[nForce] K7N2 Delta Platinum built in firewall, advice?

Question

Ok... well how many of you are using this built in firewall?
I have obtained two versions
Network management tools version 4.57 from the 6.11 package
and
Network management tools version 4.66 from the 6.37 package
currently I am using zone alarm and I am satisfied but some of the programs I use (dc++) do not like zone alaram
so some od the downloaded files are corrupt (skipping mp3s and corrupted zip files)
to conclude I would like to know are you people that are using this (nforce) firewall satisifed?
and which one should I install?

Answer 1

The firewall uses a technology called SPI, stateful packet inspection.
Every packet that comes in is checked for a few things,
Like your IP address inside the packet. (destination of the packet)
If you IP address is not there then the packet is blocked.
This type of firewall is very secure but unlike software firewalls you do not have
application filtering.
The SPI firewall allows a program through the firewall or blocks it.
A good software firewall allows the program + you specify the ports for that program.
With the SPI one if you specify a port it will open a hole in the firewall and allow
anything to come in/out.
Do you see how the software one is more flexible?
Apart from that the firewall does work, I use it with a NAT based firewall in my router.
If you are downloading / using P2p programs the software firewall is much better, The firewall can cause some P2P programs to freeze.
A few people experience terrible problems with the firewall, random crashes/BSODs.
No one knows why yet.
The nvidia website has a lot of info about the firewall too.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/feature_activearmor.html
http://www.nvidia.com/object/IO_16451.html
http://www.nvidia.com/object/IO_13034.html
Your one does not have active armour but the firewall is exactly the same.
Now you should check your memory.
The best advice in the world and you choose to ignore it.