How to Unblock a Windows Firewall

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Learn how to unblock a Windows Firewall.
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Unblocking a Windows firewall prevents certain websites from not showing properly. Having an active firewall prevents harmful or unwanted viruses from penetrating a computer system. However, there are times when the firewall is not needed.

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Step 1

Remove a firewall block by clicking "Start" on the computer and navigate to the "Control Panel." Click on "Windows Firewall" to open the settings window. Locate the tabs at the top of the window labeled "General," "Exceptions" and "Advanced." Click on the "General" tab and select the radio button labeled "On (recommended." This ensures the firewall remains active and prevents unwanted programs from accessing or communicating with the computer. Remove the check from the box located below this setting labeled "Don't allow exceptions." Removing the check allows the user to remove the firewall for certain programs and applications allowing them to successfully communicate with the computer.

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Step 2

Locate the tabs at the top of the firewall settings window and click the "Exceptions" tab. This tab allows the user to select certain programs and applications to either always block or always allow communication access with the computer. Locate the "Programs and Services" window in the middle of the screen. Place a check in the box beside any application or program allowed to access the computer and avoid the firewall block. Leave blank any boxes next to the program that is not allowed to access the computer, therefore being susceptible to the firewall block.

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Step 3

Remove the firewall block from additional programs not listed under the "Program and Services" section by clicking on the "Add Program" button located on the bottom of the "Exceptions" tab window. Locate the desired program by scrolling through the list of programs on the computer in the new window. Click on the program and select "OK" to remove the firewall block from this program.

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Step 4

Unblock specific network connection settings by clicking on the "Advanced" tab at the top of the firewall settings window. Locate the "Network Connections Settings" section. Unblock the firewall by removing the check from the box located next to the network type.

Step 5

Unblock all firewall settings by clicking on the "General" tab at the top of the firewall settings window. Select the radio button labeled "Off (not recommended)." This option is highly not recommended because it essentially invites viruses to attack the computer system. This setting makes the computer extremely vulnerable to all viruses and hackers on the Internet.

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