Windows Firewall is a powerful security service incorporated in Windows operating system. It is created to discover and stop threats from entering the system. It guards all ports of the system and stops running applications from sending out information to any port out in other networks. The Windows Firewall is a basic protection software required in every Windows computer. Windows is making further efforts to make the software smarter and more intuitive.
Windows Firewall is guided by set of firewall policies that helps it to keep your system away from threats. But during the process, there are some common issues that you would have certainly faced if you are using Windows PC for a long time. Well, here in this article, we are trying to bring out the 3 most common issues you can face while dealing with Windows Firewall and how you can overcome the situation.
Here Goes The List:-
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Windows Firewall Blocks A Software
A major issue while using Windows Firewall is that it sometimes blocks programs that you may need to improve your system’s performance.
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Windows Firewall blocks traffic and hence blocks updates and notifications related to the software. Therefore, it is necessary to unblock the software and here’s how you can do it:-
- Click Start and type “Windows Firewall”.
- Select “Allow An App or Feature..” in the left top side of the screen.
- Click on “Change Settings” button.
- Select “Allow Another App” button.
- Click Browse and select the app you want to allow on your PC. Click ‘Add’ and then press ‘OK’ button.
This way, you can allow incoming and outgoing traffic to an application on your computer.
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Another Firewall Application Installed
Windows Firewall adds a strong layer of security to your computer by implementing different components to shield your computer from various cyber threats.
Now, when you use an additional firewall, you can face several issues like unexpected shutdown of the applications or blockage of traffic. Hence it’s not advisable to use an additional non-Windows firewall when your system is already protected by Windows Firewall.
Using an additional firewall can cause clashes between the two software, thus it’s advisable to turn off Windows Firewall if you wish to continue using the non-Windows firewall. Follow these steps to turn off Windows Firewall:-
- Click Start and type “Control Panel”
- Select ‘System & Security’ and click ‘Windows Defender Firewall’
- Click ‘Turn Windows Defender Firewall On or Off’
- Select ‘Turn Off Windows Defender Firewall’ on all network settings. Click ‘OK’.
Hence, you have turned OFF your Windows Firewall. If you want to resume your Windows Firewall, uninstall the non-Windows firewall first. Here’s how you can uninstall it.
- Click ‘Start’ and type ‘Add or remove programs’.
- Type the name of the program in the search list box
- Select the application and click ‘Uninstall’.
- Follow the uninstallation wizard of the particular program and you can easily uninstall the program.
After uninstalling the program, you can follow the same procedure which you followed to ‘Turn Off’ the Windows Firewall. Then simply select ‘Turn On Windows’ Firewall.
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Don’t Know If Your Firewall Is Enabled
There may be circumstances like delayed unloading of program or uncertain program crash where you may don’t know if your Windows Firewall is working or not. Under such circumstances, you can check Windows Firewall status by following these steps:-
- Click ‘Start’ and type ‘Security Center’
- Open “Windows Security Center” from the search results
- You will see the green tick on ‘Firewall & Network Protection’ if your firewall is turned on. You can double click the ‘Firewall & Network Protection’ option to get into the details.
- If Windows Firewall is turned off, you will see a ‘red’ cross on the ‘Firewall & Network Protection’ and a ‘Turn On’ button to turn on Windows Firewall.
The Windows community is improving its Firewall in every consequent built. However, you don’t need an additional firewall software if you have Windows Firewall protecting your system. It’s important to secure your PC from harmful incoming traffic from the Internet, hence we recommend you to always turn on Windows Firewall.