Kensington Personal Firewall

CNET editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 2.5 stars OK
  Detailed editors' rating
  Setup and ease of use : 7.0
  Features and security : 6.0
  Performance : 5.0
  Service and support : 5.0
  Overall score: 5.9 (2.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Stephanie Bruzzese
• Edited by:
  Felisa Yang
• Reviewed on: 11/14/2005
• Released on: 05/01/2005

Business travelers often lack the time to verify the security of every wireless hot spot they use. If you count yourself among this group, check out the handy Kensington Personal Firewall, which can keep your data secure no matter which Wi-Fi network you connect to. Plug the tiny adapter into a USB port on your Windows XP-based laptop, and it proceeds to protect both inbound and outbound traffic on your system. While software-based firewalls such as Zone Labs' ZoneAlarm Pro 5.5 also provide this level of security, your IS team may not allow you to install one of these apps. The Kensington Personal Firewall makes a good, secure compromise.

The 1.8-inch-long Kensington Personal Firewall is about the size of a typical matchbox, so it's likely to get lost among the many other items in your carry-on or laptop bag. However, you can keep closer tabs on it by hooking it onto your keychain with the included ring. We wish the cap were permanently attached to prevent it from vanishing as well. The case itself consists of sturdy brushed aluminum, which emerged unscathed after a few days inside our backpack. The top of the device has a tiny LED that flashes on and off to indicate activity.

Installing the Kensington Personal Firewall is a completely pain-free experience. A bundled hard-copy insert advises you to plug the device into a USB 1.1 or 2.0 port on your laptop. Once you've done that, your system automatically installs the required drivers and the configuration tool in less than a minute. Restart your notebook, and you're ready to roll. The adapter would be even more convenient if you could use it with laptops based on several different operating systems; instead, it supports only Microsoft Windows XP Professional and Home editions.

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• 1.5 stars

  8 out of 8 people found this helpful

  "deceptive product, firewall software on 10mb flashdrive only!"

  by server on September 9, 2005

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