How to Open a Port in Zone Alarm

The Zone Alarm firewall prevents outsiders from accessing your computer. While the software program keeps your system secure, it can also prevent you from using some web-based programs. When your firewall is turned on, you won't be able to download files from peer-to-peer file sharing networks or use your computer as a server to host an online game. To work around these problems, you can change a setting in the Zone Alarm program to open a specific port for unrestricted access.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Open the software program that you want to be able to access through the Zone Alarm firewall. Open the program's "Preferences" menu and click on the "Connection" button.

2. Find the heading labeled as "Port used for Incoming connections." Write down the incoming port number listed in the heading. Minimize the program and then open up the Zone Alarm firewall software.

3. 
   The "Program Control" Button

   Click on the "Program Control" link at the far left side of the window. Navigate to the "Programs" tab. Scroll down through the list of programs that are installed on your computer's hard drive.

4. Find the program that you seek to access through the Zone Alarm firewall. Click on the "Trust Level" button next to the name of the program; change the question mark icon to a green check mark. Click on the name of the program and then click the "Options" button at the lower-right corner of the window.

5. Navigate to the tab labeled as "Expert Rules" in the new window that will pop up. Click on the "Add" button at the bottom of the window. Type the name of the program into the "Name" field.

6. Scroll down to the "Protocol" heading and then click on the "Modify" button to the right of the heading. Choose the "Add Protocol" option from the menu that appears.

7. Click on the "Destination Port" drop-down menu and then select the "Other" option. Click on the box located to the right of the "Destination Port" drop-down menu and then type in the incoming port number that you wrote down earlier.

8. Leave the other options at their default settings. Click on the "OK" button to save the change and open the incoming port.

Tips & Warnings

• Depending on the specific program you are using you may need to go to a different menu to find the incoming port. The "Preferences" tab is the most commonly used menu in peer-to-peer file sharing networks.
• Many peer-to-peer file sharing programs include spyware and offer files that are infected with virus programs. Make sure to update and run your virus scanning software on a daily basis.

References

• ZoneAlarm support page
• Bleepingcomputer.com