Questions About Firewalls and Internet Connections

[DVDR_Dog]

So I have to admit outside of Windows Security aka Defender's firewall, I have really fallen behind. I don't think I have used a 3rd party firewall since XP days.
I need to get back up to speed. I would like to hear recommendations for firewalls (freebies are fine) and a reliable method to monitor traffic in and out of Windows by in this order of precedence: Program <-> Destination IP, Port and Protocol utilized and hopefully have a log of this traffic.
I understand that's a great deal of info, but knowing what is going on would make you completely aware of your system's hygiene and what is having a chat with a remote location.
That is a pant-load of features to ask for, all I am asking for is ideas and even better your own experiences.

Happy Hanukkah to our members who observe this most holy holiday.

 

[Yobbo]

I paid for a sub for Bitdefender Internet Security.
I selected Bitdefender after viewing many AV review websites.
Specifically because it has a Firewall.
I have attached 2 screenshots related to the Firewall.
An image is worth a thousand words.

 

[DVDR_Dog]

Thanks for the reply. #1 Nothing wrong with paying for a trusted A/V security package. I don't exactly trust defender. Honestly I feel like it's turning into being more worried about installs of pirated stuff with the software vendor in mind and is becoming more invasive into your general habits and information. Bitdefender was a bit too nervous for my tastes. It's an excellent highly regarded security package.
The firewall is too integrated into the suite, I am more interested in monitoring traffic in real-time.
I have kind of not been focusing on this issue, but I have found some candidates I intend to have a closer look at.

 

[Diguelo]

Anyone that trusts defender is wrong Mr Dog.

Firewalls basically

"A firewall is a network security device designed to monitor, filter, and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. The primary purpose of a firewall is to establish a barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external networks.

Firewalls come in both hardware and software forms, and they work by inspecting data packets and determining whether to allow or block them based on a set of rules. Organizations can configure these rules to permit or deny traffic based on various criteria, such as source and destination IP addresses, port numbers, and protocol type. "

Think of your router as a set of DOORS going into and out of your router. The router controls the opening and closing of these doors in accordance with program signals received and transmitted.

TCP and UDP formats are available to you

To prevent hacking all doors are closed until a protocol is sent to the router, this then opens a dor in or a door out in accordance with that signal. Once opened only the program can use those ports, any other outside signals trying to get in your system on it receive a "Busy tone"

"TCP allows for transmission of information in both directions. This means that computer systems that communicate over TCP can send and receive data at the same time, similar to a telephone conversation. The protocol uses segments (packets) as the basic units of data transmission. In addition to the payload, segments can also contain control information and are limited to 1,500 bytes. The TCP software in the network protocol stack of the operating system is responsible for establishing and terminating the end-to-end connections as well as transferring data."

UDP
"The User Datagram Protocol, or UDP for short, is a protocol that allows datagrams to be sent without connection in IP-based networks. To achieve the desired services on the target hosts, it uses ports that are listed as one of the core components in the UDP header. Like many other network protocols, UDP belongs to the internet protocol family, where it is classified as a mediator between the network layer and the application layer at the transport level."

Quotes courtesy of IONIS.

So TCP is program defined and operated.

UDP is defined by the user

Simples.