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Author Topic: Free Netveda Firewall  (Read 9582 times)

Hellie

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Free Netveda Firewall
« on: January 08, 2006, 11:03 AM »
I have discovered a free firewall for home use www.netveda.com. It is brilliant, well at least I think so!! It is highly configurable much better than my previous Kaspersky one. You can even limit the amount of time your children are the Net not that I have any!! I have done numerous Firewall leak tests and it blocks everything. It has a very small footprint and works brilliant alongside my www.eset.com Antivirus. This is the best combination for Antivrus and a Firewall I have found.   

Helen

Carol Haynes

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Re: Free Netveda Firewall
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2006, 04:38 PM »
Some user reviews here: http://www.download....920.html?tag=foot_ur

... looks interesting

nudone

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Re: Free Netveda Firewall
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2006, 06:03 PM »
well, i was using agnitum outpost on the old machine but i put zone alarm free edition on my new machine (just out of habit). after reading a few of their comments about netveda i think i'll give it at try - if it's got specific port controls then i'll ditch zone alarm, most likely.

mouser

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Re: Free Netveda Firewall
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2006, 06:46 PM »
screenshots anywhere?

Carol Haynes

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Re: Free Netveda Firewall
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2006, 07:24 PM »
Full manual for the Pro version here (PDF file) has loads of screenshots.

It is not at all clear from the website what the differences are between the free version and the Pro version. The Overviews of the two products (and version numbers) are identical as far as I can see. Maybe it is just a matter of licensing and it is the same product ??? The file sizes are almost identical (to within a few hundred bytes 6.20Mb).

There is also a Flash animation on the home page showing how the software works (though I did find it a little naff). Click on "Policy.Net Multi-layer Protection" on the home page (it is a JavaScript link).

I am going to give it a go. I am still getting odd BSODs with Outpost installed and I don't like the volume of work generated by all the windows popping up constantly (feels like 1 in 10 mouse clicks generates a need for response from Outpost ... okay an exaggeration but it is really intrusive).
« Last Edit: January 08, 2006, 07:27 PM by Carol Haynes »

kimmchii

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Re: Free Netveda Firewall
« Reply #5 on: January 08, 2006, 08:50 PM »
i gave up when i found out the download filesize is more than 6MB!!
for inbound, i just use xp sp2 firewall, for outbound, looknstop.
If you find a good solution and become attached to it, the solution may become your next problem.
~Robert Anthony

Carol Haynes

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Re: Free Netveda Firewall
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2006, 04:38 AM »
Had a heck of a job uninstalling Agnitum Outpost (had to do it manually as the uninstaller doesn't work at all) - what a PITA.

Have installed NetVeda - not terribly impressed on first impressions. Basically when an app wants to contact the internet you have the option to Allow, Allow Once or Deny access. There is no opportunity at that point to set up any sort of rule based or port based access - you need to open the firewall configuration screen and go through numerous dialogues to write specific rules.

It is quite confusing to setup because it is possible to configure the software as a standalone firewall or as a Gateway Firewall. However, the onscreen documentation is cursory at best, and really doesn't explain a lot. The PDF manual is a bit better but still doesn't really explain how rules are configured in any detail. This is also a complaint in the forums.

Rules can be set up though it is not at all easy to see how to do this on an application basis. Rules are configured by a simple form using drop down menus for services and applications:


rules.png


However, the applications drop down is initially empty. The services dropdown is confusing terminology as it seems to refer to protocols rather than services:

services.png

All other drop downs seem to be empty or set to ALL

To add applications to the dropdown list you need to go through a lengthy process of manually adding .exe files to groups with common properties. For example I have a number of applications from TMPGEnc which will need similar internet access rules so I had to set the following list up:

appgroup.png

in order to add TMPGEnc to the applications list.

There are numerous group types:

grouptype.png

This may well be a flexible way to do this but it is extraordinarily time consuming and confusing and even then you only seem to be able to block or allow a group (and I couldn't get this to work form my TMPGEnc group - but this is probably just my misunderstanding of how it all links together). You can specify port activity and IP based network acivity via the Network and Services groups respectively, though it is not terribly obvious how you apply IP and Port based rules to applications.

All in all I am still looking for a new firewall - for me I don't think NetVeda is going to be the one as it is going to take massive amounts of work to manually configure every application the way you want. It is simply too tempting just to allow each application default "Allow" or "Block" access to all incoming and outgoing traffic.

FWIW the free and Pro versions seem to be identical. The only difference I can find is that the free version doesn't have any individual support, except via the forums. The free version has the option to enter license details - but this is not required unless you purchase a license.
« Last Edit: January 09, 2006, 06:04 AM by Carol Haynes »

Carol Haynes

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Re: Free Netveda Firewall
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2006, 05:34 AM »
Having fiddled for a bit longer I have edited my post above.

mouser

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Re: Free Netveda Firewall
« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2006, 08:26 AM »
thanks for that mini review carol - that's enough information for me to know it's not the firewall for me.

Hellie

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Re: Free Netveda Firewall
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2006, 11:43 AM »
Sincere apologise everyone only just fully back online after my Wireless Modem and Router problems. I have to say Netveda is a steep learning curve. I actually have never tried to block specific ports. I have set mine up so it seems to block everything via the firewall tests but due to generally lack of good firewalls I thought it was an interesting find. It seems to do more than my previous Kaspersky firewall. I agree with Carol there seems to nothing between the free and the paid version other than support.  From my point of view it sits nicely with NOD 32  www.eset .com antivirus and has a smaller footprint than Zone Alarms both the free and trial paid version. I am quite happy with it especially as works well with my antivirus. I shall play around some more and report back.   

Helen