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- Free
- Leak protection
- Basic and advanced configurations
- Automatic updates
- Advanced configuration requires skill
- No free technical support
- Some crashes and glitches
Reviews say the free version of Online Armor Personal Firewall is relatively simple to use and is practically leak-proof when it comes to protecting your computer against online hackers. Online Armor is reportedly working on a Vista-compatible version, but as of this writing, it's not yet available. One previous drawback was that the Online Armor's free firewall didn't automatically seek updates online, but Scot's Newsletter Blog (August 2008) reports that Online Armor has resolved this issue. Reviews say the Online Armor paid version offers some extra protection (especially for online banking), but the consensus is that the freeware will suffice for most casual Internet users.
Matousec.com performs extensive leak testing against firewall products, and it rates the free edition of Online Armor sixth-best overall. (The Online Armor paid version ranks second.) Scot's Newsletter Blog is a frequently updated blog by a veteran technology writer, editor and reviewer. We also found a helpful review in Missouri's Columbia Daily Tribune that's written by an experienced computer consultant.
Our Sources
1. Matousec.com
Online Armor Personal Firewall's free download is rated sixth (the $40 version is ranked second) in Matousec.com's "Firewall Challenge." Testing shows it has an effectiveness rating of 89 percent. That level of protection is called "very good."
Review: Firewall Challenge, David Matousek and editors
Scot Finnie, editor of ComputerWorld, publishes Scot's Newsletter Blog, where he allows comments from his knowledgeable readership. The site is frequently updated, too; for instance, he had dinged the free version of Online Armor for lacking automatic updates and for the need to uninstall when a new version is released, but in August 2008 he reported Online Armor eliminated both annoyances.
Review: The Best Software Firewall of 2008: Online Armor, Scot Finnie, Mar. 2008
Scott May is a computer consultant who says he sampled "many" firewalls, but mentions only ZoneAlarm (which he doesn't recommend) and Online Armor's free version. He says the free Online Armor is easy to install and is "probably all most users will need," but notes that the paid version (*Est. $40) has an online-banking security feature.
Review: Evaluate Software to Greet New Year, Scott A. May, Jan. 8, 2008
FileForum.com is a shareware website where members offer brief user reviews. Note that the posted average ratings reflect all revisions of a given product. Online Armor's free edition gets good average scores from a handful of users, with one suggesting you're better off buying the paid version.
Review: Online-Armor Free Edition 2.1.0.131 Review, Contributors to FileForum.com
Firewalls Runners Up:
2 picks including: Softpedia.com, Columbia Daily Tribune…
2 picks including: 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan - Short Take Road Test…
2 picks by top review sites.
2 picks including: Matousec.com…
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