Windows Firewall can protect Home PC’s and can give a free security solution in small companies with few users if they don’t have the budget for more advance security solutions.
Windows Defender Firewall it’s not very complicated , and you don’t need to be an IT to change settings or at least to turn off the Windows Firewall or turn on.
Because all the users can manage many setting in Windows Firewall, today I would like to explain some basic settings that can use to avoid problems or resolve issues that you have it from the past.
How to allow an application through the Windows Defender Firewall
If you have turn on the Windows Defender Firewall , you have problems many times when Windows Firewall blocks many applications.
In order to allow an application through the Windows Firewall you can do it as follow:
#1 From the Windows App
- Click Start and Settings.
- Click Update & Security.
- From the left menu select Windows Security.
- Click Firewall & network protection.
- Scroll down and select All an app through Firewall.
#2 From the Control Panel
- Click ,Start and type Control Panel.
- Select the Control Panel.
- If you have View by: Category
- Click System and Security
- From Windows Defender Firewall click Allow an app through Windows Firewall
- If you have View by: Small or Large icons
- Click Windows Defender Firewall.
Now you have opened the Window to Allow apps , select the application from the list and check the Profile that you would like to allow.
- If you can’t find the application from the list you can click on Allow another app.
- Click Browse and find the appropriate path of the application.
- When you will find the folder of the application select the file that use it from the application ( usually is an .exe file) and click Open.
- For the purposes of article I use the notepad.exe as the application.
- But in your case you must identify the right path of your application.
Usually if you right click in the icon of the application ,select properties you can find the path in the Start In.
- Click Add.
- Check the Profile you want to allow the application.
How to block an application through the Firewall
You have turn on the Windows Defender Firewall, but you decided you need to block a certain application because you are not sure if it’s safe or for a testing purposes.
You can use one of the following ways to open the the list with the applications
#1 From the Windows App
- Click Start and Settings
- Click Update & Security
- From the left menu select Windows Security
- Click Firewall & network protection
- Scroll down and select Allow an app through Firewall
#2 From the Control Panel
- Click Start and type Control Panel.
- Select the Control Panel.
- If you have View by: Category click on System and Security
- From the Windows Defender Firewall click Allow an app through Windows Firewall
- If you have View by: Small or Large icons
- Click Windows Defender Firewall.
Find the application from the list you want to block and deselect it.
That’s it!!!
How to allow a specific port through the Windows Defender Firewall
For advanced users may need to open a specific port instead of an application.
To open a port in the Windows Defender Firewall, you can do it with the following steps
- Click Start and type Control Panel.
- Select the Control Panel.
- If you have View by: Category
- Click System and Security
- Click Windows Defender Firewall
- If you have View by: Small or Large icons
- Click Windows Defender Firewall
- From the left side select Advanced Settings
- Right click on Inbound Rules and select New Rule
- Select Port and click Next.
- Type the number of the port that you want to open and click Next.
- Leave the option Allow the connection and click Next.
- Leave selected all the Profiles or uncheck the Profile that you don’t want the Rule to apply yo .
- Type the Name of the Rule. Give a name to describe the Rule. So if check your Firewall Rules in the future to remember what you have allowed in that rule.
- Click Finish
How to allow a Port or App to specific IP Address through the Windows Defender Firewall
For advanced users may need to open a specific port or allow an application only to certain IP Address instead of an application.
To open a port in the Windows Defender Firewall you can do it with the following steps
- Click Start and type Control Panel.
- Select the Control Panel.
- If you have View by: Category
- Click on System and Security
- Click Windows Defender Firewall
- If you have View by: Small or Large icons
- Click in the Windows Defender Firewall
- From the left side select Advanced Settings.
- Right click on Inbound Rules and select New Rule
- Select the Custom and click Next
- If you want to allow an application select This Program Path:
- Click Browse and find the application that you would like to allow.
- If you want to allow a specific port, leave the option All programs and click Next.
- Click on Protocol Type and select TCP or UDP( If you can find the protocol that you want to allow in the predefine Protocol list select it.)
- In the Remote Port select Specific Ports and type the Port number. Click Next.
- Leave the option Allow the connection and click Next.
- Leave all the Profiles selected or uncheck the Profile that you don’t want the Rule to apply to.
- Type the Name of the Rule. Give a name to describe the Rule. So if check the Firewall Rules in the future to remember what you have allow in the specific rule.
- Click Finish
How to turn on or turn off Windows Defender Firewall notifications
#1 From the Windows App
- Click Start and Settings
- Click Update & Security
- From the left menu select Windows Security.
- Click Firewall & network protection.
- Scroll down and select Firewall notification settings.
- Click Manage Notifications.
- Scroll down and check the Firewall & network protection notification if it’s on or off.
#2 From the Control Panel
- Click Start and type Control Panel.
- Select the Control Panel.
- If you have View by: Category
- Click System and Security
- From the Windows Defender Firewall click Allow an app through Windows Firewall
- If you have View by: Small or Large icons
- Click Windows Defender Firewall.
- From the left side click Advance Settings.
- Click Windows Defender Firewall Properties.
- Decide which Profile you want to enable the notifications. Select the Tab with the appropriate Profile.
- In the Settings click Customize.
- In the Display Notifications select Yes or No.
- Click OK and OK
How to Restore Default Windows Defender Firewall Settings
#1 From the Windows App
- Click Start and Settings.
- Click Update & Security.
- From the left menu select Windows Security.
- Click Firewall & network protection.
- Scroll down and select Restore Firewall to defaults.
- Click Restore Defaults.
- Read that all the custom settings will be deleted. If you agree click Yes.
#2 From the Control Panel
- Click .Start and type Control Panel.
- Select the Control Panel.
- If you have View by: Category
- Click System and Security.
- Click Windows Defender Firewall.
- If you have View by: Small or Large icons
- Click Windows Defender Firewall.
- From the left side click Restore Defaults.
- Click Restore Defaults.
- Read the Warning carefully which explains that all the custom settings will be deleted. If you agree click Yes.
You can do lot of basic settings in Windows Defender Firewall that are very simple and it’s not needed to be an IT.
Settings that can protect you from various attacks or malware traffic and might solved problems you are having and you didn’t know how to fix it.
Do you have questions or you can’t understand how to do a small change in the Windows Firewall.
Send me an email in info@onlinesecurityworld.com.
