Internet is an abundant source of free applications. Firewalls are one such program we need on every computing machines. The online world became an unsecured place and it becomes a primary task to protect ourselves from online threats. The increase in the cyber crimes rate is alarming and most of the victims are not using antivirus or firewall software solution to protect their system.
A firewall is one of the important programs we need on our computers. Running a firewall in the background is like a gatekeeper is doing his duty to stop unauthorised entry into the computer.
What is a Firewall?
A firewall is a program which acts as a border check line to stop unwanted guests from browsing your network. Firewall programs monitor and control all the incoming and outgoing Internet traffic.
A good firewall can protect your system from unwanted pishing and hack attacks on your system. There are plenty of rules are followed by the Firewalls to protect your computer from unauthorised accessing.
Best Free Firewall Programs for Windows 10
In this article, I have shortlisted best free Firewall programs for Windows 10 to improve your device security. Each program listed here has its own set of pros and cons. Based on the rating, usage and features we were given the positions.
1. Comodo Firewall
Comodo Firewall is the best free firewall program available to download online. The program offers ad-blocker, virtual Internet browsing, Game mode and many more. For most of the regular Internet users, Comodo Firewall gives the best security against all types of online attacks.
It has the best Firewall blocking capabilities among the other competing programs. It uses default deny protection to prevent threats from entering and making changes in your system.
I strongly recommend Comodo Firewall to our audience to get strong protection against online attacks and threats.
2. Tinywall
Tinywall is a hassle-free firewall program comes with simplicity. It starts working from the Windows taskbar. The application user-interface is clean and you will notice the options are very easy to use. Tinywall comes with automatic learning mode to perform the task as per user usage style.
The scanner option will let you scan your computer for programs you trust. You can choose the programs you want to give permission through a firewall and restrict unwanted programs as well.
The connection monitor shows all the active processes that are utilizing the Internet connection and as well as open ports. By pressing right-click on any program you can instantly kill the process and send it to the VirusTotal to test its authenticity.
3. R-Firewall
R-Firewall is an advanced firewall program for Windows. It has some serious actions to block the unwanted programs Internet access. It can protect the Windows-based laptops and desktops from trojans, spyware and other online threats from an Internet and local computer network.
The program is robust in terms of the features but it is not user-friendly in the interface. The application UI looks a bit complicated when compared to the other firewall applications.
The automatic configuration option during the set up will identify the suspicious programs which are accessing the Internet and lets you modify them. Also, you create custom profiles for programs in specific network environments.
For example, you can allow a program through your office Internet and block them in public and home network connections. This is one of the most useful options for those who want to block office related programs Internet activity outside of the office network.
4. Privatefirewall
Privatefirewall is a feature-rich firewall available for Windows users. It has 3 profile to easily switch between. Adding and removing an application through the firewall is like a breeze. The user-interface allows you to check which application is blocked and which is not easy.
There are plenty of options if you want to make your firewall next level. Using the Privatefirewall taskbar you can block, filter the traffic without any extra effort.
It also allows you to create a Trusted sites list which can be allowed through the firewall. The blocked IP address can’t access the web and secures the incoming and outgoing connections. Also, for every IP adding and blocking activity, you will get a notification to get alert.
5. PeerBlock
PeerBlock is yet another Firewall with a different working style. The program blocks the list of IP addresses which are trying to get a contact with the Internet.
It does by blocking the incoming and outgoing connections. It means the list of IP address can’t make contact with the Internet. This can be done by blocking either peer-to-peer organizations (P2P), ads, spyware or educational institutions.
The main user-interface of the application is easy enough to understand the usage. It shows time, range, source and destination for each connection. Also, the program is very light-weight on the system resources. If you are using an old configuration system, PeerBlock is the best Firewall to protect your system from unwanted attacks.
6. NetDefender
If you are looking for a simple and basic blocker for Windows then try NetDefender. It is a pretty clean program which controls incoming and outgoing connections.
The set up of the program is quick and it instantly works as a safeguard to your net interactions. However, it is the most basic program available but it performs the tasks well what it is created for.
The program interface is clean and shows which programs or apps are trying to connect to the Internet. By using the on-screen options, you can control the apps and programs Internet activity easily. Also, the program is very lightweight on the system resources and convenient to use.
7. AVS Firewall
If you are looking for the friendliest firewall with easy to understand even for novice users, then you can use AVS Firewall. It has all the options which are strictly needed by a good firewall program.
It will secure and protects you from the unwanted banners and pop-up advertisements. It lets you add rules to customize the incoming and outgoing traffic. Program or IP which is blocked in the firewall will don’t get Internet access and thus you can prevent threats from their activity.
Another interesting option is called Parental Control. It is a section which blocks the explicit list of websites. Also, you can put a password to prevent unauthorized changes in the firewall.
8. Outpost Firewall
Outpost Firewall by default it has few pre-configured programs list to block through your network connection. You don’t need to manually enter the most common programs which require your net access. It also has custom profiles option to block/allow IP address through its firewall.
It has features like basic firewall protection to safeguard your PC from unwanted communications, connection monitoring to check which program is accessing your Internet connection and surfing protection, which maintains the privacy by protecting your browser from Internet threats.
9. Ashampoo FireWall
Ashampoo is a very popular name among Windows users. It has many Windows applications like Taskbar Customizer, Uninstaller, ZIP, Driver updater and many more.
The program lets you configure network connections in Easy and Expert modes. Here, you can allow/block the programs going through its firewall. The program is very easy and simple to use with straightforward options to any type of users.
Unfortunately, the program is discontinued by the Ashampoo but the program still available and works like a charm to block unwanted guests in your computer.
10. ZoneAlarm
ZoneAlarm is a very popular company among security software solutions. Along with its Antivirus, Mobile security it also has the best free Firewall service to the users. The ZoneAlarm Firewall comes in both the free and paid versions.
The free version has plenty of features to control inbound and outbound traffic. The best part of the ZoneAlarm is traffic monitoring. It will monitor your entire traffic and blocks the spyware exposing your data. The identity protection is a good feature to hide personal data from hackers.
It blocks unwanted programs Internet access along with control over the traffic. The free version is powerful enough to secure a personal PC. The paid version is suitable for office and business laptops and PC’s to get advanced protection like raw data access, timing, and reducing potential attack vectors.
Conclusion
These are the best free firewall solutions to protect your system from unwanted network activity. All the programs listed in this article are free to use and great for protecting your Windows PC. For good protection and prevention, we suggest Commodo and Tinywall firewalls in the list. Each program has own set of its pros and cons. Check the features of the program before downloading.