A Frequently-Asked KINNEXUS Question

A firewall is software often found on personal computers, and sometimes firmware built into routers, to block unauthorized communication between your computer and the Internet. This is increasingly important protection; it is not desirable simply to turn it off and leave it off, if it is blocking a program you want to use. Instead, you should configure your firewall to permit Kinnexus and other needed programs the access they need to the Internet. (You may want to turn it off for a few minutes to see if it's really the problem before you tinker with it, but remember to turn it back on.)

Frequently, the first time you run Kinnexus, or sometimes after a Kinnexus software upgrade, your firewall will alert you that it is attempting to access the Internet and ask if you want to allow this. The answer is, you do. Allow Kinnexus full access, always, to the Internet. (If you'd rather, simply open port 1440 for UDP in your firewall's advanced settings.)

Every firewall package is different; even different versions of the same package may have different interfaces. Sometimes Telescan support personnel can help you figure out your firewall, but please attempt to do so on your own before calling. See this article for specific instructions -- essentially the same instructions you'll get over the phone from Telescan.

To determine which firewall is installed on your PC, check your programs menu, look for something including the words "internet security" or "firewall." The most popular firewalls and Internet security suites among Kinnexus users are from:

• Norton (usually Norton Internet Security)
• McAfee (McAfee Personal Firewall or Internet Security Suite)
• Panda (at least some versions of Panda Antivirus include a firewall)
• ZoneAlarm (Internet Security Suite, Pro, or Antivirus)
• Windows XP's own built-in firewall (Service Pack 2 or later), which appears in the Control Panel, not on the Programs menu.

Ordinarily, when a third-party firewall package is installed on a PC, Windows XP's own firewall is disabled. But sometimes it is not. This may mean that two firewalls are running on your PC. In this case, you may want to turn off the Windows firewall and leave the other running and properly configured for Kinnexus.