FS9 looking for internet

[IronmanMLR]

When ever I bring up FS9 I get a message from the firewall asking wether I should allow it to connect. My question is why would it be trying to connect. The firewall software is from Microsoft and should know if this program should be connecting or looking for a connection. If it isn't suppose to even look for a connection during startup, does that indicate someone has hacked it to do so?

[JSkorna]

It could be trying to connect for Real World weather.

[IronmanMLR]

It could be trying to connect for Real World weather.

I don't have weather enabled to download in the default flight and that wouldn't occurr till I started a saved flight with real weather update on or went into the weather selection area and set it to real weather and then clicked 'OK'.

The message usually pops up at the first splash screen right after you first click on the FS9 icon.

[loki]

Some programs will try to open network connections when they first load, whether they need to right away or not.

As to the Microsoft firewall app not knowing about FS, it has to do with security. The more secure, and better, way is to ask the user about all network requests. One user may not want to allow the program to connect for some reason. It would also allow the user to catch a malicious program that is masquerading as coming from Microsoft.

[TICAVA]

fs9 indicates that it has multiplayer options so firewall pops up and ask you if you want to allow or deny external connections, nothing wrong with that, just firewall doing it`s job

[IronmanMLR]

Some programs will try to open network connections when they first load, whether they need to right away or not.

As to the Microsoft firewall app not knowing about FS, it has to do with security. The more secure, and better, way is to ask the user about all network requests. One user may not want to allow the program to connect for some reason. It would also allow the user to catch a malicious program that is masquerading as coming from Microsoft.

I had been using Defender Pro and it asked about everything. I have worked with computers for years and 90% percent of the time I didn't know how to answer the request. I had blocked some applications that I had to unblock later to get some feature back I lost. Also updates can undue any previous permissions and I would get the question again. Sometimes it is the next day before I may get a message about permissions for an application and that made it even more difficult to tell whether this was normal, some rogue application, or a legitimate application taken over by a virus. Defender Pro also had built in templates for certain applications as whether to allow them access or not. Unfortunately Defender Pro could even block itself from downloading it's own updates.

I had changed to Windows One Care to reduce all the guessing I had to do. The last thing I expected was to have to set permissions for programs that MS created. In any event do you think that FS9 is behaving normally by attempting to connect or checking for a connection?

[loki]

I have worked with computers for years and 90% percent of the time I didn't know how to answer the request.

And this is why outbound firewall controls are generally not worth it. Most users don't know one way or the other what should and shouldn't be allowed. For most users the best solution is to just stick with the XP or Vista firewall to keep things out, use a good anti-virus app and not click on suspicious links or download random files. Not to mention this often helps prevent problems with file sharing and gaming online.

In any event do you think that FS9 is behaving normally by attempting to connect or checking for a connection?

Yep. It may not need the connection every time, but as it does have network features, this would be perfectly normal.

[IronmanMLR]

And this is why outbound firewall controls are generally not worth it. Most users don't know one way or the other what should and shouldn't be allowed. For most users the best solution is to just stick with the XP or Vista firewall to keep things out, use a good anti-virus app and not click on suspicious links or download random files. Not to mention this often helps prevent problems with file sharing and gaming online.



Yep. It may not need the connection every time, but as it does have network features, this would be perfectly normal.

Thanks Loki, your the man!

[Paxx]

Here is a link on how to set the microsoft firewall so that FS9 can use it without further action on your part.