Configuring the Smoothwall Filter and Firewall to Allow Access to Zoom

To allow Zoom, you need to create an Allow policy for its category and exclude it from HTTPS inspection. 

Zoom is used by Smoothwall support staff to help customers. However, it's commonly blocked by customer's configuration as part of the "Instant Messaging VoIP and Web Conferencing" category. 

To allow the "Zoom" category, but keep "Instant Messaging VoIP and Web Conferencing" blocked, you need to create an Allow policy and position it above the policy which blocks "Instant Messaging VoIP and Web Conferencing".

Procedure

  1. Create an allow web filter policy with the following configuration, see our help topic, Creating web filter policies:
    • Who: "Everyone, or the relevant user or groups to apply this policy to."
    • What: "Zoom"
    • Where: "Everywhere, or the relevant location to apply this policy to."
    • When: "Always, or the relevant time slot to apply this policy to."
    • Action: "Allow"
  2. Make sure the policy is above the "Instant Messaging VoIP and Web Conferencing" block policy in the Web filter policies table, see our help topic, Managing web filter policies.
  3. On the GUARDIAN menu, under the HTTPS inspection submenu, click Manage policies, and then click Create a new policy.
  4. Create a do not inspect HTTPS inspection policy with the following configuration, see our help topic, Creating HTTPS inspection policies:
    • Who: "Everyone, or the relevant user or groups to apply this policy to."
    • What: "Zoom"
    • Where: "Everywhere, or the relevant location to apply this policy to."
    • When: "Always, or the relevant time slot to apply this policy to."
    • Action: "Do not inspect"
  5. Move the policy to the top of the HTTPS inspection policies table, see our help topic, Managing HTTPS inspection policies.

You should now be able to access Zoom.us.