在撰写有关Wireshark 网络(Wireshark network)分析器的文章时，我提到它是最好的免费网络监控工具之一，可供管理员检查连接到网络的每个设备的详细信息。但是，Wireshark的界面对于普通用户来说过于复杂，而且由于数据量大，经常会混淆这些用户。另一方面， Glasswire(Glasswire)是一个简单的网络监控(network monitoring)工具，内置防火墙，用于允许/拒绝对应用程序的Internet 访问(Internet access)。阅读Glasswire的这篇评论，了解更多关于另一个免费防火墙和网络监控软件(firewall and network monitoring software)的信息。
Glasswire 网络监控工具
Glasswire安装干净，不用担心安装第三方程序。安装后，您可以选择在单击完成之前运行Glasswire，或者您可以稍后使用桌面图标(desktop icon)、开始菜单条目(Start Menu entry)运行它，或者如果您选择将其固定到任务栏(Taskbar)，您可以从那里启动程序。
加载应用程序后，您会看到一个窗口，其中提供有关正在下载和上传的数据量的基本信息，以及图标、窗口选项卡和菜单选项卡(menu tab)形式的一些其他选项。主窗口的主要焦点是一个图表，显示下载/上传的数据与时间流逝(time lapse)的关系。也就是说，图表的 X 轴是经过的时间，Y 轴(Y-axis)是上传和下载的数据量。这是主窗口的外观。
主窗口的左上角有一个菜单选项卡，其中包含贪睡、设置、(menu tab)隐身(Incognito)等选项。成功安装Glasswire后，(Glasswire)通知栏中(notification bar)还会放置一个系统托盘图标。右键单击系统托盘图标也可以通过单击Glasswire 窗口(Glasswire window)上的菜单选项卡(menu tab)为您提供相同的选项集。
通知托盘图标(notification tray icon)的另一个功能是它会在新应用程序尝试连接到Internet或对(Internet)HOSTS 文件(HOSTS file)进行更改时为您提供信息。上面提到的贪睡选项(Snooze option)会暂时关闭系统托盘通知。
界面(Interface)简单且不言自明。如果您在理解界面时仍然遇到问题，您可以随时从左上角的菜单栏中访问“(menu bar)帮助”选项(Help option)。
Glasswire – 图形窗口
这是运行程序时默认打开的主窗口。您还可以使用左上角菜单选项卡中的(menu tab)“设置”(Settings)选项或右键单击系统托盘图标，将程序设置为在启动时最小化运行。在后一种情况下，您在启动时启动程序，右键单击通知托盘(notification tray)以查看窗口。
为所有应用程序设置了数据传输 (Y) 与时间 (X) 图表的默认模式。(default mode)默认视图(default view)不会像Wireshark那样向您显示协议。单击Glasswire图表上的任意位置，在图表正下方的栏中显示在给定时间有多少应用程序正在使用网络。它就像 app1 + 2more，后跟应用程序连接的服务器IP 地址。(IP address)单击像 1more 这样的项目将显示更多正在使用网络的项目。同样(Likewise)，单击IP 地址(IP address)可能会弹出一个下拉列表，显示网络正在使用的所有服务器IP 地址。(IP address)
除了默认模式(default mode)之外，还有应用模式(Apps Mode)和流量(Traffic)（协议）模式(Mode)。当您选择应用程序视图(Apps view)时，窗口分为两列。左列列出了正在使用的应用程序，右列显示与您通过单击突出显示的应用程序相关的数据。同样，Traffic view/mode将向您显示协议列表，当您单击协议时，窗口的右列将显示上传数据量和下载数据量以及与该协议相关的 IP 地址。只需点击(Just click)在右侧图表的任何一点上，您都会知道哪些应用程序正在使用该协议以及它们正在使用哪些 IP 地址。应用程序的图标进一步明确了哪个应用程序正在使用哪个 IP。
Glasswire 防火墙视图
您可能需要管理员权限才能在此处进行更改。您可以阻止任何应用程序访问Internet。您可以查看所有应用程序使用互联网(Internet)的内容、上传和下载速度(upload and download speeds)以及它们使用的服务器 IP 地址。尽可能以(Wherever)URL格式显示服务器 IP 地址，以便您识别服务器。在某些情况下，它们将是您可以复制到浏览器并查看它们的位置的数字。
Glasswire 中的警报和使用视图
警报是系统托盘(system tray)中不时弹出的通知。如果您已经离开计算机一段时间了，您可以在Alerts view/tab中看到警报/通知。阅读警报选项卡(Alerts tab)上的通知后，您可以单击标记(Mark)为已读(Read)。系统托盘(system tray)和警报选项卡(Alert tab)中都会显示一个数字，让您知道有多少通知尚未查看。当您单击全部标记(Mark All)为已读(Read)时，该数字将被清除。基本上(Basically)，这些警报是关于访问互联网的应用程序。(Internet)第一次以及对您计算机上的HOSTS文件所做的更改。(HOSTS)
使用情况视图(Usage view)非常拥挤，因为它显示了有关使用您网络的所有应用程序的几乎所有数据。它在左列中显示图形表示：总数据传输、数据流出和数据下载等。右列显示应用程序、它们使用的协议以及它们使用的主机 IP 地址。
结论
Glasswire Firewall提供直观的用户界面(user interface)，易于使用，并提供充足的数据来监控您的网络和使用网络的应用程序(network and apps)。它有强大的文档支持，可以完成所有“不理解”的内容。高级用户和新手都可以毫无问题地使用它。
您可以在此处下载 Glasswire(download Glasswire here)。GlassWire的免费版本包括其极端的网络监控功能(network monitoring functionality)，您可以在其中详细查看您的实时和过去的网络活动(network activity)。您还可以设置数据警报(Data Alerts)以保持在数据限制范围内，并使用VirusTotal扫描与网络相关的应用程序。GlassWire的免费版本还允许您远程监控一台 PC。GlassWire免费版没有防火墙功能，而且我们的任何安全功能都没有被GlassWire免费版激活。
Glasswire Firewall and Network Monitoring Tool review
When writing about the Wireshark network analyzer, I mentioned that it was among the best free network monitoring tool available for administrators to check the details of every device connected to the network. However, the interface of Wireshark is too complex for an average user, and as the amount of data is high, it might often confuse such users. Glasswire, on the other hand, is a simple tool for network monitoring with a firewall built-in for allowing/denying Internet access to apps. Read on this review of Glasswire to know more about another free firewall and network monitoring software.
Glasswire Network Monitoring Tool
The installation of Glasswire is clean, and there is no fear of third-party programs being installed. After installation, you can choose to run Glasswire before you click Finish or you can run it later using the desktop icon, Start Menu entry, or if you opted to pin it to the Taskbar, you could start the program from there.
When the application is loaded, you get a window that provides you with basic information on how much data is being downloaded and uploaded along with some other options in the form of icons, window tabs, and a menu tab. The main focus of the main window is a graph that shows you data downloaded/uploaded vs. time lapse. That is, the X-axis of the graph is time as it passes by and the Y-axis is the amount of data being uploaded and downloaded. Here is how the main window looks like.
The main window has a menu tab on the top-left corner that has options such as snooze, settings, Incognito, etc. A system tray icon is also placed in the notification bar after the successful installation of Glasswire. Right-clicking the system tray icon also gives you the same set of options by clicking the menu tab on the Glasswire window.
Another feature of the notification tray icon is that it provides you with information as and when a new app tries to connect to the Internet or when changes are made to the HOSTS file. The Snooze option mentioned above turns off the system tray notifications for a while.
The Interface is simple and self-explanatory. If you still face problems understanding the interface, you can always access the Help option from the top-left menu bar.
Glasswire – The Graph Window
This is the main window that opens by default whenever you run the program. You can also set the program to run minimized upon boot using the Settings option in the top-left menu tab or by right-clicking the system tray icon. In the latter case where you start a program on boot, right-click on the notification tray to see the window.
The default mode of data travel (Y) vs. time (X) graph is set for all apps. The default view won’t show you protocols as in Wireshark. Clicking anywhere on the graph in Glasswire shows how many apps were using the network at the given time, in the bar just below the graph. It would be like app1 + 2more, followed by server IP addresses the apps are connected to. Clicking on items like 1more will show you more items that are using the network. Likewise, clicking on the IP address may bring up a drop-down list showing what all server IP addresses are in use by the network.
Other than the default mode, there is an Apps Mode and a Traffic (protocols) Mode. When you select the Apps view, the window is divided into two columns. The left column lists apps in use, and the right column shows you data relevant to the app you highlight by clicking on it. Similarly, the Traffic view/mode will show you a list of protocols, and when you click on a protocol, the right column of the window will show you the amount of uploaded data and downloaded data plus IP addresses related to that protocol. Just click on any point of the graph on the right side, and you will know which apps are using the protocol and what IP addresses are being used by them. The icons of apps make it further clear that which app is using which IP.
Glasswire Firewall View
You may need admin privileges to make changes here. You can block any app from accessing the Internet. You can view what all apps are using the Internet, the upload and download speeds as well as the server IP addresses they are using. Wherever possible, the server IP addresses are presented in URL format so that you can identify the servers. In some cases, they will be numbers that you can copy to the browser and see where they lead.
Alerts and Usage View in Glasswire
Alerts are the notifications that pop up in the system tray from time to time. If you have been away from your computer for a while, you can see the alerts/notifications in the Alerts view/tab. You can click on Mark as Read after reading the notifications on the Alerts tab. A number is displayed both in the system tray and the Alert tab to let you know how many notifications you have not viewed. When you click on Mark All As Read, the number is cleared. Basically, these alerts are about apps accessing the Internet for the first time as well as changes made to the HOSTS files on your computer.
The Usage view is a big congested as it shows almost all data about all the apps that are using your network. It shows graphical representations in the left column: total data traveling, data going out and data downloading, etc. The right column shows you apps, the protocols they are using and hosts IP addresses they are using.
Conclusion
Glasswire Firewall offers an intuitive user interface that is easy to use and provides ample data to monitor your network and apps using the network. It is backed up by strong documentation which completes whatever is left “not understood”. Both advanced users and novices can use it without any problems.
You can download Glasswire here. The free version of GlassWire includes its extreme network monitoring functionality where you can see your live and past network activity in detail. You can also set Data Alerts to stay under your data limits, and scan your network-related apps with VirusTotal. GlassWire’s free version also allows you to monitor one PC remotely. The free version of GlassWire has no firewall functionality, and none of our security features are activated with the free version of GlassWire.
