Windows Firewall Control (WFC) by BiniSoft.org

This is absolutely true for small apps like yours, can't argue with that one. So that WFC is acquired now, i thought maybe you are willing to open source a version of the 5.x branch. This would be really great!

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Thanks for all the work that got into WFC! You once gave me a license for free when i had no money. I told my friends to buy WFC (which they did) and also got a customer to buy a license. I can't say how much i appreciate WFC and your work. Thanks again and all the best to you.

 

Thank you for your good thoughts. An acquisition means that you give the source code, the domain name, the website content, to the buyer. Since the code is not mine anymore, I can't publish any parts of it to an open source repository.

 

From what I've gathered, 5.3.0.0 can work fine with Store Apps and Secure Rules enabled, too. You just need to manually check the rules every now and then. For example, when an App tries to auto-update it will fail because its path will change and its new rule will not be allowed by Secure Rules. I can only see this being a hassle if lots of Apps are used and they are regularly updated.

I'm not sure @ rules are even required, since they seem the same as 'regular' rules, I can't see something special about them except for having the Application Package pre-selected (see manual here).

Disable Secure Rules (quick shortcut available), open the Store, do a manual update check, re-enable Secure Rules and it should be fine. You will get a WFC notification when an App runs and a regular rule can be created.

As mentioned, if an App fails to run altogether, just open "Add or remove programs" in Settings, select the App/Advanced Options/Reset. This will make the App work again and automatically re-create its @ rules. Some might create Inbound rules too, but they are usually not necessary (not really sure why they do that, to promote ads/messages etc?).

 

I know all that.
main reason: no development = no fixes in case of issues/bugs, no improvements. Simple as that. We will see with the Spring Update.

 

Maybe you could talk to them and convince them to open source an older version from the 4.x branch?

I think that this step would make a lot of people very happy.

 

What for? No one will use v4 in the presence of v5. Or does no one know about the existence of kg? It is very, very early to bury the WFC, besides, we do not know what will happen next.
It would be better if a very respected alexandrud did not forget this forum and gave professional advice.

 

Just learn to create Windows Firewall rules manually; then you won't care much if WFC is dead or alive. i use WFC only because it creates rules faster than me ^^

 

No, WFC is not just about ease of use. It also "shields" the WF, which is even more important.

 

Couldn't agree more with you. This is also the way I see it.

 

For me

Automated popups for outbound filtering (Windows firewall is only for inbound).
Easy access to logs, event viewer is a pain.
Secure Rules, pretty cool (at least the old variant is).
Very easy to toggle between different operating modes.
System tray icon as a always on status display for the current operating mode.
Automated switching back to medium if low is set and left alone.

Given I use windows 8.1 which is stable feature/API code, I know WFC is probably never ever going to stop working, the risk is just if I reinstall the OS and activation no longer becomes possible.

For win 10 users has this app ever needed updates to work on win10 feature updates? If no then I think you guys will probably be ok as well, unless microsoft decide to rehaul the windows firewall.

 

How would one go about backing up their activation code or future installs?

 

You don't need to do this, if you are a legit registered user, you should have access to your account page where you generate license codes at will...

 

He sold the site, there is no guarantee that the account page will be around always.

 

if they change their mind, just move on from WFC.

 

There wasn't and there is no intention to close the website. Registered users will continue to be able to activate WFC and I will continue to provide support for WFC through email and this forum, like I did in the past years. I will keep you updated on this forum about the decisions that will occur about WFC.

 

Thank you @alexandrud - that is all very reassuring and I look forward to using WFC for many years to come.

You should feel proud of this great piece of software that you created and I would just like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best in your new job.

 

I think you just didn't get the point about open source software which is that someone and/or the community could implement features needed. A V4.x source code release would be a great step forward since there is no real good "firewall extension" for Windows which is open source.

Try using PowerShell to create rules. This is also a very convenient way.

 

+1 Thank you for all your work

 

Does the High Filtering profile block all outbound or all outbound and all inbound? In the properties of the rule and in the main window there is a discrepancy

 

From the manual (High Filtering): "All outbound and inbound connections are blocked. This profile blocks all attempts to connect to and from your computer".

Two High Filtering rules should appear by the way (the other would be for Inbound blocking).

 

Indeed, the two rules, I looked bad.

 

I created the UWP program's rules to use the application package. Why does the WFC still have a UWP outbound prompt every time I turn on the computer?

 

The rule has to be defined for a specific package and the program must be set to All Programs. What application does this? How does the rule looks like? If this is a singular case, just create a notification exception for this one.

 

@alexandrud i moved to Spring Update so i don't remember in Fall Update if v5.3.0 (with SecureRules enabled) generates an outbound connection's prompt from Metro Apps; does it? (i think it didn't)

 

@guest It didn't prompt for me in the FCU. I have not installed the SCU yet as I am waiting on the officially official release lol.