Overview
Trouble-shooting SteelSecurity
By design, the game profiles that come with SteelSecurity will allow you to enjoy your game without interruptions and with the net-connection configured for optimal use. However, if your SteelSecurity doesn't behave as you would expect, you may find the answer to your question here.
Q: I have a game which doesn't have a game profile. What do I do?
A: SteelSecurity will still protect you, even if you're playing a game which isn't directly supported through a default game profile. But for an optimal experience, you need a game profile for the game you play. You can either create your own game profile (more information here) or you can check the website www.steelsecurity.com (exact page coming soon) for new game profiles.
Q: I launch a game, but SteelSecurity doesn't switch into game mode. The game does have a game profile.
A: There can be several reasons for this.
Go to the game profiles general settings, and check the following:
- Is the name in the filename column identical to the exe-file which you are launching?
If not, you can either edit the filename in the list, or add a new entry by using the "Browse" button. - Is the game profile enabled?
Check the "Enable profile" setting. - Is the confirmed path of the game identical to the path of the exe-file you are launching?
If, by accident, you have confirmed an incorrect path for the game, and now find that SteelSecurity doesn't properly recognize the real game, please use the “Unconfirm" button below the filename list, and SteelSecurity will start asking you again, when you launch the real game.
This sometimes happens if the installation-file for a game has the same name as the actual game.
Q: I launch a game, SteelSecurity switches to game mode, but my game won't connect!
A: Please go through the following tests:
- Make sure that the SteelSecurity firewall generally allows this game to connect and that there is no general connection problem.
You can do this by disabling the game profile in question and run the game. If you suspect that there's a general firewall problem, you can test this by turning OFF the SteelSecurity firewall in normal mode and run the game. - Make sure that you are in fact in game mode when playing the game.
Launch the game and switch back to Windows. Now check the Gaming plugin to see which profile is currently active while the game is running.
NOTE: If the game profile was automatically switched to by SteelSecurity, SteelSecurity will switch back to Normal mode, if you quit the game. Make sure that the game is still running in the background when you make this test. - If you are certain that A) the correct game profile is active and B) there is no general connection problem, there must be a problem with the game profile.
Check the website www.steelsecurity.com (exact page coming soon) for a new version of the game profile. Alternatively, check the game-vender for updated information on what ports the game needs open, in order to connect. Add these ports to the firewall-settings in the game profile (see below).
Q: I need to add some ports to a game profile. How do I do this?
A: Please follow this guide:
- Double-click the game profile, and select "Firewall settings"
- Click the "Advanced rules" tab
- Depending on whether the port is UDP or TCP, double-click the field in the corresponding rule in the "Ports" column
The following dialogue will appear:
Now add the ports you need in the Remote and Local input fields.
If there is not already a rule specifying allowed TCP or UDP ports, you can create a new one by right-clicking the area where the rules are listed and choose "Add new rule".
Q: The game connects OK in game mode, but my other applications which I'd like to connect too loose the connection. What's going on?
A: Please check the Application list in the firewall-settings for the game profile.
If the list is empty, it's very likely that your other applications will be blocked while gaming, unless they use the same ports as the game itself. A quick way to fix this, is to do the following:
- Go to the general settings of the game profile
- Click the "Unconfirm" button.
- Make sure that the "Merge firewall application-list from Normal profile" is ON
- Click OK, and run the game again. All the applications that you have normally allowed in the firewall, will now also be allowed when playing the game.
If you want to manually add a particular application to the list, simply right-click the area where the rules are listed and select "Add new rule".
Q: I imported a game profile from a friend of mine, and it doesn't work. What's wrong?
A: Most likely, the game profile is configured to work on your friends computer, not yours. Please see the below question on how to make a game profile suitable for export and sharing to solve the problem.
Q: How do I make a new game profile, which I can share with my friends?
A: Making a new game profile is easy, but making sure that it can work on other computers than your own is tricky. Here's a step-by-step guide on what to do, and why:
Getting started;
1) Open SteelSecurity and go to the Gaming plugin
2) Click the "+" button to add a new game profile (GP)
3) Double-click the new GP, and select "General Settings"
General settings;
4) Rename the GP to fit the game you want to support
5) Make sure all 3 checkboxes are checked
6) Click the "+" button, and browse for the file you want to trigger the GP (for example hl.exe, wow.exe or other), Click OK when found
7) Click the "Unconfirm" button
8) Click OK, return to the main menu
Anti-virus settings
9) Double-click the new GP and select "Anti-virus settings"
10) Uncheck the 3 checkboxes in the top: "Real-time file monitoring", “Incoming email monitoring" and "Outgoing email monitoring"
11) Click OK, return to the main menu
Firewall settings;
12) Double-click the new GP and select "Firewall settings"
13) Click the last last tab, "Notifications"
14) Choose the "Silently block all" radio-button
15) Uncheck the "Display a security notification"
16) Click the second tab, "Advanced rules"
17) In the Advanced Rules, you can specify the specific ports, protocols and other network-needs that the game needs. The following are examples of how to add needed UDP and TCP port access to a game
18) Always leave the existing rule, "ICMP Settings", as it is
19) Right-click anywhere and select "Add new rule"
20) Choose a name for the new rule, f.x. "Warcraft UDP ports"
21) Scroll to see the "Ports and Protocols" row, and click the three dots in this row
22) In the popup-window, select "UDP" from the dropdown
23) In the boxes which appears, you can enter the needed UDP ports
24) Click OK, and repeat steps 23-27 to add a similar rule, this time for TCP ports
25) When done, click OK until you return to the main menu
Test your Game Profile;
26) Run your game, and test that the Game Profile gets activated and that the game successfully connects to the internet
Export your Game Profile;
27) If you stopped at Step 25, your Game Profile is ready to be exported. If you tested your Game Profile by playing the game, you need to adjust it slightly before you can export it:
28) Double-click the GP and select "General settings"
29) Click the "Unconfirm" button, and click OK
30) Double-click the GP and select "Firewall settings"
31) In the first tab, "Application list", remove ALL entries (right-click), and click OK
32) In the main menu, make sure your GP is selected and click the "Export profile" link
Done! Your game-profile is now complete, and will work on any computer with SteelSecurity installed.
Q: How do I reduce the memory-consumption of SteelSecurity?
A: SteelSecurity was designed to take minimum resources, including memory, from your computer.
When checking the memory-consumption of SteelSecurity, make sure that the application is minimized (not showing any user interface), as this is the main source of memory consumption.
If you wish to decrease the memory consumption further, it is a very nice trick to turn OFF the Spamfilter. In the next version of SteelSecurity we are working on settings to automatically unload the Spamfilter when switching to game mode.
Q: I have an idea for SteelSecurity, which would make it a better product! Where do I go?
A: SteelSecurity is currently in it's 1.0 version, meaning it's our first shot at this We are sure that there are plenty of things we can improve, and features you would like. Please make sure to send them our way! You can write us at ideas@steelsecurity.com.