http://www.comodo.com/
Comodo has released a free, full featured, Internet Security suite. The professional version does include full support and the Trustconnect app. as detailed on this page free vs pro (http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/index.html), but for most the free should be fine.
I installed it on a Vista 32 bit test machine. Installation was fine, however if you do a full scan with installation be prepared to spend a little time. The system I installed to with the two drives took one and a half hours to scan. Also watch for the toolbar, I don't really care for the extra toolbars all the security suites seem to want to install these days, but if you like that sort of thing it's there. Fire wall setup was a breeze, answer a couple of questions and it just works.
So far I like this program and thought I'd share, at this price point it's the best I've seen yet.
Thanks for the information! I may give it a try one day if I ever stop using ipcop on our extra computer. I think I will always use IPCOP though since it works great and is a Linux system.
For the laptop, Comodo might be the ticket since it needs to have its own firewall.
Mark H
I've been using it for a while now on both my x86 Vista laptop and x64 Vista desktop. I avoided installing the toolbar. It seems to be very good and it is the only free Vista x64 - compatible suite that I have found. Prior to this I was using separate AV and firewall apps - this just seems much neater.
The Comodo site has a pretty useful forum.
Buff
I've been using the firewall version for some time with great success. I recently installed the IS version on a Vista system for my daughter-in-law and I was overall impressed. I also like that it keeps the familiar user interface.
For free, I don't see how it can be beat. I also appreciate that it doesn't put a strain on my system.
Scuzzy; no toolbars for me
I hate extra toolbars as well. If they are optional fine, but I don't want some that I can't keep from showing up.
Mark H; toolbars are for losers
I love my ipcop, because it doesn't even run on the PC I am protecting. As a result, there is no overhead and NO TOOLBARS. The one installation protects my whole network, except the laptop (can be taken out of the home).
Mark H; A Linux firewall trumps all others.
IPcop runs on a separate computer as a standalone operating system. It does not take many resources, so the other computer can be a 286, 386, Pentium I or whatever. The computer should have two ethernet ports. One for incoming from the internet modem and one outgoing to the network. There are other ethernets ports needed if you get fancier with other options. I recommend getting the instructions and documentation from their site and going through it. It is a pretty easy install.
Mark H; A cop like Scuzzy is protecting my network.