- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows XP/2003/Vista
- Date added: September 20, 2009
- Total Downloads: 511,947
- Downloads last week: 2,387
- See full specifications
A newer version of Online Armor Free is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 333 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET staff on November 03, 2009
Online Armor Free is the freeware version of Tall Emu's award-winning Online Armor firewall software. Tall Emu, an Australian company, specializes in technical and security support for small and medium-size businesses. Its free firewall is based on their premium enterprise firewall and is billed as being unusually powerful and effective for freeware. The premium version of Online Armor certainly packs some impressive recommendations, including five cows at Tucows.com and the top recommendation of "Computerworld."
Online Armor has a professional feel that is typical of freeware versions of advanced security tools, with the same basic interface and functionality as the company's premium software, only without nonessential extra features, just pared down to what it needs to secure your computer from outside attacks. Tall Emu's Web site offers considerable help with friendly touches, such as screenshots that you can click on to "embiggen" (a word from "The Simpsons") as well as video tutorials and live support from Tall Emu staff and users forums, should you need them. It's easy to configure, even though it packs plenty of options.
Online Armor Free lacks some of the features offered in the paid Premium and PlusPlus versions, such as antivirus and anti-malware protection, phishing filters, online banking protection, email filtering, and other features that your antivirus software probably already has, or should. What it does offer is an unusually robust firewall that can protect your system from a wide range of sophisticated attacks. Since it's free, you can't blame Tall Emu if you're unprotected and you get hacked.
Publisher's description
From Tall Emu :Online Armor is a powerful personal firewall, with HIPS and a host of other security features to keep your PC clear of infections and running smoothly. Online Armor is designed to be easy to use for beginners and offers powerful performance.
What's new in this version:
Version 3.5.0.49 is a bug fixing release.
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User reviews of Online Armor Free 3.5.0.49
- Average user rating: 3.9 stars out of 333 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 23 user reviewsSee all 23 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Online Armor Free 3.5.0.49
"superior alternative to ZoneAlarm"
Pros: pretty easy to use, and works well, has a nice status window that shows activity, program guard is very nice although it can get naggy.
Cons: ZoneAlarm free has option to specifiy an ip or ip subnet and make it a trusted zone. No such option exists in OA's free firewall. Unable to ping other machines on my subnet, tried unchecking ARP protection , automatically blocks other machines.
Summary: Online Armor is less of a resource hog than ZoneAlarm. ZoneAlarm excels in being able to communicate with other computers on your subnet, I like ZA's ability to specify an entire subnet for trusted or internet zone. It's really the only thing that O... read more >>
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0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Online Armor Free 3.5.0.49
"Fiddly to set, but maybe the best free firewall ever."
Pros: Armor has saved my bacon at least twice by insisting on approval before admitting shonky stuff - something that Zone, for all its virtues, sometimes passed on. It makes for more work, and you know it's there, but a little pain for the safety is OK.
Cons: When Armor's doubtful about something, you better pay attention, 'cause that orange box can save you a heap of trouble. You have to tick 'trust' and 'remember' to get past it. Armor's longwinded, and I suspect this could be shortened some.
Summary: I've had Armor for only a week, so maybe when it understands me better I won't notice it. But the setup has been much more searching than with ZoneAlarm and I suspect the security is commensurately better. A side benefit has been that my Spyware h... read more >>
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Version: Online Armor Free 3.5.0.49
Pros: Free! Seems secure! has application firwall functions
Cons: can get a little chatty with the questions...
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Online Armor Free 3.5.0.49
Pros: Computer invisible on web in all tests I carried out and it is one of the least interuptive firewalls I have come across.
Cons: Setting up is quite lengthy
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Version: Online Armor Free 3.5.0.49
"Excellent choice for a free firewall"
Pros: Program access permissions can be easily changed, tray icon shows inbound/outbound activity, pop-up dialogs when new or changed programs access internet
Cons: Pop-up ad when program updates, does not stealth all ports in ShieldsUp! test
Summary: Online Armor Free is the best firewall I've ever used, & I've used a few including ZoneAlarm Free. When a new program tries to access the internet, a pop-up dialog comes up asking if you want to allow or deny the program internet access, as well... read more >>
- See all 23 user reviews Write review
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