When you first install iolo Personal Firewall, you may see several prompts as you access programs that involve Internet communication.

 

If you trust the program, simply click Allow always and you will no longer see a prompt for that particular communication.

 

The selections you make on the "Allow Access?" prompts give the firewall information on your Internet preferences and allow you to easily configure the firewall on demand.

 

As you configure the firewall, you will see less and less messages for the programs that you use and trust, while still remaining protected from unknown or malicious software.

 

More on Allow Access? prompts.

You can turn off prompts in one of two ways:

• The next time the Allow Access? prompt displays, select the Activate default program permissions check box.

• On the iolo Personal Firewall Home page, click Settings from the menu bar to open the Settings window. Under the Firewall options section, select the Do not show prompts - automatically use default program permissions option.

 

Prompts will no longer display for any programs. Programs will either be blocked or allowed, as set up in default program permissions.

Note: To turn prompts back on, select the Show prompts - only use default program permission after [X] seconds option on the Settings window.

Read more information about program controls.

You can turn off informational notices in one of two ways:

• The next time the Communication Blocked window displays, select the Don't show these messages anymore check box and click OK.

• On the iolo Personal Firewall Home page, click Settings from the menu bar to open the Settings window. Clear the Display informational firewall notices check box.

Note: To turn notices back on, select the Display informational firewall notices check box on the Settings window.

1. From the Program Policies pane, click Manage policies to open the Manage Program Policies window.

2. For the applicable program policy, clear the Prompt me if this program is modified check box.

To designate a computer or Web site as trusted, add it to the Trusted Zone.

1. Go to the Zone Security pane.

2. Toward the bottom of the pane is a Manage Trusted Zone members button. Click this button to open the Manage Zone Members window.

From this window, you can add computers and sites to the Trusted Zone in several ways: by IP address, by domain name, by recently visited Web sites, and more.

 

Refer to Designating Zone Membership for detailed instructions.

 

Certain ports must be open for routine Internet communication, but an open port can be a potential entrance for an attacker.

 

The dangers posed by an open port could range anywhere from leaking information about your computer to a Denial of Service attack that crashes your system.

 

It is recommended you open only the ports you need.

 

See Ports - Overview for more information on opening and closing ports.

The control of ports is part of Zone Security, so is specific to a given Zone.

 

See Ports - Overview for more information on opening and closing ports.

The following applications typically use these TCP ports:

• MSN Messenger - port 1863

• AOL Instant Messenger - port range 5190-5193

• Yahoo! Instant Messenger - port 5050

• Internet Relay Chat (IRC) - port range 6665-6669

The Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) is used by applications like RealAudio and Windows Media Player to deliver audio-visual content.

RTSP typically uses these TCP ports: 554 and 7070.

For downloading and sharing music in Apple's iTunes, the following ports are typically used:

• TCP port 3689

• UDP port 5353

 

To automatically allow connectivity for iTunes, you can select the I use Apple iTunes to purchase or manage music and video check box on the Setup Wizard's PC Usage tab.

NetMeeting uses several ports to allow communication with meeting participants.

• The following TCP ports: 522, 389, 1503, 1720 and 1731

• UDP port range 1024-65536

 

Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q158623/

Do one of the following:

• From the Setup Wizard's PC Usage tab, select the I use America Online when connecting to the Internet check box; or

• From the Setting window's General tab, select the Allow America Online® connections check box.

Do one of the following:

• From the Setup Wizard's PC Usage tab, select the I use Apple iTunes to purchase or manage music and video check box; or

• From the Setting window's General tab, select the Allow iTunes® connections check box.

Do one of the following:

• From the Setup Wizard's PC Usage tab, select the I use Skype to make Internet phone calls check box.

• From the Setting window's General tab, select the Allow Skype® connections check box.

Do one of the following:

• From the Setup Wizard's PC Usage tab, select the I play World of Warcraft online check box.

• From the Setting window's General tab, select the Allow World of Warcraft® connections check box.

Do one of the following:

• From the Setup Wizard's PC Usage tab, select the I connect to a Microsoft Exchange server for mail or other services check box.

• From the Setting window's General tab, select the Allow Microsoft Exchange® connections check box.

Remote Desktop controls are provided on both the Setup Wizard's PC Usage tab and the Setting window's General tab.

 

These controls determine whether Remote Desktop connections are allowed through the firewall. In addition to controlling the port for the Remote Desktop Protocol (TCP port 3389), the check boxes control other system settings that are part of this functionality.

 

Do one of the following:

 

From the Setup Wizards PC Usage tab...

 

Select one or both of the following check boxes:

• Select I connect to this computer using Remote Desktop software to automatically allow a Remote desktop connection to this computer.

• Select I connect to other computers using Remote Desktop software to automatically allow a Remote desktop connection from this computer to another, remote computer (for example, you connect to your work computer from home).

 

From the Settings window's General tab...

 

Select one of both of the following check boxes:

• Select the Allow Incoming check box to automatically allow incoming Remote Desktop connections to this computer.

• Select the Allow Outgoing check box to automatically allow outgoing Remote Desktop connections from this computer to another, remote computer.

 

As a default, the Allow Outgoing check box is selected.

 

Click here for more information on how Remote Desktop communications work with Zone port settings.

 

For Remote Desktop communications, the settings made here will override the Zone port settings for the defined port 3389; however, for other types of communication that may attempt access through port 3389, the Zone settings will still apply. In other words:

• By allowing Remote Desktop connections here, you are opening port 3389 to Remote Desktop communication. But for other types of communication, whatever you have set for port 3389 in the applicable Zone will apply, whether that is to block or allow traffic.

• By blocking Remote Desktop connections here, you are closing port 3389 to Remote Desktop communication. But for other types of communication, whatever you have set for port 3389 in the applicable Zone will apply, whether that is to block or allow traffic.

 

For example, assume that you have the Allow Incoming check box cleared to block incoming Remote Desktop connections. If you have a Zone set to open port 3389 to incoming communication, the port will be blocked to incoming Remote Desktop communication, but will be open to other types of incoming communication.

From the Setup Wizard's PC Usage tab, select the I use this computer to share files, folders, or printers with other computers in a network check box.

If you had previously blocked Network Activity and then re-enabled it, a currently open Web browser will still have its access blocked.

 

To access the Web, close the Web browser and then re-open it.

There is no cost. Email support, telephone support, and Web support are all unlimited and free.