Windows Firewall Control (for windows 7)

[pandlouk]

-{ Quote: "Windows Firewall Control is a small and easy to use application that runs in your system tray and provides quick access to the most frequent options used from Windows Firewall." }-
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Firewall/Windows-Firewall-Control.shtml

-{ Quote: "

02 June 2010 (version 1.6)

* Added new menu which allows the user to import/export/restore firewall
policies.

01 June 2010 (version 1.5)

* Added "-install" and "-uninstall" arguments to help to installing
and to uninstalling the program, using the application itself.

25 May 2010 (version 1.4)

* Added "Start with Windows" option

22 May 2010 (version 1.3)

* Added two new menu entries: "Allow All Traffic" and "Block Unknown".

20 May 2010 (version 1.2)

* Added a ballon tip to inform the user after creating succesfully of
a new rule.
* Changed system tray status icons.

18 May 2010 (version 1.1)

* Added tooltips to menu entries.
* Added new menu entry to quick add a firewall rule.
* Read Windows Firewall current status from Windows Registry before
starting the program, to show proper status on the screen.

14 May 2010 (version 1.0)

* First release." }-
A great little tool. :thumb:

Panagiotis

[sg09]

I guess there have been discussions multiple times.
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=268700

[Pedersen]

-{ Quote: "I guess there have been discussions multiple times.
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=268700" }-
sg09 this is another "control" for windows firewall ;)

[sg09]

-{ Quote: "sg09 this is another "control" for windows firewall ;)" }-
Ohh... this is another one... sorry :P
A new one..:D But anyone knows it's homepage? Softpedia/Major-Geeks leads to wrong page

[sg09]

It has no new functionality. Just a easy way to access the settings for windows firewall.

[Pedersen]

-{ Quote: "It has no new functionality. Just a easy way to access the settings for windows firewall." }-
Thats right :D no new functions, just a "add-on" to the firewall ;)

[pandlouk]

Actually adds all the fuctionality that is missing from the windows firewall panel:

1. Fast access to the firewall's common options.

2. The ability to create both incoming and ougoing rules for an application in one step.*

3. Automatically name the rule according to the application path.*

4. A fast way to change policies on the fly.

*3. & 4. After I create the rules then I go at the advanced panel to finetune them and to disable/delete the incoming or the outgoing that I do not need.

ps.The most annoing thing with windows firewall is to manually name the rules and to do it twice (once for incoming and once for outgoing)

Panagiotis

[phaser]

-{ Quote: "A new one..:D But anyone knows it's homepage? Softpedia/Major-Geeks leads to wrong page" }-

It doesn't have one... The program was developed by a user from a Romanian forum (here's a translated link (http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=ro&langpair=ro|en&u=http://forum.softpedia.com/index.php%3Fshowtopic%3D672244&rurl=translate.google.com&usg=ALkJrhgaPaufoWsFGfkMLKYnHOMoMfVA1A)), where the updates are posted first...

[burebista]

Yep, that guy is a beginner in programming but this piece of sotfware is a nice interface to Windows Firewall.

[pandlouk]

-{ Quote: "Yep, that guy is a beginner in programming but this piece of sotfware is a nice interface to Windows Firewall." }-
Since you are a member there maybe you can transfer my congratulations and 2 minor things:
1. it needs an elevated command to add rules with UAC enabled.

2. if possible to add 2 checkmarks (1 for outgoing and 1 for incoming) when creating a rule. (checkmark enabled= rule activated, checkmark disabled= rule deactivated).

ps.or even better invite him to come here I'm sure others will come with more ideas.

thanks in advance,
Panagiotis

[burebista]

-{ Quote: "ps.or even better invite him to come here I'm sure others will come with more ideas." }-
Man, you're reading my mind I just did that. :)

[sg09]

good news, let him come. May be we will get a good product in near future.

[Zekeblue]

Does Windows Firewall Control support Win7 x64? It crashes on installation. I've tried installing as administrator.

[pandlouk]

-{ Quote: "Does Windows Firewall Control support Win7 x64? It crashes on installation. I've tried installing as administrator." }-
Yes it does work on 64bit.

No need to install it.
Just extract it with winrar, 7zip, etc.
wfc.exe is a stand alone application and you can run it from whatever folder you want.

Panagiotis

[Zekeblue]

-{ Quote: "Yes it does work on 64bit.

No need to install it.
Just extract it with winrar, 7zip, etc.
wfc.exe is a stand alone application and you can run it from whatever folder you want.

Panagiotis" }-

Ahh, thanks. Extracting it worked. Odd since the download file was Windows Firewall Control 1.6 Setup.exe. Running that file didn't work but extracting it did.

[TheMozart]

-{ Quote: "http://www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Firewall/Windows-Firewall-Control.shtml


A great little tool. :thumb:

Panagiotis" }-

The free version is a total waste of time. It lacks any System/Core application protection whatsover. Waste of time installing it.

[TheMozart]

-{ Quote: "sg09 this is another "control" for windows firewall ;)" }-

How is Windows Firewall Control 1.6 different from the Sphinx Windows 7 Firewall Control?

[Brummelchen]

WFC works with built-in firewall settings - W7FC is a complete other gui&program.

[TheMozart]

-{ Quote: "WFC works with built-in firewall settings - W7FC is a complete other gui&program." }-

Do they both work on Vista? Or only for W7?

And does WFC have System/Core application protection? Because I know W7FC does not.

[Brummelchen]

read again! ( includes you have understood HOW the windows firewall works and whats its real "core")
-{ Quote: "WFC works with built-in firewall settings - W7FC is a complete other gui&program." }-
BTW w7fc does NOT have a "core" - too easy to kick compared to OA or Outpost (and others)

[wat0114]

It's a "cute" little app that does afford quick access to Win fw and its advanced settings, but its application rules creation option is mighty limited in scope, as it simply defaults to all local and remote ports and ip addresses, as well as any protocol, so the user still has to set these parameters manually. It is a nice start to an app that may have the potential depending upon the expertise level and enthusiasm of the author of being full featured to the point where the user could create granular rules for selected programs.

[TheMozart]

-{ Quote: "read again! ( includes you have understood HOW the windows firewall works and whats its real "core")

BTW w7fc does NOT have a "core" - too easy to kick compared to OA or Outpost (and others)" }-

And what about WFC? Does it have core?

[Brummelchen]

Investigate some time to understand WFP Windows Filtering Plattform!

[Greg S]

-{ Quote: "http://www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Firewall/Windows-Firewall-Control.shtml


A great little tool. :thumb:

Panagiotis" }-
I'm not feeling the love with this one. Nothing actually works with it other than it starts and drops the icon in the tray. Advanced Security generates this
223131

Enable/Disable FW produces alot of can't find certain .dll files etc..

Any ideas?

[Brummelchen]

Please provide some more infos about windows and NET.
your computer fulfill the requirements? (eg. MS .NET Framework 3.5)

[Greg S]

-{ Quote: "your computer fulfill the requirements? (eg. MS .NET Framework 3.5)" }-

Well yes,lol. Win 7 comes pre-installed with .net 3.5. I looked in programs and features and there is a Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile installed. Other than that, just the usual updates for .NET through Windows Update.

[Brummelchen]

nah, sorry, i had in mind that it works on Vista too, there is not much difference (except .NET)
Win7 HP 32bit - no problem - you need to provide more details about your
windows and other interfering security tools.
uninstalling NET4 can help? (i dont have it yet, no need to)

[Greg S]

-{ Quote: "nah, sorry, i had in mind that it works on Vista too, there is not much difference (except .NET)
Win7 HP 32bit - no problem - you need to provide more details about your
windows and other interfering security tools.
uninstalling NET4 can help? (i dont have it yet, no need to)" }-

I've tried it on two other laptops. For the most part, it's garbageware for me. Creating rules works well although a bit liberal. As for the other options, enable/disable Firewall, Firewall Properties, Firewall Advanced Security, it's a hit or miss. Sometimes it works but come back to the same option a few minutes later and I get the .net error I previously mentioned. I did uninstall .net 4 Client on my system but it made no difference for my laptop. WFC works the worst on my laptop as oppsed to the other two. I had high hopes for this little app considering I'm now down to using just Windows 7 Firewall inbound/outbound. It's taken some time to get it setup properly but I really like it and thought WFC would be a great way for quick access to it as well as a visual indicator in case the firewall stopped working but even that part doesn't work for me with WFC. I guess I'll abandon it. I've set Action center to notify and I use 4t tray minimizer so I have the Firewall properties dialog minimized to the tray for quick access. I wish that I could get 4t to minimize the Avanced Security to the tray but the only way I've found that it will do that is if I disable UAC.