Once installed, the
Personal Firewall displays a small icon in your system tray (located on
the right end of your task bar), consisting of two arrows. The arrows
represent system traffic: the upward-pointing arrow is outgoing
traffic; the downward-pointing arrow is incoming traffic.
These arrows give you a real-time update of your computer’s traffic flow. You might not see a constant icon appearance for more than a few seconds, especially if you frequently use the Internet or your network connection.
The colors of the arrows are always changing (as is the traffic flow on your computer). For most users, it should be sufficient to remember the following points about the colors of the icon:
If the color of the arrow is... |
...then... |
RED |
...traffic is being blocked by the Personal Firewall. |
BLUE |
...traffic is flowing uninterrupted by the Personal Firewall. |
GRAY |
...no traffic is flowing in that direction. |
The System Tray Icon will sometimes flash on and off. This tells you
that the Personal
Firewall is in Alert Mode. Alert Mode occurs when the Personal Firewall records an attempted attack on your computer. To view
the attack information, double-click on the icon. The Security Log will
open, displaying new log entries.
The icon will stop flashing after you double-click it and view the Security Log. Note that opening the Security Log through the main console will not cause the System Tray Icon to stop flashing.
For information on reading a Security Log, start with the "Understanding Logs."
You can easily configure basic aspects of the Personal Firewall without even opening the main console. By right-clicking on the System Tray Icon, you can change your security level, view Help or log files, or even disable the Personal Firewall.
Menu Option |
What It will do for you... |
Sygate Personal Firewall |
Opens the Personal Firewall main console. |
Block All Normal Allow All |
Blocks all network traffic. Provides your pre-chosen list of security policies and applies them. Allows all network traffic. This setting should be used for troubleshooting only. |
Applications |
Opens the Applications List. |
Logs |
Opens the Logs. |
Options... |
Opens the Options dialog box, where you can make detailed choices about your security. |
Advanced Rules |
Opens the Advanced Rules dialog box, where you can write specific rules for Allowing or Blocking network access. |
Hide System Tray Icon |
Removes the display of the System Tray icon for the Personal Firewall. The Personal Firewall is still running, but you no longer see the icon. To re-enable the icon, run the Personal Firewall and choose the option to show it: From the Start menu, choose Sygate Personal Firewall. Then, from the Tools menu, toggle the Hide System Tray Icon to toggle the choice back on. |
Help Topics... |
Opens the online help system. |
About... |
Opens the About window, providing information on your installation of the Personal Firewall. |
Exit Sygate Personal Firewall |
Disables the
Personal Firewall. |
You can roll your mouse over the System Tray Icon to see your current security level.
The table below illustrates the different appearances that the System Tray Icon may have, and what they mean.
Icon |
Meaning |
|
The Personal Firewall is in Alert Mode. This means that an attempted attack against your computer has been recorded in your Security Log. To make the icon stop flashing, double-click on the icon. The Security Log will open, displaying a new log entry. |
|
The Personal Firewall is in Allow All mode. |
|
The Personal Firewall is in Block All mode. |
|
Incoming traffic is flowing uninterrupted; there is no outgoing traffic. |
|
Both incoming and outgoing traffic are flowing uninterrupted. |
|
There is no incoming traffic; outgoing traffic is flowing uninterrupted. |
|
Incoming traffic is blocked; outgoing traffic is flowing uninterrupted. |
|
Incoming traffic is blocked; there is no outgoing traffic. |
|
Both incoming and outgoing traffic are blocked. |
|
There is no incoming traffic; outgoing traffic is blocked. |
|
Incoming traffic is flowing uninterrupted; outgoing traffic is blocked. |
|
No traffic is flowing in either direction. |