How do you handle Windows Firewall?

wiseassoffice · Post by **wiseassoffice** » Mon Nov 08, 2010 1:23 pm

I have found that Windows 7 Firewall causes great pause when you send a file via FTP. When the user pauses to read the Windows Firewall alert if they take too long it will post errors about timeout. I would really love to get the FTP unblocked so it doesn't freak out users.

Any comments?

Post by **Neosoft Support** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 11:09 am

Typically, the Windows firewall will ask you for authorization the first time your application attempts to connect to the Internet. After that it won't bother you again. That's how apps created with FM/FTP work on my PC.

wiseassoffice · Post by **wiseassoffice** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 1:52 pm

For a one time upload to a ftp server from a installation app it can be alarming.

Try this...

Create a neobook pub
Make a connection to an FTP
Upload a file
Now when the Firewall dialog comes up...wait
Do what normal not computer savvy people do, read it, and ponder.
Now press accept. You will find the the plugin will tell you that your connection has timed out.

Also since I am launching with Admin rights it seems silly that we HAVE to trip this firewall issue when IE is capable of posting data.

Wrangler · Post by **Wrangler** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 2:03 pm

The firewall is tripped by the (test).exe file. It does it for me each time I run the pub from IDE. When running the compiled exe, the firewall only asks me once.

Also since I am launching with Admin rights it seems silly that we HAVE to trip this firewall issue when IE is capable of posting data.

There is no way of stopping the firewall from initially prompting the user. It would be worthless if it did. If the exe file is not in it's accept list, it will prompt. Don't know why the (test).exe won't stay in the list, though.

The timeout issue could be solved if we could set it with a variable. Dave?

Post by **Neosoft Support** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 11:11 am

The timeout issue could be solved if we could set it with a variable.

The fmConnectRemote action already includes an option for setting the timeout.

Also since I am launching with Admin rights it seems silly that we HAVE to trip this firewall issue when IE is capable of posting data.

Wrangler is correct. The firewall would be useless if it could be bypassed by any program. IE doesn't trip the firewall because it's part of Windows and has already been given permission to access the Internet.

wiseassoffice · Post by **wiseassoffice** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 12:25 pm

The firewall alert isn't the biggest deal its the timeout if a user actually reads the prompt for the firewall which kills the connection.

dpayer · Post by **dpayer** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 1:36 pm

wiseassoffice wrote:The firewall alert isn't the biggest deal its the timeout if a user actually reads the prompt for the firewall which kills the connection.

Why don't you prompt the user that they will be prompted by windows and it is ok to accept it.

D

wiseassoffice · Post by **wiseassoffice** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 8:07 am

I more less view this as a bug as the firewall prompt should cause the FTP plugin to wait until the user responds instead of just timing out on its own.

Post by **Neosoft Support** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 11:07 am

I more less view this as a bug as the firewall prompt should cause the FTP plugin to wait until the user responds instead of just timing out on its own.

Unfortunately, it's impossible to know if a connection failure is due to a firewall, a bad URL or a server problem. The firewall just stops the application's request from getting through until the user responds to the prompt.