For this example, assume that we have decided that our rule blocking appleinsider.com was too broad. We want to block the site only during business hours. Furthermore, we want to allow access to the site during the lunch hour (noon to 1 PM).

This can be achieved by altering the rule we created in the previous section, and by using scheduling. Navigate to Firewall | Schedules and click on the Add button. Enter a Name (for example, WORK_HOURS) and a Description. For Date, we are concerned with workdays, so select the Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, and Fri columns. For Time, enter 9 for Start Hrs, 0 for Start Mins, 12 for Stop Hrs, and 0 for Stop Hrs. You can enter a brief Description for this time range if you wish. Then click on the Add Time button.

Now we need to define a second time range for the afternoon hours. The calendar will be cleared, so you will have to click on the weekday columns again. For Time, enter 13 for Start Hrs, 0 for Start Mins, 17 for Stop Hrs. and 0 for Stop Hrs. You can enter a brief Description if you wish. Then click on the Add Time button again. Our schedule entry is now defined, so click on the Save button.

We have defined a schedule entry, but it will have no effect until a rule uses it. So navigate to Firewall | Rules and click on the tab for the interface onto which the rule blocking appleinsider.com was added. Find the rule in the table and click on the rule's edit icon.

On the rule's Edit page, scroll down to the Extra Options section and click on the Display Advanced button. Additional options should appear on the page. Scroll down to the Schedule drop-down box and select the newly-created scheduling entry (the name of the entry should appear in the drop-down box). Once you have done this, click on the Save button and, when the page reloads, click on Apply Changes.

Now, the rule will only apply to business hours, with the exception of the lunch hour. As with the rules that were created in the previous sections, you may want to test the rule to make sure the scheduling is having the intended effect.