There are two main types of firewalls: ones that only block incoming connections, such as Microsoft Windows Firewall and ones that prevent both incoming and outgoing connections, an example being Windows Live OneCare Firewall.
Tactical's COM/IP, DialOut/EZ and Serial/IP redirectors are kernel-level device drivers, therefore they can not be specified as exempt applications in most firewall programs. The License Manager and TacServe COM Port Server are applications that can be specified as allowed programs when configuring a firewall.
Beginning in version 4.8.4, the Tactical Software install program will modify the Microsoft Windows Firewall settings to allow our products to work correctly. However, if you are using Serial/IP or COM/IP to accept incoming connections, then you will still need to manually add any incoming TCP port as described below.
Please note: This new feature of the installer only affects the Microsoft Windows Firewall. If you are another firewall product, such as Norton, McAfee, or OneCare, the firewall will need to be manually configured to allow proper operation.
For specific instructions on configuring the Windows Firewall to work with Tactical Software products click here. The information here can also be used for any firewall that blocks inbound connections only.
For specific instructions on configuring the Windows Live OneCare Firewall to work with Tactical Software products click here. The general settings from this link apply to any firewall that blocks both inbound and outbound connections.
