Help Firewall app for Android 4.4.2 - Solved

[Johncoool]

I tried firewall apps on different Android phones and it worked well on the newer phones.

I tried many no-root and several rooted firewall apps on Android 4.4.2 and none of them worked well on this version.

They would work for a short while and then stop doing their job. They would stop working immediately if the WIFI is toggled.

Does anyone have a solution or know of an app that works well.

Before replying to this, make sure that you do full testing.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Welcome to Android Forums, Johncoool!

I tried firewall apps on different Android phones and it worked well on the newer phones.

I tried many no-root and several rooted firewall apps on Android apps and none of them worked well on it.

Is that a typo? Do you mean Android 4.4.2, per your subject?

They would work for a short while and then stop doing their job. They would stop working immediately if the WIFI is toggled.

Does anyone have a solution or know of an app that works well.

Before replying to this, make sure that you do full testing.

Hmmm... If you are indeed talking about 4.4.2, you do realize that's a very old version, right? And that most of us no longer have devices to "do full testing" on?

 

[svim]

I've had very good results over several years using AFWall+ (root required), Mobiwol (non-root), and NetGuard (non-root). None have them have stopped working when toggling WiFi and toggling mobile data on and off repeatedly.
If you're consistently finding all firewall apps to fail at some point, that's an indicator there's some kind of configuration issue when setting initially setting them up.

 

[Johncoool]

Welcome to Android Forums, Johncoool!

Is that a typo? Do you mean Android 4.4.2, per your subject?

Hmmm... If you are indeed talking about 4.4.2, you do realize that's a very old version, right? And that most of us no longer have devices to "do full testing" on?

Thank you for welcoming me to the forum and yes it was a Typo. Thank you for pointing them out. I have corrected them.

 

[Johncoool]

I've had very good results over several years using AFWall+ (root required), Mobiwol (non-root), and NetGuard (non-root). None have them have stopped working when toggling WiFi and toggling mobile data on and off repeatedly.
If you're consistently finding all firewall apps to fail at some point, that's an indicator there's some kind of configuration issue when setting initially setting them up.

I don't see how it can be configuration since they are configured the same on my other newer devices and it is working as required.
Please confirm the following.

Did you use it on the old Android 4.4.2?

If so then are you sure that it is working normally?

Did you test them to be sure that they are working all the time?

 

[GameTheory]

Does anyone have a solution or know of an app that works well.

Before replying to this, make sure that you do full testing.

Does anyone have a solution or know of an app that works well.

Before replying to this, make sure that you do full testing.

You should try to lower your expectations considering there's only about 6% of devices in the market running android 4.4. It'll be a challenge to find someone with 4.4 that can do full testing as you requested.

Many app developers have stop supporting such old android versions which google has also encouraged.

Most apps are using new APIs that just don't work well, if at all, on old android versions.

You might just have to sit tight and wait possibly days in hopes that someone with android 4.4 sees this and might be willing to do testing to help you.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Thank you for welcoming me to the forum and yes it was a Typo. Thank you for pointing them out. I have corrected them.

You're welcome, on both counts!

As @GameTheory and I have pointed out, you're dealing with a very old Android version and, as he said, your only hope is that someone who's still using it stumbles upon this thread. Realistically? I wouldn't suggest holding your breath.

May I ask why you're still using such an old device? Do you rely on it, or is it just for fun as I do with my previous phone?

 

[Johncoool]

Some of the firewall apps that I tested came out in 2014 and did not get updated because they did not need to be updated since they work well., and that was 1 year before I bought this phone and yet they did not work either.

I bought this device as an extra device to use it when I travel since it is cheap at 95% at that time and won't worry much about it if it got lost.

The reason that I am trying to get it to work is just part of my technical development skills. I used to be Microsoft service person and now I am learning about supporting Android for personal interest.

The phone is Huawei-Y5 and I tried several times to upgrade the ROM to anything newer but I did not know that phones are locked and different attempts ruined the recovery mode because I did not realize that phones are locked and that I needed to request for a password from the company to unlock it.

So I am back to trying to get the firewall app to work on this version.

I am also trying to learn how to use ADB commands to give apps permissions without rooting for different reasons.

 

[svim]

I don't see how it can be configuration since they are configured the same on my other newer devices and it is working as required.
Please confirm the following.

Did you use it on the old Android 4.4.2?

If so then are you sure that it is working normally?

Did you test them to be sure that they are working all the time?

Yes, been using a firewall app since 2012 and still use a semi-retired phone at home running KitKat that's used just as a WiFi-only media player. If you just install a firewall app using its defaults and don't bother to go through the app's settings it's not going to be very effective. Also, if you're referring to the NoRoot Firewall app (Greyshirts), than yes, that's an outdated app that shouldn't be in the Play Store -- it's sadly still recommended even now in a lot of articles, a disservice to any who use it. It has not been updated since 2014 and the fact that it doesn't support IPv8 or LTE (as stated in its profile page) reflects its age. That's why I previously mentioned AFWall+, Mobiwol, and NetGuard, all apps that are still actively supported.
With root devices, a root firewall app can use iptables, the firewall service that's already integrated into the Linux kernel. So an app like AFWall+ is more of a GUI front-end to iptables. Non-root firewall apps don't have access to the iptables as it is a system-level service. They instead have to use a clever workaround and use a local VPN (local being the VPN service running solely on your device, it does not rely on any online server). So a non-root firewall app works by having all traffic go through filtering rules applied to internal VPN. The end result is more or less the same, but there is a drawback where with a non-root firewall app. If you also have a VPN app (the more common VPN that you create an account with and relies on online servers) installed that creates a conflict -- you can't have both VPN services enabled at the same time. It's one or the other, essentially you need to focus more on protecting your device (use a non-root firewall app) or protecting what you do online using your device (use a valid VPN service).

If you want to check your firewall app is working, it's not going to be easy to use any local, internal app/service to confirm/deny. Use something like Wireshark installed on a computer on the same LAN you're connecting your mobile device with. It's very highly rated as a network analyzer available for free.
https://www.wireshark.org/
https://www.howtogeek.com/104278/how-to-use-wireshark-to-capture-filter-and-inspect-packets/
Note this only applies to your LAN and having your phone connected to it. Not aware of anything similar (an external utility) to check on mobile data (cellular) connectivity.

 

[Johncoool]

Yes, been using a firewall app since 2012 and still use a semi-retired phone at home running KitKat that's used just as a WiFi-only media player. If you just install a firewall app using its defaults and don't bother to go through the app's settings it's not going to be very effective. Also, if you're referring to the NoRoot Firewall app (Greyshirts), than yes, that's an outdated app that shouldn't be in the Play Store -- it's sadly still recommended even now in a lot of articles, a disservice to any who use it. It has not been updated since 2014 and the fact that it doesn't support IPv8 or LTE (as stated in its profile page) reflects its age. That's why I previously mentioned AFWall+, Mobiwol, and NetGuard, all apps that are still actively supported.
With root devices, a root firewall app can use iptables, the firewall service that's already integrated into the Linux kernel. So an app like AFWall+ is more of a GUI front-end to iptables. Non-root firewall apps don't have access to the iptables as it is a system-level service. They instead have to use a clever workaround and use a local VPN (local being the VPN service running solely on your device, it does not rely on any online server). So a non-root firewall app works by having all traffic go through filtering rules applied to internal VPN. The end result is more or less the same, but there is a drawback where with a non-root firewall app. If you also have a VPN app (the more common VPN that you create an account with and relies on online servers) installed that creates a conflict -- you can't have both VPN services enabled at the same time. It's one or the other, essentially you need to focus more on protecting your device (use a non-root firewall app) or protecting what you do online using your device (use a valid VPN service).

If you want to check your firewall app is working, it's not going to be easy to use any local, internal app/service to confirm/deny. Use something like Wireshark installed on a computer on the same LAN you're connecting your mobile device with. It's very highly rated as a network analyzer available for free.
https://www.wireshark.org/
https://www.howtogeek.com/104278/how-to-use-wireshark-to-capture-filter-and-inspect-packets/
Note this only applies to your LAN and having your phone connected to it. Not aware of anything similar (an external utility) to check on mobile data (cellular) connectivity.

Well thanks for the detailed information.

I new most of it. So I re-tested the No-root Firewall by Grey Shirts and could not find any settings to change. I am only using it on Wi-Fi. I tried adding and removing filters but that is not the issue with it.

When I toggle Wi-Fi, the VPN connection stays on but the traffic does not seem to go through the app anymore. The access log does not continue updating, it just stops as if it can't see the traffic anymore.

It seems that there is some service that needs activation...

Not sure why it works on your system and it is the same.

 

[svim]

... So I re-tested the No-root Firewall by Grey Shirts and could not find any settings to change. I am only using it on Wi-Fi. I tried adding and removing filters but that is not the issue with it.

Can't suggest strongly enough not to use outdated apps, especially when it involves a networking utility exposed to today's Internet.

 

[svim]

You initially referred to trying root and non-root firewall apps. Is this 4.4.2 device rooted or not rooted? Also, what model is it?

 

[Johncoool]

It is a Huawei-Y560-U02 Android 4.4.2.

I use that same app on other devices and it works well.

The device is rooted.

I tried several non-rooted before I rooted it and several rooted firewall apps and non of them worked for more than a short while.

It is not the app. It is some other problem.

 

[mikedt]

make sure that you do full testing.

I think that could be a problem. I do have access to an Android 4.4.2 device, but it's in the form of an electronic classroom white-board, that isn't online, and it can't install apps. Everything else I've got that's running Android, is either Android 8 or 9.

I'm sure most AF regulars tend to like the latest in Android devices, namely shiny new things.

 

[svim]

It is a Huawei-Y560-U02 Android 4.4.2.

I use that same app on other devices and it works well.

The device is rooted.

I tried several non-rooted before I rooted it and several rooted firewall apps and non of them worked for more than a short while.

It is not the app. It is some other problem.

I'd recommend AFWall+, it's quite stable and integrates smoothly with iptables, but not knowing just which apps you've tried nor how you set them up it's hard to be more definitive about why none of the apps you did try have failed worked out.

 

[MoodyBlues]

They would work for a short while and then stop doing their job. They would stop working immediately if the WIFI is toggled.

It is not the app. It is some other problem.

Is there any pattern to them not working? Anything, any commonality you can think of? X number of days. Y amount of WiFi traffic. Z number of devices connected. Anything?

Transient problems are the hardest to diagnose. Any tidbit of possible contributing info may help.

 

[svim]

https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_y560-7829.php
https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model-weight/bfed3788
Another issue that's probably a limiting factor is this phone only has 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. Because system resources in general are a significant restriction to begin with, it's not surprising that once you add in too many third-party services running the background that things aren't stable.
Also, this phone apparently was released running Android 5.x, if yours is running 4.2.2 and rooted did you flash it with a third-party ROM? If so, ignore everything I posted. Custom ROMs are a different matter.

 

[Johncoool]

I wish it came with Android 5.1, I did see that is what is on most websites about this model, but this one came with 4.4.2. I did try to flash a newer one as mentioned above but all did is cause problems because I did not know it was locked.

I will gather more info and test the AFwall+ and update here later on.

 

[Johncoool]

Here is the update!

The Afwall+ is not compatible on this device. It did not show up in the app store and when I downloaded from another device and sent it to this one, it did not accept to install it.

All firewalls would stop as soon as I would just toggle the WIFI.

After I turn it back on, the data traffic would no longer go through the app. It would seem to bypass it somehow.

 

[Johncoool]

It is time to close this thread.

I searched some more of other Versions of AFwall+. The last time I tried AFWall it was not compatible with the latest version and the older versions kept on giving me Parse error. I added the link below which has all the versions for AFwall.

https://www.apk4fun.com/history/3509/

AFWall+ controls WIFI and Cellular connections as well as LAN.

The device needs to be rooted for it to work. The easiest way to root a device is to use KingRoot while being connected to the internet. It roots the device without using a PC. I do not recommend rooting a device that is still under warranty.

Kingroot can be downloaded from:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/one-click-root-tool-android-2-x-5-0-t3107461

AFwall only does not work for a few moments during device start up. But after about a min it will engaged again.

I would like to thank Svim for his recommendations on this firewall.

 

[Johncoool]

There were still problems with the firewall, it worked much better than other firewall apps but it would sometimes stop working completely.

So I decided to attempt to change the Rom.

I will open a new thread on the site in order to get that done.

 

[Johncoool]

I found a newer custom ROM. CM11. I found 3 versions of that for my device and all were flashed normally. One of them is the same as my device which is Android 4.4.2 and the firewall did not work well on it either. It was the same as on the stock ROM. Nothing newer is available for this device.

The others were 4.4.4 and the firewall worked perfectly on it. I used the latest compatible AFWall+ on it which is 2.9.9 .

In conclusion. Firewall apps do not seem to operate well on Android that is older than 4.4.4 .

This thread is closed.