Recommend firewall

[agibsonsw]

Hello. Windows Vista Home Premium SP2.

I'm suspicious that Comodo Firewall is slowing my computer. I think I'll uninstall it and try and activate the Vista Firewall
(I'll need to do this via Services).
Would you recommend the Vista firewall or another?

[HansV]

Opinions on firewalls differ wildly. I have been using the Windows firewall for years in Windows XP and now in Windows 7, and I don't have complaints about it. If your other security (antivirus) is up-to-date, I think the Windows firewall is perfectly adequate.

If you like to tinker with settings, the Windows firewall is not the best one - it's more difficult to configure than third-party firewalls. I just use it with the default settings (i.e. as an inbound firewall only).

[agibsonsw]

I'll run with the Windows Firewall. I have Microsoft Security Essentials as my AV - which I like very much. Well, maybe like is a bit strong - it's nice and discreet.

But should I run Windows Defender as well? Thanks, Andy.

Actually, I've found on the internet that MSE will disable Windows Defender anyway, so that answers my question. Andy.

[HansV]

Microsoft Security Essentials is the successor to Windows Defender. It will turn off most components of Windows Defender automatically, you should leave it as it is.

[agibsonsw]

Thank you.

[agibsonsw]

Wow, my computer is running so much faster! I think Comodo has gradually been slowing my computer more and more. I would recommend that others don't use
this Firewall.

[Argus]

Wow, my computer is running so much faster! I think Comodo has gradually been slowing my computer more and more.

Wouldn't that be odd, since a firewall is a filter between the computer and the Internet or a network; it's nothing to do with what you run on the PC and how fast the local software is. Unless... the Comodo Firewall you have used earlier included some kind of Anti-Virus. Then it wouldn't have been wise to run it together with another AV.

So, if you remove such a firewall and use the Windows, inbound firewall sans anti-malware capabilities, it would explain the PC running faster since you have no conflicts between the firewall antimalware and Microsoft Security Essentials; nothing to do with the firewall per se.

But then I don't know what flavour you used of the Comodo Firewall. And I don't know much about Comodo, but it seems like even the basic, free, firewall includes Anti-Virus, thus there are two competing software; firewall with antimalware and Microsoft Security Essentials.

I would recommend that others don't use this Firewall.

As I said, I know nothing about Comodo, but wouldn't such a recommendation depend on what other software people run, as per above discussion?

[viking33]

Absolutely.

[agibsonsw]

Perhaps I was misled by the title 'Comodo Firewall'. I wasn't aware that it included any kind of AV or anti-malware tools which would cause a conflict.
Andy.