZA towards Firefox.
-> Cache cleaner : Not very complete, leaves a large number of MRU lists un-cleaned.
Terrific points : Absolutely the best firewall protection and identity protection suite available. It's the customer exp. that matters. When (for ex.) an user wants to protect his name; all other products I have evaluated have their pop-up popping up each time. ZA pops up; you select "Allow always"; bingo it's done.
Next - the expert rule features; helped me to configure advanced settings so much so that when I am in Extranet (VPN) I can access my office network comfortably without sacrificing on security.
FEATURE REQUEST - A gateway service as part of the firewall, whereby ZA can act as a software gateway for all browsers, thus effectively protecting the real IP address.
One of the best protection you can get for your PC March 27, 2006
Subash S L (Chennai, India.)
16 out of 17 found this review helpful
I have been a McAfee baby since 1999 when I bought my first PC, a Dell Pentium 5, 450 mhz, 128 MB ram. I still use this PC. Over the years I have added other hardware such as memory (now upto 196) and a CD burner. In 2005 I bought a second PC (P4 HT, 3.0 Ghz, 512 MB Ram). After years of using McAfee I switched to Zone Alarm and what a delight ZA turned out to be. I understand that some or many of the reviewers here have had problems with the software but whether ZA is to be blamed for this is the question. What if the problem was with the hardware or the OS or worse, ignorance of using the product or the computer. For many others getting used to a new and better product is almost impossible. Change is not easy for many folks. Many of my friends who use Norton AntiVirus still complain about how slow their systems are and yet do not want to let go off Norton. Maybe it is just a bad habit. Personally I have had bad experiences with Norton. On my sister's PC (an IBM, same
config as my old PC) some app's (DVD playing programs) would literally come to a standstill. However McAfee did not do that to my computer. Also McAfee must have implemented some smart improvements to stay ahead of the competition. For the cost of just one of their protection modules (antivirus, firewall etc) ZA and Pc-cillin were selling entire suites with all the protection (antivirus, firewall, privacy, spam protection etc.,) all operatable from a sleek single interface. McAfee on the other hand has a seperate interface that needs to be installed and that which talks to the other modules (antivirus, firewall etc). These seperate modules are installed seperately. They now have an Internet protection Suite but that too will install more than one icon on your desktop for the various modules though you could delete them.
Zone Alarm on the other hand operates all it's functions (antivirus, spyware protection, firewall, Privacy, Parental control etc.,) from a single interface. Anyone is going to be instantly hooked on to the great and very user-friendly interface ZA has. CNet had a special mention about it on their review videos about ZA's product. Whoever designed the interface at ZA - Great Work! Updates are automatically and preriodically checked, downloaded and updated without any user intervention. McAfee prompts you about new updates automatically but you need to take action and sometimes even do a system restart to activate the updates. Imagine doing that in the middle of some serious work. But the worst part is sometimes, being prompted to log on to your user account on McAfees's website to download the update.
Take a look what the professionals are saying. CNet rated ZA's Internet security suite far above Norton or McAfee, giving it a 8 out of 10. It has also won the coveted Editor's Choice ranking for a second time in a row. To quote Cnet, "...Zone Alarm's Internet Security Suite 2006 puts Norton and McAfee to shame...".
The only learning curve with ZA is to getting to know the pop-ups about the warnings. Once you get used to them things get very easy. ZA is tough when it comes to protecting your PC and so it requires some good understanding and/or learning of the product. But learning or understanding the product will pay off well. For instance ZA may take time to appear in the system tray when the system is switched on but it IS actually running in the background because of the messages it pops and prompts. On my PC the Safely Remove Icon disappers. A little program in XP fixed this. Maybe I still need to learn more about the program. But for now ZA is all the protection my PC needs. Maybe your PC also deserves the same.
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