NeT Firewall 3.0.23

NeT Firewall is a powerful tool for protecting your computer. It can be customized to protect any Windows-based system from unwanted access attempts. The application is suited for any computer working in a network environment. This program can even be used on a computer which acts as a gateway for your local network. If you decide to use NeT Firewall on a gateway computer, you should know that it supports port forwarding (mapping).

Beside the basic firewall function, NeT Firewall can do traffic shaping. You can define multiple filters in order to limit the traffic on certain TCP ports. Each filter can be easily disabled or enabled any time you want. You won't even have to restart the whole firewall service, because the modifications take effect immediately.

The application supports TCP statefull inspection, but the option is disabled by default. This technology tracks each packet which is received by the firewall, making sure that the traffic is legitimate. On the "Security Rules" page, inside the program's user interface, you can edit or create rules for accepting or blocking traffic. There are 9 predefined rules which can be enabled or disabled, depending on what services you want to offer. For example, if you are running a web server on your computer, you might want to set the program to allow connections to your HTTP port.

Pluses: I like the program's user interface very much. It's not designed for a beginner, but it is very easy to use when you know a thing or two about networks. Also, the fact that you can use a slider to adjust the level of protection is a great solution for providing better accessibility.

Drawbacks / flaws:

In conclusion: This software is a good choice for average users, with some basic knowledge about computer networks and network protocols.

version reviewed: 2.3.2.3