Ports tab

Click the numbers to learn about specific controls, or read an introduction.

To reach this tab:

1. Go to Program Control / Programs tab.
2. Select the program you want to customize.
3. Click the Options button.

Ports tab (Program Options dialog box)

Use the Ports tab to limit the ports on your computer that the selected program can use. For example, you can limit an e-mail client to SMTP, POP, and/or IMAP protocols. This provides an extra layer of security against program tampering.

Caution Use this tab to restrict a program's port access only you are very familiar with the needs of the program. Misconfiguring port permissions could cause your program to stop working properly.

Port and protocol options

Choose from the following options:

Allow access to all ports and protocols
The program is able to access the Internet through all ports and use any necessary protocols. (When not in use by a permitted program the ports are protected by ZoneAlarm Pro's firewall).
Allow access for ONLY the ports checked below
Select this option to limit the program's access to a few ports and protocols.
Allow access for any port EXCEPT for those checked below
Select this option to exclude only a few ports from program access.

Tip If you choose either of the last two options, use the Add button to add ports to the list.

Adding/Removing custom ports

These controls are enabled only when Allow access to all ports and protocols is not selected. Use the Add and Remove buttons to modify the contents of the list.

Important! By adding to the list, you may be limiting the ports the program CAN access or CANNOT access. Be sure you have selected the option you intended at the top of the dialog box.

To add ports to the list, click the Add button and select the server type from the shortcut menu. To add ports other than those associated with the server types listed, choose Custom. The Add tab opens.

Add tab (Range of Ports dialog box)

Access this dialog box by choosing Custom from the Add shortcut menu.

To add a specific port or range of ports to the list:

1. Select the port type (TCP or UDP)

2. Type a description of the port (for display only)

3.Type the port number (if you're adding a single port) or the port range in the boxes provided, then click OK.

Glossary

port
A channel in or out of your computer. Some ports are associated with standard network protocols; for example, HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is traditionally addressed to port 80. Port numbers range from 1 to 65535.

Back

protocol
A standardized format for sending and receiving data. Different protocols serve different purposes; for example SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is used for sending e-mail messages; while FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is used to send large files of different types. Each protocol is associated with a specific port, for example, FTP messages are addressed to port 21.