The answer is always depend on your knowledge about computer technology especially computer networking and operating system knowledge and skills. This knowledge needed to ensure that you can set any options offered by the firewall system. Without good settings, firewall system is just like an old shark without teeth. The teeth that enable you to defend your system is the settings. If your settings are good, you can bite any incoming bad traffic and take them down.
If you feel that you don’t have enough knowledge, skills and experience; I suggest you to forget the idea to use free firewall system. Free firewall system is not for people who don’t have to time to learn something in their computing hours. Look deeper into your computing behavior, if you still need assistance just to do ordinary computing works such as type something using word processor software like Open Office, then you definitely don’t fit to use free firewall system. Although most free firewall systems are good software to have but you don’t have any power to use it.
If you choose to buy proprietary software, you can get good software, good support, and good updates. This updates needed to make sure that your firewall can handle any new network security exploits. Good support will always needed when you in trouble, of course at daily basis you won’t always needed but when in trouble, good support can eliminate your headache. Most proprietary software is good software because it developed by good developer. Their company history can tell you much on how the do their business and support their customers. It’s rare case which good firewall developer will fall down their quality by over night. So, secure your system now.
