IntegoÕs NetBarrier X5 security suite offers several tools to protect your Mac from vandals and criminals. Its centerpiece is the NetBarrier firewall, but the package can also block cookies while your surf the Web, scrub personal data afterwards, and block Trojan horses. All these tools are nicely laid out from a single interface. But while its features are good, NetBarrier X5 is burdened with a variety of bugsÑsome trivial and some serious.
Intego sells NetBarrier in several different forms: single-seat licenses, multi-user versions with a management console, bundled with antispam and antivirus programs, and a ÒDual ProtectionÓ package that combines Mac and Windows coverage. I tested just the single-seat NetBarrier X5 itself, not any of the bundles.
The NetBarrier installer loads the suite itself, plus IntegoÕs NetUpdate service (which keeps Intego software current), and some shared components used by other Intego software. All told, a default installation includes four applications, three widgets, a kernel extension, and various other bits. If you change your mind later, youÕll need to use IntegoÕs uninstaller to get rid of it all.
A Setup Assistant walks you through a simplified explanation of the programsÕ features and suggests some reasonable default settings; for users with more knowledge, those settings are quite configurable.
Once launched, the application is nicely laid out and informative. If youÕre curious about what your Mac is up to, NetBarrierÕs Services display, as well as with its Log and Traffic windows, show you network activity on a dozen different gauges. OS XÕs Activity Monitor offers several of the same traffic metrics, but NetBarrier does a better job of presenting the information in a friendly and intelligible manner.
The biggest question about NetBarrier X5 is: Why? Mac OS X Leopard offers two firewalls of its own (the classic ipfw, which filters network traffic by port and address, and the application firewall introduced in Leopard, which is what you configure from its System Preferences: Security interface). So if OS X has two firewalls of its own, why would you want to spend money on NetBarrier X5?
For starters, NetBarrier X5 is much more configurable than AppleÕs implementation of ipfw. If you want the advanced protection of ipfw, but donÕt want to spend the time configuring it (either from the command line or using a free configuration tool such as NoobProof), NetBarrier is a good option.
I was pleased, for example, that NetBarrier X5 offers a ÒClient, local serverÓ firewall option, whereby your Mac can access resources anywhere on the Internet, but wonÕt accept incoming connections from anywhere but the local subnet(s)Ñan option I have long wished Apple would implement. (If youÕre on a public network, such as at a cafe or library, the ÒClient onlyÓ option, which blocks incoming probes even from the same network, is probably better.)
NetBarrier doesnÕt offer anything comparable to the socket firewall for restricting network access on an application-by-application basis. But just as you can use both ipfw and OS XÕs socket filter at the same time, you can run NetBarrier X5 and AppleÕs socket filter together. Additionally, NetBarrierÕs ÒAnti-SpywareÓ feature controls outgoing connections on an application-by-application basis, complementing the socket filterÕs incoming control.
Despite those configuration options, however, NetBarrier X5Õs protection can sometimes backfire. For example, I have an Apple TV on my wireless network. For whatever reason, NetBarrier decided that the Apple TV was attacking the Mac it is paired with, and automatically added the Apple TV to its Stop List. Because I had e-mail notifications enabled, NetBarrier sent me a message saying me it was detecting the attack. But that e-mail didnÕt say it was automatically adding the Apple TVÕs network address to the blacklist.
While itÕs easy enough to move devices from the Stop List to the Trusted Devices list, I really wish Intego provided a quick way to say that I trust all devices on my home network. The only alternative is to add individual IP addresses to the Trusted List one at a time, and I didnÕt really want to add all 35 addresses on my network. I also wish NetBarrier had a Òwatch and learnÓ mode, in which it recorded all network access for later review without interfering with that traffic.
ItÕs worth noting that your NetBarrier purchase includes only one year of software updates. ItÕs not clear how important these updates are. If theyÕre trivial, Intego should not charge for them. If theyÕre important, Intego should be clearer that NetBarrierÕs capabilities will begin to degrade after a year unless you pay more.
In addition to its traditional firewall protection, NetBarrier X5 can restrict Web sitesÕ access to your cookies and other private data. If you are dissatisfied with SafariÕs Private Browsing or FirefoxÕs Clear Private Data settings, NetBarrierÕs privacy protections are worth checking out.
Unfortunately, those protections can be extremely problematic. In my testing, they kept Netflix, Facebook, and the TiVo web interface from working properly. In both Safari and Firefox, I got error messages complaining that I had cookies disabled. I hadnÕt chosen that setting in either browser; NetBarrier was blocking the cookies, and it took me a while to make the connection.
Washing Machine, on the other hand, does not work in real time, which makes it a safer choice. Washing Machine reviews and removes traces of Internet activity, such as cookies and browser history, from Web browsers and other programs that access Web sites. While Safari and Firefox can do the same, other programsÑsuch as news readers and Help ViewerÑarenÕt always so security conscious.
Whenever I had a problem with any of NetBarrier X5Õs components, Intego support was responsive: They provided generally reasonable answers to e-mail queries within 24 hours. However, for some complaintsÑincluding my Apple TV issueÑIntego did not seem to understand what I wanted, or why it mattered.
NetBarrier X5Õs documentation does a decent job of explaining the concepts and features of the firewall, but it can be rather verbose and doesnÕt provide all technical detail you might want.
NetBarrier X5 provides a good set of features for preventing malicious access to your Mac from the Internet. Its default settings should offer good protection for network novices, and itÕs eminently configurable for more experienced users. But its tendency to block perfectly legitimate trafficÑboth in firewall and privacy protection modesÑcould cause havoc for many users. As such, donÕt buy unless youÕre prepared to spend some time trouble-shooting and tweaking the software.
Product: NetBarrier X5 Rating 2.5 mice Pros: Easy to configure; nicely laid-out interface TK Cons: Blocks legitimate network traffic, difficult to add trusted addresses Company: Intego Price as rated: $50 OS compatibility: 10.4 (Tiger) Processor compatibility: Universal