Is Windows Firewall a resource hog?

Last week, I installed the ESET NOD32 AV that I bought from Newegg, that has gone well. I decided since I upgraded my AV, it was time to look into a new firewall also. So I installed the Comodo Firewall (free version) on both of my computers, and so far, I'm impressed.

For the most part, I left the standard settings alone, and accepted the pre-checked "Optimal" protection, rather than "Maximum". Because, in the past, whenever I jacked up security to the max, my internet connection was slowed.

However, upon installing Comodo onto my desktop, I noticed that upon startup, my icons load almost instantly. Before, with the Windows Firewall turned on, there was a noticeable wait. I've rebooted three times, and it loads fast. Amazing! With a low powered PC like I have, I need all of the help that I can get.

My question is, does the Windows Firewall uses that much of your computer's resources?

Cat

Can't answer your question Cat but I do have a question for you.
If you install another brand of firewall what happens? Does it detect and disable the Windows firewall or do you have to manually disable the windows once first.

I manually disabled the Windows one first. The Comodo firewall installed without any issues. Like I stated, my icons load almost instantly at startup, it never has fired up that fast before. The same on my XP Media Center install on my notebook, it loads fast.

One difference with the Comodo Firewall, it acts almost as an AV, as it attempted to block the install of CDRWIN 8 several times, I suppose the different processes of the install. The Windows one never acted that way. So I suppose it offers more protection, and with no loss of speed.

However, it recommends during the install to use their servers, if you like your speed, avoid that. You can choose not to use their servers.

Combined with ESET NOD32 AV, I feel a lot more secure than when I was using MSE with the Windows Firewall. MSE never, and I mean never, intercepted bad code on this desktop, or my notebook. There were never any files in quarantine, nor any logs where it deleted (or detected) a file that was infected.

It was only when I started using the ESET Online Scanner that I realized that I needed to go in another direction.

Hope this post is of some help.

Cat

Thanks Cat. I've been very happy with ESET since I installed the purchased version. Running it in XP & 7.
Not had any warnings from ESET although I have had the occasional pop-up from my registered version of Malwarebytes telling it blocked something.

I'll have a look at Comodo and see what I think.

Mike

I think you'll be satisfied with Comodo Firewall. As for turning off the Windows 7 one, it's two clicks on it's control panel, and it's off. It's simple with XP, too.

Cat

Cool, did you also look at zone alarm? I've heard it also is pretty good.

I've installed Comodo. Seems so far so good. Quite a few settings to choose from.
I've firewall setting in 'safe' and defense setting in 'safe'. Kept my own server settings.

What other settings did you use Cat?

I really didn't change anything, except chose not to direct my internet through Comodo's servers. And to allow computer and printer sharing on my network. The default options seemed to be fairly adequate, at least so far they have. If I need to, I can always make adjustments.

As far as Zone Alarm goes, there were way too many issues (BSOD's, etc.) posted on this forum, as well as XP ones, for me to even consider it. I don't know how much merit was in the complaints, but there were way too many of them for my comfort zone.

Plus, Comodo is well known to be easy to setup, and for someone who has never changed firewalls, I needed it to be simple. And it was. From the start of the download, to installing it, took less than five minutes.

Does your screen(s) load faster, too?

Cat

I'll do a re-boot and tell ya.. Dont' go away.

Re-load seems very slightly faster but my win7 is still pretty 'clean' having only been in for a month and this desktop I keep very barren unlike my XP one which needs to populate lots of icons.