Tuesday, April 12, 2011

How to determine if your Windows 7 Firewall is blocking your connection

If you are like me, you cannot turn off your Windows 7 Firewall for even a minute on your work computer. If you are lucky enough to have admin rights on your computer or you can add a rule to your firewall then you are in luck. It just so happens that you can add a rule that allows most anything to open a connection from your laptop to just about anywhere.

To add a rule, go to the Start Menu | Administrative Tools | Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. Right-click the Inbound Rules on the left navigation area and then select New Rule…

Next choose Custom rule. Click the next button.

Leave all programs setting. Click the next button.

Leave Protocol type to Any. Click the next button.

Leave IP addresses as Any. Click the next button.

Make sure Allow the Connection radio button is check. Click the next button.

Choose all three (Domain, Private, Public). Click the next button.

Give the rule something descriptive.

You have now opened up your computer for potential attack (at least from inbound). I highly recommend you not keep this rule enabled.

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