 Comodo's Free Forever Firewall, What's the Real Bleeping Story Here? |
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Welcome to Bleeping Computer, a free community where people like yourself come together to discuss and learn how to use their computers. Using the site is easy and fun. As a guest, you can browse and view the various discussions in the forums, but can not create a new topic or reply to an existing one unless you are logged in. Other benefits of registering an account are subscribing to topics and forums, creating a blog, and having no ads shown anywhere on the site.| Important Announcement: The winners of the BC Million Post contest have been announced. You can read who the winners are at this post. - BleepingComputer Management |
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 Mar 25 2007, 08:53 AM
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 Member  Group: Members Posts: 86 Joined: 10-March 07 From: Australia Member No.: 116,663  |
Just cruising around this great site  checking out some of the 'goodies' on offer. In doing this I became mildly interested in this Topic Title's free firewall. Comodo is listed at the head of this Forum in the free replacements for commercial software. Sounds good. So I visited the Comodo site where, as would be expected, the firewall gets rave reviews and claims. Again sounds good. Plus I have noticed several site members do use the product.Then I did a search of the Forum on Comodo hoping to find out what users of the product actually have to say about it; what a/v and spyware detection they might be using with Comodo; things like that. That is when I ran onto this, shall we say, less than good review of Comodo. You can read it here. The relevant bits come at the end of the thread in the form of two off-site links, after which, the subject/thread just goes dead. So what once looked to me like good, multiple recommendations for Comodo suddenly turned into something else. I'm confused. Questions arise. Are or were the makers of Comodo mixed up in commercial spyware? Is the firewall fragile and not kind to multiple user accounts? What's the bottom line on Comodo's free forever firewall? Anybody know? Regards... GRJ  Moderator Edit: Moved topic to more appropriate forum. ~ Animal This post has been edited by Animal: Mar 25 2007, 05:53 PM |
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 Mar 25 2007, 09:21 AM
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 Who is running the store? Group: Members Posts: 1,901 Joined: 26-November 05 From: Tampa Bay Area, Florida, USA Member No.: 42,052 |
Hey Jeff -
Me again. I've not used Comodo's Firewall, so I can't give you any specific info, but I do notice the dates on those posts, some referencing information over a year old. Many people may recommend ZoneLab's free Zone Alarm Free Firewall (at the bottom of the page). You can find negative information on it, too, and virtually any legitimate product if you search hard enough. I'll sit back now, and let folks who have used Comodo's product reply. Have a great day. --------------------  I know you think you understand what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant! |
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Mar 26 2007, 09:07 PM
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 134 Joined: 26-November 06 Member No.: 97,849 |
I have been using comodo PF for a while now, and i didnt notice any problem with my computer, except the notification when i play BF2 for the first time.
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Mar 27 2007, 06:32 AM
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Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 320 Joined: 6-October 06 Member No.: 88,787 |
I have been using Comodo for around 6mths now and highly recommend it. When I first installed it I had problems with slow start up times but traced this to a problem with Avast AV which I already found a bit of a resource hogger. I then changed to AVG Antivirus Free Edition and have had no compatibilities problems whatsoever. I also use AVG Antispyware, Spyware Blaster and Windows Defender for real time protection. I also do a monthly scan using the Windows Live One Care online scanner. Comodo has been updated several times since the articles you mention and I can say that as soon as the Beta version of there Anti Virus becomes a regular release I will be changing to that as well.
I have read up on Comodo enough to know that they are good guys and if you are realistic you will know that on almost every program you install on your computer there are things installed which you don't use or need. Witness the amount of posts on these forums on getting rid of Norton and the things that Microsoft installs or how Google now has to report certain things etc etc. The articles you mention on Comodo are very old and Comodo has been updated several times since. Also Comodo run a very good Forum where your queries are quickly replied to by the mods. My view now is that it is better to use the devil you know than the devil you don't and as my PC has run pretty smooth the last six months and the only Virus/Trojan I got in this period turned out to be a false positive I will continue with my present setup. Another thing strongly in favour of Comodo is the fact that it is easily understood from a novice perspective. I am 57 and only got interested in PC's when I became housebound due to injury. I tried other Firewalls but found them too complex to configure and ended up going back to Windows Firewall before installing Comodo. Another piece of recommended advice as regards installation which I read on the Comodo Forums is in effect to download the latest versions of whichever Antivirus / Anti spyware etc you have on your PC to your desktop or a folder, disconnect from the internet then uninstall the versions of the above you are using at present. Then reinstall them again starting with Comodo Firewall then your chosen AntiVirus then your chosen AntiSpyware etc before reconnecting to the net. In this way you will minimise your risk for problems. Bluesjunior, Confirmed Comodo Fan. |
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Mar 27 2007, 04:38 PM
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 Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 194 Joined: 20-June 05 From: Central Texas Member No.: 24,183 |
Been using Comodo for about a year now on WinXP Home machine with DSL connection. I love this firewall. Easy to install, use & configure. Once I grated internet access to Avast & Counterspy in Application Monitor, connected first time out. No problems with Firefox 1.5.0.10, Avast Home, Counterspy or Yahoo Web Mail. Be sure you turn off all realtime security packages that might block writing to the registry and install in the order last poster mentioned (FW, AV, AS). . The firewall tests stealth for me. There is a useful video at link below that helped me tremendously. This was the very first firewalll I have ever installed and it went like a charm. Reinstalls have gone smoothly as well.
Comodo Install Video: http://www.embsolutions.com.au/cpf_rule/ This post has been edited by buttoni: Mar 27 2007, 04:42 PM -------------------- Dell Dimension 4700 Desktop; 512 RAM; WinXP-SP3; Firefox 3.0 (IE6 rarely); ATT DSL 2Wire 1800 modem/router; IE-Spyad; MVPS Hosts File; Comodo Firewall 3.0; Avast! Home; SuperAntispyware Pro
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Mar 27 2007, 10:21 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 86 Joined: 10-March 07 From: Australia Member No.: 116,663 |
Hey Guyz
 Thanx to all who have thus far responded. Some good insights into Comodo and what works well with it. I have gone back and re-read that thread I referenced in my first posting on this topic. True what was written about Comodo was about a year ago. At my age a year isn't very long ago. More significantly the Moderator in her post did say that, at that stage, BC had not heard of, nor yet tested the Comodo firewall... thus the warnings to be careful if one chose to give it a try. Since Comodo is on BC's list of firewalls to use obviously the testing has been done and Comodo has passed scrutiny. I should have recognized that straight away.  RTFQ Jeff!Anyone else who has input regarding Comodo... I am all ears.  All the Best.... GRJ
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Mar 28 2007, 07:28 AM
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 Forum Addict Group: Global Moderator Posts: 20,576 Joined: 11-April 04 From: Chicago, Il. Member No.: 113 |
Asking about something as important as a firewall before using it is certainly to your credit. While Comodo is far from my favourite (I much prefer Sygate), I currently use Comodo on my XP desktop, with good results when tested on-line.
Regards, John -------------------- Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one should be silent.
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 Mar 28 2007, 08:13 AM
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 Just enough info to be armed & dangerous... Group: Members Posts: 2,009 Joined: 18-March 06 From: St Kilda, Dunedin. South Island. NZ Member No.: 59,805 |
Over the past few years, I have tried most of the popular firewalls, including Comodo, but have had SygatePF (coupled with Avast and a swag of antispyware) installed for quite a few months now and find no reason to go past it. Like most things, go with what suits you best. Your idea to ask for others' experiences is a really good one.
Cheers -------------------- |
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Mar 28 2007, 11:08 AM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 86 Joined: 10-March 07 From: Australia Member No.: 116,663 |
QUOTE(buttoni @ Mar 28 2007, 05:38 AM)  This was the very first firewalll I have ever installed and it went like a charm. Reinstalls have gone smoothly as well. Re-installs? GRJ
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Mar 28 2007, 09:17 PM
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Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 181 Joined: 3-September 06 Member No.: 83,524 |
I'd like to say this: everyone's PC is different, so it is nearly impossible to say how it will work for an individual. But here's something that everyone could relate to (if they tried to do this): try getting tech support from ZoneAlarm. Then try getting tech support from Comodo. Night and day. About a month after I switched from ZA to Comodo, I realized that I would probably never go back.
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Mar 29 2007, 04:06 AM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 86 Joined: 10-March 07 From: Australia Member No.: 116,663 |
QUOTE(rlprlp @ Mar 29 2007, 10:17 AM) try getting tech support from ZoneAlarm. Then try getting tech support from Comodo. Night and day. About a month after I switched from ZA to Comodo, I realized that I would probably never go back. Point taken. Thanks. GRJ
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Mar 29 2007, 02:25 PM
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Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 194 Joined: 20-June 05 From: Central Texas Member No.: 24,183 |
QUOTE(Globe Roamer Jeff @ Mar 28 2007, 10:08 AM) QUOTE(buttoni @ Mar 28 2007, 05:38 AM) This was the very first firewalll I have ever installed and it went like a charm. Reinstalls have gone smoothly as well. Re-installs? GRJ Yeah, I had to reinstall my 3 security packages in the above mentioned sequence after a problem with Counterspy that turned out not related to Comodo at all, but a minor bug in the new Counterspy 2.0 release which the good folks at Sunbelt are currently working on. Also reinstalled once after a pc restore at a repair shop. Each & every install has gone without a glitch, and I'm a firewall novice. This post has been edited by buttoni: Mar 29 2007, 02:31 PM -------------------- Dell Dimension 4700 Desktop; 512 RAM; WinXP-SP3; Firefox 3.0 (IE6 rarely); ATT DSL 2Wire 1800 modem/router; IE-Spyad; MVPS Hosts File; Comodo Firewall 3.0; Avast! Home; SuperAntispyware Pro
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Mar 29 2007, 10:24 PM
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 143 Joined: 16-August 06 Member No.: 81,122 |
although i use kerio, i have to admit that i have heard more good things about comodo than any other firewall on the web sites that i visit. as other posters have said, it has to work right to be good. i used to use zone alarm with my win98, but there was a problem displaying pages with my xp. try it, if it doesn't work, use something else. the folks on this site will point you in the right direction.
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Apr 19 2007, 02:25 AM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 86 Joined: 10-March 07 From: Australia Member No.: 116,663 |
I guess this thread could be put to bed. Thanks to all for the comments and personal experiences using Comodo. Recently I installed Comodo along with AntiVir and both are simple as falling off a log to use and do not conflict in anyway that I can tell. That is exactly the way it should be.
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