PC Tools Firewall?

Hi peeps.
I am pretty new to creating rules for firewalls, and I need your feedback on my tinkering with the pc tools fw.
I wanted to stealth all ports that came up as Closed in Shields Up test, and so I blocked TCP protocol to the following local ports: 1031-1055,5000, 1024-1030,1720. Now everything comes up as stealthed in the test; however, I am concerned that I might be limiting or blocking connection to the applications I use (firefox, ms outlook, utorrent, soulseek, ie7, realplayer, quicktime, Nod32 update service). Could somebody let me know whether I have done the right thing, please? I am asking becasue occasionally I experience problems connecting to websites, but I am not sure whether it's the fw setting or other problems.
I am on xp pro sp2 and dsl.
I look forward to your replies.

Lukasz

Ps. re slsk n utorrent: I did create rules allowing tcp n udp to the local ports these aplications use.

 

Sorry, I thought this problem with closed ports had been resolved, but due to PM:-
From default rules installed.
For closed port 113, just disable the:- TCP: Authorize IDENT Identification
For the closed ports 1024-5000, edit the:- TCP: Authorize most common Internet services, and place a remote port/range into the rule.

 

Thank you Stem.
Actually, in my experimenting frenzy I already switched to Kerio 2.1.5. It is only a fraction more resource-heavy than pct, but in Kerio I can write rules for specific applications. This seems to be an important feature, which is missing in pct. Is this a significant flaw of this firewall?
Sorry for these newb questions. I'm learning here.
Luk

 

Just my opinion, not a big expert either...
I do think it's a pretty big flaw, that basically what caused me to ditch PCT after a very short time.
That being said, this feature is indeed planned for future versions of PCT.

 

Hello Luk puk,

I do prefer to see a firewall with rules per application. So that tight rules can be kept.

 

Basically, I want to use CHX-I for inbound and PCTPF for application control but PCTPF doesn't remember my setting when I disabled the Packet filtering. After restart, it's enabled again...

 

Hi glentium,
Just delete all the filtering rules.

 

hit me one time! that was simple...

 

I have been using this firewall for several days. I like it! It has replaced my aged ZA Pro 4.5.594. I will start a new thread as to what it detected. My Firewall knowledge is weak and I thought ZA was just getting hosed or I had a conflict but according to PC Tools Firewall I was under attack. .....

 

Hey mercurie, I tried this FW, but had some connection problems with it in it's out of box configuration. It also wouldn't allow my AVG AV to update and I had to reinstall it for some reason. I think it is a nice firewall and it runs lighter than my AVG FW does, plus it is more informative. I liked this, but the connection problems made me uninstall it.

 

I think you have to disable the network filter rules that came preinstalled. I believe it designed to be restrictive.

 

I am seeing no direct conflicts with PC Tools firewall(1.0.0.10) and AVG free(7.5.441). Did you try a re-boot at the time?
What other connection problems did you find?

 

Hey Stem, long time, no asking you for help. LOL. I am on a wireless PC behind a Router of course, and after install maybe that same day, or the next, no connection. The wireless network connection signal also seems to drop off. I'm not sure if PC Tools allows my PC to communicate with the Router. You know obtaining IP address, DHCP, DNS stuff like that. Sorry for my lack of more info with what I'm stating here. I'm just throwing out whatever I can to inform you.

 

Hi duke1959,
It may be a problem with the wifi. Wait for the next build.

 

Gotcha. I know my AVG Firewall works fine and a few others I've tried, so wait I will. Thank you, and take care.

 

duke1959,
Just curious, which did you install first? PCTF or AVG.

 

I have had AVG Internet Security Suite installed for awhile now, after receiving it as a gift. I have however played around with various other Antispyware and occasionally Firewalls to use along with the AV, which everyone knows I do way too much. LOL. Anyway, I have to delete the Repository Folder after uninstalling the AVG FW, but have had no trouble with connections when using AVG, or other Firewalls. For example, a very old version of Zone Alarm Free 4.5 and recently an older version of Kerio 4.2.2 ran fine. It seems to only be PC Tools where I lose the Wireless Internet Connections, or as I said one time my AVG AV wouldn't update. it actually popped up a message about there possibly not being a connection. As soon as I turned off the PC Tools Firewall it would make an attempt at an update just fine. I made sure the correct AVG exe. was in the proper place within the FW rules as well. I just saw in the PC Tools Firewall Forum that it is being looked into as someone else posted about this the same problem. I really like the Firewall for the reasons I mention earlier and hopefully the next release will fix this.

 

Just for the record, please note my set up on the family PC, which is behind a Wireless Router as well. I have had no connection issues as duke

As far as which was installed first AVG was and then sometime later PC Tools FW.

 

Thanks duke1959, mercurie,

I am just trying to get some idea of what could be happening. Over at the PC tools forum, there are posts concerning the same problem as mentioned by duke1959. I did not have these problems with PCTF + AVG(free) AV. I dont have a wifi card here to set up and check at this time.

 

Ha Ha mercurie see there are some issues. LOL. Seriously though, I may as well install it again and see what happens. It uninstalls fine so no harm done if it does it again. I wonder though, should I do anything with the Filtering Rules?

 

First, there is a need for PCTF to give popup for the access attempt for AVG. On my installation ->PCTF -> AVG(free) AV,... after the installation of AVG (then re-boot), I was not given a popup for the access of AVG, so AVG could not update. I made a second re-boot, all worked well after that.

 

Hey I installed it. I also received a pop up when accessing Firefox and hit allowed with it checked to remember. Everything fine, but that was a half an hour ago. Just now, I had to disable Firewall to tell you this. No internet access. The Firefox exe is in Applications, but other than that I'm lost. I did then enable it after just telling you this, and am now editing this post. Wow talk about back to the future. LOL. Seriously though, I'm not going to mess with this for now and may use Kerio again, but I will keep an eye out for the next version. Take care.

 

Hello duke1959,

Did you manage to update AVG this time?

After being o.k. for half an hour, and then a cutoff, this could indicate ARP problems (or see note), and so again could relate to possible problems for comms over your WIFI (what is your router/ WIFI card?)

If you decide to try again, and you have this problem, go into settings and disable the filters (also check for blocked packets in the log), and see if connection is resumed without the need to completely disable the firewall.

note
I know "mercurie" is reporting no problems with WIFI. But I have seen similar with wired routers, where some routers need a "Keep alive" connection, and rules need to be added to the firewall for these (just thinking aloud)

 

Since I'm experimenting on CHX-I for inbound protection firewall, I'm trying to use PCTools PFP for simple application network control. I disabled all network filter rules. My question is if it is possible to make a rule just to log all allowed connections or those the CHX-I allowed to come in? I also want to see if it's possible to log all outgoing connections to see what ports they use?

 

You could try: add a rule to "Allow IP" and set this to logging within PCTF.