Firestarter 0.8.x Manual
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# Using Firestarter

`Firestarter` can be used to produce either an IPChains or IPTables compatible firewall depending on your kernel configuration. The output produced is a simple shell script that can be transported to another machine (including machines without X Windows) and run normally - or you can use the `Firestarter` GUI to startup, shutdown control or monitor your script in real-time.

## Basic usage

Starting `Firestarter` opens the Main window, shown in . It will then either prompt you to run through the `Firestarter` Wizard (if you have never run `Firestarter` before) or it will start your chosen configuration and begin monitoring your system.

Figure 1. Firestarter Main Window

### Re-Running the Wizard

From time to time, you may wish to re-run the initial `Firestarter` wizard in order to change settings, use other network device, check out the 'advanced' mode or simply check your configuration is still correct. To stop the firewall and restart the `Firestarter` Wizard - Select: + + + + ->Firewall+ + + + + + ->Run Firewall Wizard+ + + + , This will change the status of the statusbar to "Firewall Stopped". From here the wizard will start and you will be able to work through the settings accordingly.

### Activating your Firewall

From the initial command screen - you can perform all the major operations to get `Firestarter` started. To start the firewall and get the GUI to monitor traffic - Select: + + + + ->Firewall+ + + + + + ->Start Firewall+ + + + , This will change the status of the statusbar to "Firewall Running". From this point the GUI will be able to monitor incoming traffic and display the results on screen.

### Stopping your Firewall

If you find you need to stop your firewall - Select: + + + + ->Firewall+ + + + + + ->Stop Firewall+ + + + , This will change the status of the statusbar to "Firewall Stopped". From this point the GUI will not monitor any new incoming traffic.

### Halting your Firewall

Halting `Firestarter` will cause your Firewall to stop (just as it would if you selected "Stop" above) - however, it will also cause your machine to kill off any existing connections and refuse to accept any new ones. If you suspect your machine has been compromised, you should halt your firewall by selecting: + + + + ->Firewall+ + + + + + ->Halt Firewall+ + + + , This will change the status of the statusbar to "Firewall Halted". From this point the GUI will not monitor any new incoming traffic.

| Halting your Firewall causes your traffic to Halt too
| `Firestarter` has been designed in such a way that it will stop all incoming and outgoing connections, while also killing off any existing connections that you may have already established. If your machine is acting as a masquerading gateway for internal LAN based machines, you may wish to use caution when invoking the "Halt" command.

## Toolbar

The toolbar (shown in ) provides access to several commonly used routines.

Figure 2. Firestarter Toolbar

Wizard

  Clicking this icon starts the Firewall Builder dialog.

Clear Hitlist

  Clears the existing hitlist.

Reload Hitlist

  Reloads the hitlist from an existing file.

Save Hitlist

  Saves the hitlist in memory to a new file.

Restart Firewall

  Purges and Restarts the firewall script.

Halt Firewall

  Purges the firewall script and halts all traffic.

## Menus

The menu (shown in ) provides access to several commonly used routines.

Figure 3. Firestarter Menubar

The menu bar, located at the top of the Main Window, contains the following menus:

Firewall

  This menu contains:

  - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ->Run Firewall Wizard+ + + + + + + + ( R ) This restarts the initial `Firestarter` Wizard.

  - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ->Start Firewall+ + + + + + + + ( F ) This executes the generated script and begins the firewall monitoring.

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