McAfee Personal Firewall Plus 2006 Version 7.0
- Proven PC security that helps prevent hacker attacks
- Safeguards financial documents, personal info, photos, and more
- Prevents unwanted Internet connections to or from PC
- Integrates seamlessly with McAfee VirusScan virus detection and removal
- Updates automatically to protect against new threats
Rating: 4 of 5
Could be user friendlier
Rating: 3 of 5
Essentially the same as versions 5 & 6.
McAfee's Personal Firewall Plus version 5.0 was almost unilaterally panned by everyone who reviewed it.
In 2005, version 6.0 was released. Most reviewers, including myself, seemed 2 have no problems with it. And so far, unlike another reviewer, I have not had any problems with version 7.0.
Before I get into anything else McAfee related, let me review the actual firewall program itself.
In May 2004, I finally moved out of the dark ages & moved from a dial-up connection 2 DSL. On the advice of a friend, I purchased a firewall program 4 the first time ever. Because I already used McAfee VirusScan (yes, I'm a glutton 4 punishment), I chose 2 buy Personal Firewall Plus version 5.0.
Unlike many of the reviews I read, I did not have any system problems as a result of installing or uninstalling version 5.0. Nor did I have any problems as a result of installing or uninstalling version 6.0. And so far, version 7.0 has not given me any problems either. The interface is very easy 2 use, the settings give me just enough adjustability 2 do what I need 2 do, & I have never had a problem with the program starting itself when I boot-up my computer. In addition, unlike the first reviewer I have not had any problems using Microsoft's Internet Explorer. My browsing times have not slowed down & the only "This page cannot be displayed" messages I get are the same ones my friends, who do not use Firewall Plus, get.
For someone like me, who is completely port illiterate, McAfee Personal Firewall Plus has done exactly what it is suppose 2 do: block the bad stuff from reaching my computer.
If I was rating the firewall only, I would give it a 5-star rating since I have never had a problem with it & it does what I need it 2 do.
Ah, but this is McAfee we are talking about. And when you buy a McAfee product, you also end up buying the stupidity of McAfee. There are two reasons why McAfee Personal Firewall Plus only gets a 3-star rating from me:
REASON 1: McAfee's customer service is one of the worst in any industry. Their live instant messaging help is a joke. The people who run this don't listen 2 your problem at all. They are only trained 2 have you run through a series of steps. Ask any current or previous McAfee customer about McAfee's customer service, & you are likely 2 send that person into a fit of hysterics followed by an hour-long commentary on just how awful their experience was. The last time I called McAfee customer service 2 fix a problem, their instructions screwed up my computer so badly that I had 2 reformat my hard drive & reinstall everything. And once I did that, I then had 2 pay 2 talk 2 someone 2 fix the problem that I was having with their product. It took them 3 weeks, & five different phone calls 2 speak 2 five different people before I got the answer I needed.
REASON 2: SecurityCenter. This program wraps all of McAfee's products together 4 easy access on your computer's taskbar. It has also been the source of many a McAfee user's ire. The good news is that there has finally been some improvement with SecurityCenter. It used 2 be that when you started your computer, the McAfee SecurityCenter splash screen would tell you which McAfee security products you had purchased & which ones you had not. Many people did not like paying 4 a McAfee product only 2 have nothing more than a pop-up advertisement show up on their screen. During version 9, one of the updates sent out by McAfee changed the SecurityCenter splash screen so that you only saw what McAfee products were installed on your computer. VirusScan 2006 goes one step further & actually allows you 2 disable the splash screen. Unfortunately, if you open SecurityCenter it will still list the McAfee items you have not purchased and, as usual, cannot tell when other programs that do the same things as those McAfee programs have been installed on your computer. Most people will never have 2 open SecurityCenter since all of the programs can be opened by right clicking on the McAfee icon in the taskbar & selecting the program you need.
Bottom line: If you are having problems with Personal Firewall Plus 2005 version 6, & you haven't already thrown McAfee out of your window 4 it, then go ahead & upgrade 2 7.0. If you look hard enough, you should be able 2 find a bundling and/or rebate that will make buying the new version worthwhile. Otherwise, it's not worth spending the time or money 2 get this version.
In 2005, version 6.0 was released. Most reviewers, including myself, seemed 2 have no problems with it. And so far, unlike another reviewer, I have not had any problems with version 7.0.
Before I get into anything else McAfee related, let me review the actual firewall program itself.
In May 2004, I finally moved out of the dark ages & moved from a dial-up connection 2 DSL. On the advice of a friend, I purchased a firewall program 4 the first time ever. Because I already used McAfee VirusScan (yes, I'm a glutton 4 punishment), I chose 2 buy Personal Firewall Plus version 5.0.
Unlike many of the reviews I read, I did not have any system problems as a result of installing or uninstalling version 5.0. Nor did I have any problems as a result of installing or uninstalling version 6.0. And so far, version 7.0 has not given me any problems either. The interface is very easy 2 use, the settings give me just enough adjustability 2 do what I need 2 do, & I have never had a problem with the program starting itself when I boot-up my computer. In addition, unlike the first reviewer I have not had any problems using Microsoft's Internet Explorer. My browsing times have not slowed down & the only "This page cannot be displayed" messages I get are the same ones my friends, who do not use Firewall Plus, get.
For someone like me, who is completely port illiterate, McAfee Personal Firewall Plus has done exactly what it is suppose 2 do: block the bad stuff from reaching my computer.
If I was rating the firewall only, I would give it a 5-star rating since I have never had a problem with it & it does what I need it 2 do.
Ah, but this is McAfee we are talking about. And when you buy a McAfee product, you also end up buying the stupidity of McAfee. There are two reasons why McAfee Personal Firewall Plus only gets a 3-star rating from me:
REASON 1: McAfee's customer service is one of the worst in any industry. Their live instant messaging help is a joke. The people who run this don't listen 2 your problem at all. They are only trained 2 have you run through a series of steps. Ask any current or previous McAfee customer about McAfee's customer service, & you are likely 2 send that person into a fit of hysterics followed by an hour-long commentary on just how awful their experience was. The last time I called McAfee customer service 2 fix a problem, their instructions screwed up my computer so badly that I had 2 reformat my hard drive & reinstall everything. And once I did that, I then had 2 pay 2 talk 2 someone 2 fix the problem that I was having with their product. It took them 3 weeks, & five different phone calls 2 speak 2 five different people before I got the answer I needed.
REASON 2: SecurityCenter. This program wraps all of McAfee's products together 4 easy access on your computer's taskbar. It has also been the source of many a McAfee user's ire. The good news is that there has finally been some improvement with SecurityCenter. It used 2 be that when you started your computer, the McAfee SecurityCenter splash screen would tell you which McAfee security products you had purchased & which ones you had not. Many people did not like paying 4 a McAfee product only 2 have nothing more than a pop-up advertisement show up on their screen. During version 9, one of the updates sent out by McAfee changed the SecurityCenter splash screen so that you only saw what McAfee products were installed on your computer. VirusScan 2006 goes one step further & actually allows you 2 disable the splash screen. Unfortunately, if you open SecurityCenter it will still list the McAfee items you have not purchased and, as usual, cannot tell when other programs that do the same things as those McAfee programs have been installed on your computer. Most people will never have 2 open SecurityCenter since all of the programs can be opened by right clicking on the McAfee icon in the taskbar & selecting the program you need.
Bottom line: If you are having problems with Personal Firewall Plus 2005 version 6, & you haven't already thrown McAfee out of your window 4 it, then go ahead & upgrade 2 7.0. If you look hard enough, you should be able 2 find a bundling and/or rebate that will make buying the new version worthwhile. Otherwise, it's not worth spending the time or money 2 get this version.
Rating: 2 of 5
Terrible, read review 4 details...
Some friends of mine told me about McAfee Personal Firewall Plus 2006 Version 7.0 & said how great it was & easy it is. Well, it sounded very good on the website & so forth, but when I got it installed on my PC, it was running fine. The protection it provides is great, don't get me wrong. But, when I tried visiting a website I had an error. And when I started browsing more & more using Microsoft Internet Explorer, I noticed a very slow "browsing" experience. Everything was very very slow at loading, sometimes IE would freeze, or not even load the website & say "The page cannot be displayed".
The interface is "pretty", & the firewall is great, but because I ran into so many problems the first day I use & buy the product, I cannot recommend this program 4 anybody...
Hope my review was helpful 2 you!
The interface is "pretty", & the firewall is great, but because I ran into so many problems the first day I use & buy the product, I cannot recommend this program 4 anybody...
Hope my review was helpful 2 you!
Rating: 3 of 5
Good Firewall protection 4 the average Windows XP user
I have been using Zone Alarm (free version) & Zone Alarm Pro 4 many years on my desktop systems but I recently decided 2 purchase & test the latest McAfee Personal Firewall Plus 2006 Version 7.0 4 use on my older & slower Pentium 3 1Ghz notebook running Windows XP Home. It is well known that Zone Alarm (ZA) & Zone Alarm Pro (ZAP) is one of the most effective Windows based software firewalls you can put on your computer. However ZA also has the ability 2 be a very unfriendly & frustrating security program if you are a non-technical computer user & if you do not have a basic knowledge of software firewalls. In addition 2 inbound & outbound firewall monitoring the latest Zone Alarm 6 has included an extremely effective but unfortunately more confusing triple defense system which protects your Windows operating system from virus & spyware attacks. The problem with ZA is the increased number of firewall alerts that pop up & ask the computer user a many highly technical questions regarding whether 2 approve or not approve programs 4 access through the firewall. For this & other various reasons I probably would not recommend Zone Alarm version 6 at this point in time unless you have a very experienced computer tech person 2 help you set it up & work through the program's "training phase" after installation. I am sure that in the near future the next ZAP version updates will improve but as of this review the latest Zone Alarm Pro (version 6.0.631.003) can be a challenge 4 most people except the more advanced computer users.
I will now describe the pros & cons of McAfee's Personal Firewall 2006 version 7. Before installation make sure that you are not running another software firewall & your McAfee installation should be very easy. Besides the rather simple installation one of my favorite things about all of the McAfee products is the easy software activation phase which is one of the least privacy intrusive program activations I have ever used. You are only required 2 give a name, an email address, & a password 4 activation which is really nice in a current era with so many complex, buggy, flawed & invasive schemes used by other software companies (Norton Antivirus & Zone Alarm Pro products 2 name a few). Furthermore, after installing the McAfee Firewall software the setup process does not ask you many technical questions which is very easy 4 those non-technical computer users. The big question most people want 2 know is "How well does the McAfee program work ?" I also use a Linksys Router with a NAT firewall so it may not be a fair 2 say but McAfee passed all the online firewall intrusion tests with flying colors. In these tests there almost no difference between McAfee Firewall Plus v7 & Zone Alarm Pro 6 . After running the "Shields Up" & the Broadband Reports online port scan tests all access attempts from the internet showed all the ports as "stealth" except 4 port 113 which they showed being as closed.
The real differences you will find between McAfee Firewall & Zone Alarm Pro will be inclusion of all the advanced firewall settings & other powerful security enhancements that computer enthusiasts like me like 2 have. For the advanced user these extra customizable settings are really cool & actually do provide a very significant level of security enhancement. But 4 the average user who does not bother 2 use these settings the difference in security is not that great. ZAP also provides cookie, ad, & pop up blocking, scheduled automatic internet cache cleaning, as well as automatic email executable file attachment quarantine, customizable internet browser executable code disabling, & new with version six is the Pest Patrol definition based spyware protection (none of these features are available with ZA free version). You can however achieve similar security extras if you also purchase & install the new McAfee Antispyware 2006 v2.0 & the Quick Clean 2006 in addition 2 the McAfee Firewall 2006 program. What I would recommend is perhaps 2 use a package of those three programs along with the new version of McAfee VirusScan 2006 & download a very good free Antispyware program such as the latest Microsoft Antispyware (beta). Although it may not be the most economical route 2 go those programs do work together very well & would provide good overall security 4 your computer. You could also get most of the above by instead purchasing the newest McAfee Internet Security Suite but be very careful since I highly recommend doing a custom installation while NOT installing the McAfee "Privacy Service" program since in the past it has proven 2 be bloated, hog resources, cause lockups & create a number of other problems.
For advanced & hardcore internet users you should consider Zone Alarm Pro (ZAP) version 6, McAfee VirusScan 2006, & the free Microsoft Antispyware (beta) as an ultimate yet rather inexpensive suite of three security software programs. You might ask me "What about Norton Antivirus or Internet Security, Trend Micro Internet Security, or Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite ?" The only one of those I might recommend as a Suite is the Trend Micro Suite. Norton 2004 & 2005 security programs can cause major conflicts, may slow your computer 2 a halt & they can be a big pain 2 activate. Hopefully Symantec will improve their Norton 2006 versions but I am not holding my breath. The Zone Alarm Suite can be very complex 2 configure, the Antivirus portion isn't quite up 2 par, & activation can be a real hassle (they require that you register before they send you an email activation code & very often they never send the code & your stuck with having 2 use the old version without any program updates). Trend Micro Internet Security is a very good antivirus program, it is easy 2 install & activate, & it uses very few computer resources but its firewall leaves much 2 be desired & its antispyware detection is weak but at total cost of about forty dollars it is a bargain worth mentioning. Just make sure that you also install a few additional popular free antispyware programs if you go the Trend Micro route.
PROS: Great 4 non-technical computer users. Very easy 2 install, activate, & configure. It provides good firewall protection 4 the average broadband or dial-up internet user. Works well on older computers since it does not use as many system resources as other firewall based security programs.
CONS: Lacks the extra security features, customizable options & advanced settings of more powerful software firewalls such as Zone Alarm Pro. It works better 4 security if it is used in combination with other McAfee security products such as McAfee VirusScan, McAfee Antispyware & Quick Clean.
CONCLUSION: Make sure you completely uninstall or disable any other software firewall before installing McAfee Firewall. Check 2 see that the Windows XP firewall is disabled after installing McAfee or you will not be able 2 access your internet connection. Also download & install at least one or more popular antispyware programs such as Microsoft Antispyware (beta) & Spybot S&D 2 enhance your overall internet security (the full paid version of Webroot SpySweeper 4 is also excellent choice). I can recommend the McAfee Personal Firewall 2006 v.7 with a positive rating of three out of five stars as it is a good firewall & great alternative security upgrade 4 most average internet users as opposed 2 simply using the basic inbound only security protection provided by enabling the Windows XP (SP1 or SP2) internet firewall.
I will now describe the pros & cons of McAfee's Personal Firewall 2006 version 7. Before installation make sure that you are not running another software firewall & your McAfee installation should be very easy. Besides the rather simple installation one of my favorite things about all of the McAfee products is the easy software activation phase which is one of the least privacy intrusive program activations I have ever used. You are only required 2 give a name, an email address, & a password 4 activation which is really nice in a current era with so many complex, buggy, flawed & invasive schemes used by other software companies (Norton Antivirus & Zone Alarm Pro products 2 name a few). Furthermore, after installing the McAfee Firewall software the setup process does not ask you many technical questions which is very easy 4 those non-technical computer users. The big question most people want 2 know is "How well does the McAfee program work ?" I also use a Linksys Router with a NAT firewall so it may not be a fair 2 say but McAfee passed all the online firewall intrusion tests with flying colors. In these tests there almost no difference between McAfee Firewall Plus v7 & Zone Alarm Pro 6 . After running the "Shields Up" & the Broadband Reports online port scan tests all access attempts from the internet showed all the ports as "stealth" except 4 port 113 which they showed being as closed.
The real differences you will find between McAfee Firewall & Zone Alarm Pro will be inclusion of all the advanced firewall settings & other powerful security enhancements that computer enthusiasts like me like 2 have. For the advanced user these extra customizable settings are really cool & actually do provide a very significant level of security enhancement. But 4 the average user who does not bother 2 use these settings the difference in security is not that great. ZAP also provides cookie, ad, & pop up blocking, scheduled automatic internet cache cleaning, as well as automatic email executable file attachment quarantine, customizable internet browser executable code disabling, & new with version six is the Pest Patrol definition based spyware protection (none of these features are available with ZA free version). You can however achieve similar security extras if you also purchase & install the new McAfee Antispyware 2006 v2.0 & the Quick Clean 2006 in addition 2 the McAfee Firewall 2006 program. What I would recommend is perhaps 2 use a package of those three programs along with the new version of McAfee VirusScan 2006 & download a very good free Antispyware program such as the latest Microsoft Antispyware (beta). Although it may not be the most economical route 2 go those programs do work together very well & would provide good overall security 4 your computer. You could also get most of the above by instead purchasing the newest McAfee Internet Security Suite but be very careful since I highly recommend doing a custom installation while NOT installing the McAfee "Privacy Service" program since in the past it has proven 2 be bloated, hog resources, cause lockups & create a number of other problems.
For advanced & hardcore internet users you should consider Zone Alarm Pro (ZAP) version 6, McAfee VirusScan 2006, & the free Microsoft Antispyware (beta) as an ultimate yet rather inexpensive suite of three security software programs. You might ask me "What about Norton Antivirus or Internet Security, Trend Micro Internet Security, or Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite ?" The only one of those I might recommend as a Suite is the Trend Micro Suite. Norton 2004 & 2005 security programs can cause major conflicts, may slow your computer 2 a halt & they can be a big pain 2 activate. Hopefully Symantec will improve their Norton 2006 versions but I am not holding my breath. The Zone Alarm Suite can be very complex 2 configure, the Antivirus portion isn't quite up 2 par, & activation can be a real hassle (they require that you register before they send you an email activation code & very often they never send the code & your stuck with having 2 use the old version without any program updates). Trend Micro Internet Security is a very good antivirus program, it is easy 2 install & activate, & it uses very few computer resources but its firewall leaves much 2 be desired & its antispyware detection is weak but at total cost of about forty dollars it is a bargain worth mentioning. Just make sure that you also install a few additional popular free antispyware programs if you go the Trend Micro route.
PROS: Great 4 non-technical computer users. Very easy 2 install, activate, & configure. It provides good firewall protection 4 the average broadband or dial-up internet user. Works well on older computers since it does not use as many system resources as other firewall based security programs.
CONS: Lacks the extra security features, customizable options & advanced settings of more powerful software firewalls such as Zone Alarm Pro. It works better 4 security if it is used in combination with other McAfee security products such as McAfee VirusScan, McAfee Antispyware & Quick Clean.
CONCLUSION: Make sure you completely uninstall or disable any other software firewall before installing McAfee Firewall. Check 2 see that the Windows XP firewall is disabled after installing McAfee or you will not be able 2 access your internet connection. Also download & install at least one or more popular antispyware programs such as Microsoft Antispyware (beta) & Spybot S&D 2 enhance your overall internet security (the full paid version of Webroot SpySweeper 4 is also excellent choice). I can recommend the McAfee Personal Firewall 2006 v.7 with a positive rating of three out of five stars as it is a good firewall & great alternative security upgrade 4 most average internet users as opposed 2 simply using the basic inbound only security protection provided by enabling the Windows XP (SP1 or SP2) internet firewall.
($4.74)
Buy McAfee Personal Firewall Plus 2006 Version 7.0 Now!
McAfee Personal Firewall Plus 7.0