Frequently Asked Question

If a third party application on your computer is not working properly when the ESET Smart Security 4.0 Personal firewall is in Automatic mode, or if an application works only while in Interactive mode, please review the information below.

Rules created in Interactive mode do not apply in Automatic mode. The Personal firewall must be set to Automatic mode with exceptions after the rules have been created. Automatic filtering mode (default mode) allows:

-all outgoing communication
-all incoming communications which were initiated by an application already communicating outwards.

Automatic mode may not be suitable for use with applications that rely on non-initiated incoming communication.

If Automatic mode is preventing an application from working properly, you can set the Personal firewall to Interactive mode to create the rules that permit the program's proper function and then set the Personal firewall to Automatic mode with exceptions. To set your Personal firewall to Interactive mode, create rules and set the Personal firewall to Automatic mode with exceptions, follow the steps below:

1. Open the main program window by clicking the icon next to the system clock or by clicking Start → All Programs → ESET → ESET Smart Security.

2. If you see Display: Standard mode in the lower left corner, switch to Advanced mode by clicking Change… or by pressing CTRL + M on your keyboard.

3. Click Setup → Personal firewall in the main menu on the left and then click Switch to interactive filtering mode in the Personal firewall area.

   
   
   Fig. 1-1
   
   

4. Your ESET security product will prompt you to allow or deny each connection that is not defined by an existing rule. To create the rules you need, select the Remember action (create rule) check box in the dialog window.

   
   
   Fig. 1-2
   
   

5. When you have created the rules you need, set the Personal firewall to Automatic mode with exceptions: In the Advanced mode display, click Setup → Personal firewall (see steps 1-3) and then click Switch to automatic filtering mode with exceptions.

   
   
   Fig. 1-3
   

The Personal firewall will now function as it would in Automatic mode, while maintaining the specific exceptions (rules) that you defined for problematic applications in Interactive mode.