Using a Iridium Satphone with Airmail for Sailmail or Winlink

When using a sat phone paired with a windows PC to check email and weather using Airmail you'll save lots of airtime/money/frustration if you create a simple set of windows firewall rules to block all programs except sailmail and winlink from accessing the internet connection created by the sat phone. This ensure the critical downloads have sole priority and no expensive air time minutes are wasted.

Firewall rules to implement when using a sat phone with Airmail for Sailmail and Winlink on a PC running Windows 8.1

Open 'Windows Firewall with Advance Security'

Click on 'Inbound rules' on right sidebar.
Click on the 'Action' then 'New Rule'
Tick the box for 'Port'
Click next
Tick the box for 'TCP'
Tick the box for 'Specific Local ports:'
Type or paste these port ranges in the box: 0-49, 51-6782, 6786-8771, 8773-9999
Click Next
Tick "Block the connection"
Click Next
Tick all boxes
Click next
Type name for rule: Sat phone rule to block all ports except those used by sailmail and winlink
Click finish

Click on 'Outbound rules' on right sidebar.
Click on the 'Action' then 'New Rule'
Tick the box for 'Port'
Click next
Tick the box for 'TCP'
Tick the box for 'Specific Local ports:'
Type or paste these port ranges in the box: 0-49, 51-6782, 6786-8771, 8773-9999
Click Next
Tick "Block the connection"
Click Next
Tick all boxes
Click next
Type name for rule: Sat phone rule to block all ports except those used by sailmail and winlink
Click finish

Ensure newly created rules are enabled.

Note: When using normal internet (i.e NOT using the sat phone). Disable the rules to allow normal connections to the internet.


Inbound / Outbound Rules dialog box will have the below settings:

Protocols and Ports
Protocol type: TCP
Protocol number:6
Local Port: All Ports

Remote Port: 0-49, 51-6782, 6786-8771, 8773-9999

That's it for now.

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