Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)

If you are using Windows' Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) option, or a third-party connection sharing program, you can protect all of the computers that share the connection from inbound threats by installing ZoneAlarm Pro on the "gateway" machine only. However, to receive outbound (Program Control) protection, or to see alerts on the client machines, you must have ZoneAlarm Pro installed on the client machines as well.

Tip Before you configure ZoneAlarm Pro, use your ICS software to set up the gateway and client relationships. If you use hardware such as a server or router, rather than a host PC, to perform Internet connection sharing, do not follow the steps below.

On the ICS gateway machine:

  1. Go to Main tab of the Firewall panel.
  2. Click Advanced.
  3. Under Internet Connection Sharing, select This computer is an ICS gateway.
  4. In the combination box, select or type the IP address of the gateway machine.
  5. Select Suppress alerts locally if forwarded to clients if you do not want to see alerts that are forwarded to a client. .Note that if you do not install ZoneAlarm Pro on the client machines, all alerts will be displayed on the gateway.
  6. For best security, make sure the security level for the Internet Zone is set to High. Make sure outgoing DNS and DHCP are allowed for the Internet Zone at High security.

On the ICS client machines:

  1. Go to Main tab of the Firewall panel.
  2. Click Advanced.
  3. Under Internet Connection Sharing, select This computer is a client of an ICS gateway running ZA Pro.
  4. In the combination box, select or type the IP address of the gateway machine.
  5. Select Forward alerts from gateway to this computer if you want alerts occurring on the gateway machine to be displayed on this client.

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