You want to manage network traffic both inbound and outbound on your Windows PC in greater depth and are looking for a solution to do so. In this new guide today we decided to list what we think are the best firewall for Windows to use absolutely.
Firewall: what is it?
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the firewall takes care of analyzing the incoming and outgoing network traffic allowing or blocking the exchange of data with the outside. In short, it has the task of further increasing the security on your computer and is often supported by an antivirus.
One of the functions most appreciated by the firewall is to prevent unauthorized programs from accessing the Internet, thus preventing the dissemination of private information by any viruses or unsafe software present in the machine.
Premise
Starting with Windows 7, Microsoft includes a firewall that does all the things reported earlier. We are talking about Windows Defender Firewall. This can be configured simply by accessing the Control Panel and following the path System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall.
However, consider that installing a firewall may be unnecessary if you have antivirus software. In fact, the most popular paid security suites like Avast, Kaspersky, BitDefender and Norton already have a built-in firewall that automatically turns off the one in Windows.
On the contrary, if you rely on Windows Defender (the antivirus software pre-installed in the OS of the Redmond giant) and you are looking for a more advanced solution, then you can simply continue reading to choose the best firewall to install on your Windows PC.
Firewall for Windows: the best to use
After seeing in general the features offered by the firewall and the brief but important premise, below we will report what we think are the best firewall for Windows to exploit to strengthen security while surfing the Internet.
Convenient Free Firewall
For several years, Comodo Free Firewall has been considered the best firewall for Windows to download and install completely free on the PC. Furthermore, this program is available in the complete antivirus suite offered by the same company. The good news is that the firewall can also be installed individually without necessarily installing the antivirus.
The program is available in both free and complete versions at a cost of $39.99 per year and provides various advanced features to block certain files and registry keys. In addition to this, Comodo Free Firewall is appreciated by many users due to the few resources required to function properly and for its very simple and intuitive user interface.
Among the features offered by this program we find the possibility of surfing the Internet in a virtual way, setting up custom DNS servers, activating a game mode, easily blocking any process or program from entering or exiting the network and there is also a convenient function of scan that analyzes all the running processes to know the degree of reliability of each one.
You can proceed with the download of Comodo Free Firewall by connecting to the dedicated Web page and pressing the Free Firewall Download button to download the free version or the Get Full Protection! button for the full payment.
ZoneAlarm Free Firewall
Among the best firewalls for Windows to use we have decided to include ZoneAlarm Free Firewall. We are faced with a really great tool that manages to replace Windows Defender Firewall very well.
There are so many people who rely on this software as it was one of the first to be fully compatible with Microsoft’s operating system. Furthermore, over the past few years, ZoneAlarm Free Firewall has received a series of updates that have made it more powerful and performant.
The basic version of the firewall can be installed on a Windows PC without the antivirus and also offers two settings profiles: a manual to have full control over the various options offered by the firewall and an automatic one. For example, you can adjust security settings on public and private networks and limit file and printer sharing on certain networks. To proceed with the download of ZoneAlarm Free Firewall, just connect to the dedicated Web page and simply press the Free Download button.
TinyWall
TinyWall is the lightest firewall currently on the market to protect your Windows computer while browsing as it is based on the original Microsoft firewall.
The main function of TinyWall is to perform a scan of the programs in order to add the most secure ones to a dedicated list. In addition, it is possible to start the firewall in the Autolearn mode designed specifically to allow it to learn about which software to access the network. In addition to this, through the TinyWall interface you can discover the active processes that currently use the Internet and all open ports.
In short, it is an excellent alternative to be installed on computers that have few resources available as it is very small and not very intrusive. To proceed with the TinyWall download, you need to connect to the dedicated page on the official website and simply click on the Download TinyWall xx here link.
Best firewall for Windows to use: alternatives
In addition to the solutions listed in the previous lines, below we propose alternatives to consider if you were not satisfied with the firewalls reported earlier.