Firewalla App version 1.68 is available to all Android Early Access Users. The iOS Early Access App is pending Apple review; It will be available shortly.
To join Early Access:
- Follow the links below:
- Then, email help@firewalla.com with the following subject line:
subject: [iOS or Android] early access [iTunes/Play email ID]
Some features may require Box 1.982, which is available for:
- Orange, Purple, Purple SE, Gold, Gold Plus, Gold SE, and Gold Pro Early Access boxes.
- Other box versions are coming soon.
To get the Early Access Box, open your Firewalla app:
- Go to your box > tap Settings > Advanced > Beta Program.
- Tap 10 times on the text "Join Box Beta Program".
- The option to choose the release version will appear. Tap on Early Access.
New Features
1. Device Active Protect - Strict Mode, Automatic Isolation, Restart Learning, and more (Early Access Boxes only)
Device Active Protect just got even smarter. In this app release, we now support:
- Different DAP Modes - Default or Strict
- Automatic Device Isolation with the Firewalla AP7
- Restart Learning on eligible DAP devices
- More general DAP enhancements
DAP is available on all Firewalla Gold Series units. Learn more about Device Active Protect.
Please note: The new DAP features are currently only available on Early Access boxes. It will be available to all box versions soon.
Device Active Protect Mode - Default/Strict
You can now select a mode for Device Active Protect:
- Default: More permissive. Devices may switch between learning and optimizing phases. In this mode, DAP may allow more sites over time.
- Strict: More restrictive. Devices may enter the active phase after optimizing. In this mode, DAP will not allow most sites and should have a full understanding of your device's behavior.
After enabling Strict Mode, it may take a few days for DAP to move devices into the active phase.
Device Active Protect is still in beta. We will be adding more eligible devices in the future. The best way to help DAP learn about the device is to use its features during the learning and optimization phase. (For example, play Apple Music in the Sonos app or Chromecast from your phone, which will help the device get into the active phase faster.)
Automatic Device Isolation with AP7 and DAP
If you have Firewalla AP7, DAP may determine that the eligible device connected via Wi-Fi does not need local communication and automatically apply Device Isolation, blocking any local LAN traffic.
If you need to allow specific local connections, use Allowed Devices to bypass Device Isolation.
Restart Learning for DAP Devices
For any eligible device in the optimizing or active phase, send eligible devices back to the learning phase by tapping Restart Learning on its DAP Detail Page.
DAP will remove all allowed/blocked targets for that device and send it back to the learning phase (a less restrictive mode, where no blocks are applied).
This restart will help Firewalla learn more about its behaviors.
General Device Active Protect Enhancements
We've made a few additional updates to improve your Device Active Protect experience:
- The Pause Device Active Protect button has been renamed to Turn Off Device Active Protect. Devices with DAP turned off are now marked as Disabled.
- Turning off DAP on a device will stop its learning process and pause any rules/features applied by DAP.
- When DAP is turned back on, it restores the targets learned in the previous phase and continues with the learning phase (a less restrictive mode, where no blocks are applied).
- On the Protect Page, a new "Last DAP Action" field now appears under the Device Active Protect section, showing the most recent time DAP allowed or blocked a target on eligible devices.
2. New App UI Design - Navigation Bar, User Avatars
Introducing a new design layout for the Firewalla App! On your Firewalla's Main Screen, you'll now find:
- A new Navigation Bar to navigate the app quickly
- User Avatars to help find users easily
Navigation Bar - Home, Devices, and Alarms Tabs
We moved the most commonly used Devices and Alarms buttons to a new Navigation Bar at the bottom. Similarly, a Home button is added to help easily move back to the main screen.
Tap on each button on the Navigation Bar to quickly navigate. To go back to the Firewalla Box Selection Screen, tap the "Boxes" icon in the top left corner of the main screen.
The Rules button has been added to the Feature buttons on the home screen, with a new, updated look.
User Avatars (Box Version >= 1.982)
You can now set custom User Avatars for each Firewalla User.
Select an image from your photo library as an Avatar for each User, to make it easier to distinguish between users at a glance.
- User Avatars will appear wherever you can view or assign Users, including shortcuts on the main screen, Devices List, and more.
- User Avatars are never uploaded to the cloud. They are always stored locally to your Firewalla.
This feature is only supported on box version >= 1.982.
3. Time Limit App Groups
You can now create a Time Limit Rule on a group of apps.
- Instead of setting separate time limits for each app individually, select multiple apps in a single rule. Any activity time on a specified app will count toward the total time of the Time Limit rule.
- On a Time Limit Rule, tap Select apps > Specified Apps > Select all the apps you'd like to include.
Learn more about User Activity Time Limits.
4. Internet Activity Tracking & Time Limits (Box Version >= 1.982)
Internet Activity Tracking and Time Limits are now supported.
- Please note that Internet time tracking is estimated. Due to factors like background traffic, reported usage time may vary by up to ~20% from actual activity.
- If you encounter any large discrepancies, please send us an email at help@firewalla.com.
This feature is only supported on box version >= 1.982.
Internet Activity Tracking
On any Firewalla User, you'll be able to track total time spent on the Internet, just like you would on other App Activity Tracking.
Tap Internet on a User's Activity to see more details on their daily and weekly Internet usage.
Internet Time Limits
Along with measuring Internet Activity, you'll also be able to set Internet Time Limits. (Remember, depending on the device and usage pattern, the actual usage may vary by ~ 20%.)
On a new or existing Time Limit rule, tap Select apps > Choose Internet.
5. Disturb - Time Limits, More Targets, Control Buttons
In App 1.66, we introduced Disturb - a new way to gently disrupt User activity by simulating a bad network for specific traffic. In this release, we now support:
- Time Limit Disturb Rules
- More Disturb targets: Target Lists, IP Addresses, and Domains
- Disturb via Control Buttons
Time Limit Disturb
We now support Disturb after a Time Limit Rule has been reached, in addition to blocking.
On a Time Limit Rule, use the Advanced Section to choose whether to Block or Disturb traffic after the limit is reached.
Please note that Time Limit Disturb is only available for single apps that support Disturb.
- See the full list of Disturb apps here.
- We currently do not support Disturb for Time Limit Rules matching multiple apps.
Learn more about Time Limit rules.
More Disturb Targets
We now support Disturb for Target List, IP Address, or Domain. Similar to Internet Disturb Rules, we only support Custom Disturbance Settings when using these targets.
Note that some Target Lists can only be used in blocking rules and cannot be used with Disturb.
Disturb via Control Buttons
We now support Disturb actions via Control Buttons.
- Control Buttons are ways to quickly block or unblock targets, such as the Internet or specific apps, directly from a Main Screen Shortcut or Device Detail Page.
For all Disturb-supported targets (e.g., Internet, Netflix, Roblox, TikTok, YouTube), tap the Control Button and select Disturb.
- Disturb via Control Buttons will use the default Annoying or Custom settings (depending on the target).
- To adjust the Disturbance Level, please go to Rules and manually edit the Disturb rule.
Enhancements
1. Rules - Rule Names, Hit Times on Rule List, Matched Rule on Flows
In App 1.68, we've made several enhancements to make Rule Management more seamless. You can now:
- Set custom Rule Names
- See Rule Hit Times directly from the Rules List
- View Matching Rules from a Flow Detail Page
Rule Names
Set custom Rule Names to quickly identify different rules.
Rule Names are optional and will display as the top line on any Rule Shortcut or in the Rules List. Rule Names can also be searched from the Global Search or Rules Search. Rules without custom names will continue displaying as they did before.
- Note: Rule Names may not appear in MSP 2.9. This will be improved in a future Firewalla MSP update.
Learn more about Managing Rules.
View Rule Hit Times from Rules List
Each Rule has a Hit Count and a Last Hit Time. To help make it easier for you to find your most active (or inactive) rules, we've made the Last Hit Time visible from the Rules List.
Matched Rules on Flow Detail Pages
In this release, matching Rules and Features are now shown directly on the Flow Detail Page, making it easier to understand and troubleshoot what blocked or allowed a flow.
On a Flow Detail Page, any Rule or Feature that matches the flow will be displayed in a new Rule Matched or Feature Matched section. Tap on it to jump directly to its Rule Detail or Feature page.
2. Devices - Device Summary, Device Notes
With this release, we've improved Device Management to make it easier to understand what's happening on your network at a glance. You'll now be able to:
- View a Device Summary directly from the Devices Page
- Add custom Notes for devices
Device Summary
At the top of your Devices Page, a Device Summary will show the total number of local devices, online devices, and offline devices.
- If you have AP7 or Orange, you'll also see how many devices are connected via Wi-Fi.
- VPN devices, such as WireGuard devices, are not included in the local device count.
- This feature is supported in both Router Mode and Bridge Mode. If Firewalla is in Bridge mode, devices connected to it's uptream router are not counted as local devices.
Device Notes
On each Device Detail Page, add Notes to keep track of specific details about an individual device.
3. General Enhancements
- Control Buttons now support a Turn Off option. Previously, rules created using Always Block could not be easily disabled from the Control Buttons. This enhancement resolves that limitation and also applies to Always Disturb rules created via Control Buttons.
- Improved the authentication experience when using a captive portal on public or hotel networks with Firewalla Purple and Orange.
- With Box version 1.982, OpenVPN Server and Client now support IPv6.
- Added total connected device count to the Access Point list.
Bug Fixes
Fixed a bug where Firewalla Purple and other boxes with Wi-Fi SD may fail to connect to WPA2/WPA3 Personal Wi-Fi networks.
Fixed a bug where adding an IPsec VPN profile to a VPN group may cause the VPN connection to fail.
Fixed an issue where migrating data from one Box to another may cause DAP to stop working.
Fixed an issue where a Disturb rule may disappear from the UI while still remaining active.
Fixed an issue where the app may incorrectly parse comments in a VPN profile as configuration.
Other minor display improvements and bug fixes.
Known Issues
-
Issue: The DAP Active phase is currently supported only on Early Access boxes. If a device enters the Active phase and the box is later switched back to Beta, the device will remain in the Active phase while the UI may incorrectly display Optimizing.
How to Fix: Turn DAP off for the device, then turn it back on. DAP will return to the Learning phase. -
Issue: Time Limit rules that match Internet are only supported on box version 1.982. If these rules are created on 1.982 and the box is later downgraded to 1.981, they won’t be removed automatically and may continue blocking internet access with reduced accuracy.
How to Fix: After downgrading to 1.981, delete all Time Limit rules that match Internet. -
Issue: New user avatars are not migrated when transferring box data.
How to Fix: Re-upload the avatars after migrating data to the new box. -
Issue: Rule Diagnostics may show Time Limit rules as matched even when the limit has not been reached.
How to Fix: This will be resolved in the next box update.
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