Windows Firewall Configuration for Dermi Atlas Professional

Automatic Rules

Each time Atlas starts (during installation, restore, and update, and with Start or Restart on the Atlas Control card), Dermi Atlas Manager replaces its Windows Defender Firewall rules with one inbound TCP rule per Atlas port. The rules are named with the prefix DERMI_ATLAS_ and apply to the Domain and Private network profiles, so Atlas stays closed to other devices on public networks the computer joins. Rules created by earlier versions of Atlas Manager also apply to the Public profile; they, and any manual changes to the rules, are replaced at the next start with administrator rights.

Creating the rules needs administrator rights, which Atlas Manager does not request on its own. When the DERMI_ATLAS_ rules are not in place after a start, the Atlas Access card on the Atlas Status page reads Firewall rules missing. The card reports on the most recent start of Atlas and is checked again when Atlas Manager opens. Uninstalling Atlas from an Atlas Manager running as administrator removes the rules.

Creating the Rules as Administrator

1. Close Dermi Atlas Manager.
2. In the Start menu, right-click Dermi Atlas Manager and select Run as administrator, then select Yes on the User Account Control prompt.
3. Install Atlas, or on the Atlas Status page select Restart on the Atlas Control card.
4. Check the rules as described below.

The rules stay in place when Atlas Manager is later opened normally. Repeat these steps whenever the Atlas Access card shows different port numbers.

Checking the Rules

1. Run wf.msc to open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.
2. Select Inbound Rules and sort by Name.
3. Confirm that five entries beginning with DERMI_ATLAS_ show Enabled, action Allow, and protocol TCP.

The same check from PowerShell:

Get-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "DERMI_ATLAS_*" |
    Select-Object DisplayName, Enabled, Direction, Action |
    Format-Table -AutoSize

The rules do not appear in the Allow an app through firewall list.

Network Profile and Docker Desktop

Set the practice network to the Private network profile in the Windows network settings of the host computer. When every network the computer is connected to is set to Public, the Atlas Access card reads Public network profile after Atlas starts. If Windows asks whether Docker Desktop may communicate on networks, allow it on private networks. A Block rule for Docker Desktop, or a rule of other security software, can still stop connections while the DERMI_ATLAS_ rules are in place.

Adding Rules Manually

When a Group Policy or a restricted account prevents the automatic rules, add them manually with the port numbers shown on Atlas Access and the same Domain and Private profiles. The Atlas Access card still reads Firewall rules missing with manual rules in place, since it reports on the automatic rules only.

1. In Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security, select Inbound Rules => New Rule.
2. Select Port, then TCP, and enter the ports, for example 15015, 15045, 15815, 15845, 15000.
3. Select Allow the connection.
4. Select the Domain and Private profiles, and clear Public.
5. Name the rule, for example Dermi Atlas Professional, and select Finish.

The same rule from a PowerShell window opened as administrator:

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Dermi Atlas Professional" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 15015,15045,15815,15845,15000 -Action Allow -Profile Domain,Private

Manual rules are not removed when Atlas is uninstalled; delete them in wf.msc when they are no longer needed.