how to install gufw to graphically configure your ubuntu linux firewall

7/28/2019 How to Install Gufw to Graphically Configure Your Ubuntu Linux Firewall

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How to Install Gufw to Graphically Configure YourUbuntu Linux Firewall

by Lonnie Lee Best

Gufwis an excellent Linuxfirewallconfigurationtool that is free and opensource. I recommend it to become the defaultfirewall-configuration-application in all desktop Linux distributions (that rely on iptables).

A default installation of Ubuntu 9.04 comes with a firewallcalled iptablesthat is pre-configured to block all traffic initiated fromexternal sources, yet it allows you to establish connections with externaldestinations as long as an application on your computer initiates it.However, some applications require certain additional ports to be open,other than the ports that a particular one of your applications initiatesover (bit torrent applications such a Vuze and file sharing applicationssuch as gtk-gnutella for example). In these cases you'll need to configure

the firewall so that externally initiated traffic can communicate with thisapplication over the port (or range of ports) indicated in that application'shelp documentation or settings menus.

Since configuring iptables requires you to edit a text file in an unforgivingexact way, first, a command-line utility was created (called ufw) tosimplify the configuration of the iptables firewall, and give you a littlefeedback during your configuration attempts. Then a GUI(graphical userinterface) (called Gufw) was created to transparently

automate the command-line interface ufw, so that a new linux usercanopen portsintuitively, without knowing ufw commands or iptablesspecification!

Before I discovered Gufw, I usedFirestarteras a GUI for configuringmyLinux firewall. I liked Firestarter because it allowed me to monitorblocked traffic, but I didn't like that I had to edit my preferences each
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time I switched network devices (sometimes I have a wired connection tothe internet, and sometimes I have wireless connection; each time I'dswitch, it required me to manually specify which device was wascurrently providing the internet connection, before I could run

Firestarter). Additionally, sometimes I'd open ports with Firestarter, andthey'd remain closed (and it wasn't due to another firewall upstream fromme either).

In Ubuntu 9.04, you can easily install Gufw from Ubuntu's "Add/Remove"software manager.

Install Gufw

1. From the "Applications" menu, select "Add/Remove". This will bring

up Ubuntu's applications manager.

2. Select "All available applications" from the "Show" drop-downmenu (located in the top-right corner of the applications manager.

3. Type "gufw" in to the search box (top-left) and press onyour keyboard.

4. Click the check box next to "gufw" in the top-right pane. You'll thenbe asked if you want to install it.

5. Click the "Install" button.

6. Click the "Apply" button.

7. Confirm you want to apply the installation by clicking the "Apply"button.

8. Authenticate. Type in the your password. If your account hasadministrator privileges, Gufw will then be downloaded and

installed.

After you install Gufw, you'll find it in the applications menu: System >Administration > Firewall Configuration.


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From there, I like to right-click on it, and select "Add this launchertopanel". This puts its "Green Shield" icon on the quick launch panel atthe top, so that Gufw is always a point and click away.

how to install gufw to graphically configure your ubuntu linux firewall

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