Windows7 Firewall
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With Windows 7's Firewall, there are some more and different ways
you can configure applications and ports for allowing or blocking
access |
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1. | Click on the Control Panel / Windows
Firewall icon |
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2. | This will bring up the following window |
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3. | On configuration you can make here is to
turn the firewall on or off. To do that, of the left side, click on
Turn Windows Firewall on or off. My recommendation is to
leave it on but wanted you to be aware that this can be changed. |
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4. | More commonly you will want to configure
the firewall to allow Programs or Ports access. To do that, click on
Advanced settings on the left side. This will bring up the
following window |
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5. | On the left side is where you can select
whether you will be creating an Inbound or Outbound Rule. The middle
is typically where you can see the current firewall settings and
rules. The right side is typically less used from this main screen |
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6. | In the following example, you will see
how to all Inbound and Outbound ports for a common program,
Quickbooks |
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7. | From the Advanced Security section, on
the left side, click on Inbound Rules. This will bring up the
following window. |
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8. | From here you can view all the current
rules, change and create new ones |
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9. | On the right side, click on New
Rule. This will bring up the following window. |
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10. | From here you can typically select to
allow a program or port. For QuickBooks, the example will be using
ports. So make sure Port is selected. |
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11. | The later versions of QuickBooks
requires the following TCP ports be open on the computer acting as
the server - 80, 8019, 56719, and 55333 through 55337. To do that,
you would enter in the following information |
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12, | Then you want to Allow that port
connection. |
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13. | You can typically leave the next
items checked |
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14. | Then just give the rule an
optional description |
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15. | For Quickbooks, you would do the
same for the Outbound rules section and the screens are pretty much
the same - Outboind rules / New Rule, enter the Program or Port(s), |
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16. | If it was a program you want to
allow or block, when you click on to create a New Rule |
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17. | Then browse to the location of
the program you want to allow or block |
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18. | Then browse to the location of
the program you want to allow or block |
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19. | Then check whether to Allow or Block
the connection |
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The preceding steps are the basics for allowing or blocking ports or
programs through the Windows Firewall |