Windows 10 Firewall Control (Sphinx-Soft) Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'other firewalls' started by Brummelchen, Feb 14, 2015.

  1. Circuit

    Circuit Registered Member

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    8.4.0.84
    PureVPN support
    RDP rules for HostProcess management.
    RDP rules (setup based) management for Basic Edition
     
  2. act8192

    act8192 Registered Member

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  3. Circuit

    Circuit Registered Member

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    I never been able to install on top, maybe other programs are conflicting. You might try that as long as you have a computer back-up ready.
    What I do is export all the settings, uninstall and reinstall and import all settings back.
    Usually it will ask for registration again.
     
  4. Brummelchen

    Brummelchen Registered Member

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    it may concern the service behind and the call to stop and delete it, HIPS to say. you should disable such program first.
    the installer is very easy and do not check the result and so it results in error.
    irritating - the service and program have a stop command, but at least they kill the task - when i asked about they told me it is the better way - wtf!?
     
  5. polly77

    polly77 Registered Member

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    Hi how does this compare to simplewall? Which is lighter?
     
  6. Less

    Less Registered Member

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    tempted to get this. But too expensive.
    Are there any deals for this app?
     
  7. LoneWolf

    LoneWolf Registered Member

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    If money is an issue they do offer a free version.
     
  8. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    I am giving Sphinx Firewall (SFX) a trial. PROBLEM: I cannot find any place in SFX's settings where I can have SFW automatically launch at Startup. Of course I could put a shortcut to SFX in Windows Startup folder but I have never before encountered a firewall that lacked an option to launch itself at startup. No doubt i am overlooking something, but... what?

    QUESTION: How do I set Sphinx so that it automatically launches at startup?
     
  9. stapp

    stapp Global Moderator

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    Just in case it helps see the very last paragraph on this page.

    https://www.sphinx-soft.com/Vista/faq.html
     
  10. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    Thanks you very much, @stapp. I *assume* that running Sphinx's installed version (vice the portable) will enable it to auto-launch at startup.............correct?
     
  11. stapp

    stapp Global Moderator

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    I'm not sure bellgamin as I haven't used this firewall, but I would have thought it should register itself in Windows as a startup entry.
     
  12. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    Thanks, again, @stapp. I may try the installed version some day -- I'm not interested in installing it just now. Maybe later.
     
  13. solitarios

    solitarios Registered Member

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    I used the free version, the installer never tried the portable one, and it always started automatically with windows, never a problem -I use windows 10- Now I am using Rusroute and it is like Kerio but with the option to use it for free, this firewall does not have the option to block or allow programs through the firewall.
     
  14. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    @solitarios -- Thanks!!! You saved me the need to install Sphinx iFirewall in order to find out if its install version will auto-launch at startup. I know now that it does. Thus, I shall give the Plus install version a trial in the next several days.
     
  15. act8192

    act8192 Registered Member

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    I use Plus on Windows 10. Never an issue with starting when windows boots/restart. Gui icon appears seconds later.
    Installer and Uninstaller are simple, quick, and work just fine. Best to do both activities as admin and restart. It goes into \Program files so is for all users. The access log is there as well.
    Trialing it for 30 or so days makes sense.
    Looking forward to your nit-picking :)

    Current official version is 8.4.0.79
    But if you scroll down a bit on this page
    https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/vistafirewallcontrol/the-latest-betas-releases-t6.html
    you'll find .84, as well as changelogs. I'd take that. Their pre-releases are solid, never failed me.
     
  16. wat0114

    wat0114 Registered Member

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    Be careful and exercise your due diligence (research). The software versions are being charged for, which is fine, yet donations are requested.
     
  17. act8192

    act8192 Registered Member

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  18. wat0114

    wat0114 Registered Member

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  19. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    @act8192 -- Thanks for the helpful info. Your friendly post encouraged me to go ahead & install this FW. I have installed 8.4.0.79 for the nonce but I will give the beta a go when I get a bit more experienced with this FW.

    @wat0114 & @act8192 -- I will greatly value your guidance as I fumble along with the Sphinx. :confused:
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2020
  20. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    Is there a setting that will make Sphinx FW "Always on Top"? (Sometimes it pops an alert behind the app alerted about.)

    I couldn't find any place where the Sphinx website tells how long a license is for. I *assume* it is 1 year --- correct?
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    @act8192 -- Thanks for the helpful info. Your friendly post encouraged me to go ahead & install this FW. I have installed 8.4.0.79 for the nonce but I will give the beta a go when I get a bit more experience with this FW.

    @wat0114 & @act8192 -- I will greatly value your guidance as I fumble along with the Sphinx. :confused:
     
  21. solitarios

    solitarios Registered Member

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    with this option the program interface is minimized to the task bar.

    Untitled.png
     
  22. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    Thanks. I meant that I want Sphinx to be on top of any given app when Sphinx pops an alert about that app. As it now happens, the app is sometimes on top of Sphinx's alert, thereby making it difficult to see Sphinx and select an action for handling the app.
     
  23. wat0114

    wat0114 Registered Member

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    Hi bellgamin,

    I haven't been using Sphinx for quite a while, as I've been running Comodo free fw for several months now. I do own the plus version of Sphinx and like it very much. There is a discussion thread in the Firewall forum, with a post from @act8192 which I think you'll find very useful where some good advice and links are provided:

    https://www.wilderssecurity.com/thr...-discussion-thread.373420/page-6#post-2802323

    Hopefully this helps.

    EDIT

    one of the really nice features of this firewall, which I haven't seen in other 3rd-party offerings, is that you can allow or block domain names, even incorporating wildcards in the names. For example, I had a rule to block google ads using:

    *.googleads*.com
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2020
  24. act8192

    act8192 Registered Member

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    I don't know if there is a way to get the alert on top (like in Outpost). I looked in my settings as well as in HKCU sphinx-soft GUI settings and see nothing about the alert. (Funny you mentioned it - I have that problem with Windows 10 UAC alerts being behind things).
    A quick trip to the Events tab, sorted by time, permits me to double click on what was blocked and change from there. Likewise rt-click permits to set tighter rules which I don't do too often.

    You asked in #195 about the duration of the license. I think I'm correct in telling you that it is forever for a major version, currently 8. Not for a year.
     
  25. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    I just now bought the Plus license. Forever? Hmmm... will I live long enough to find out? :isay:
     
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