Vista Tutorial - Windows Firewall with Advanced Security

**Brink** · **STEP ONE:**

How to Use Windows Firewall With Advanced Security in Vista

Information

This console will allow you to fully set Windows Firewall Inbound, Outbound, and Connection Security rules. Plus, you have full Monitoring options. For more detailed information about how to use Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, see this also: Overview of Windows Firewall with Advanced Security

WARNING

This must be done in an administrator account, or right click on Windows Firewall with Advanced Security and click Run as administrator for it to work.

Tip

Using the free version of the 3rd party program Sphinx Vista Firewall Control can make using this easier.

RELATED LINKS:

STEP ONE:
Open Advanced Security Management Console

1. Open the Start Menu.
A) In the white line (Start Search) area, type wf.msc and press Enter.

B) Go to step 3.

OR

2. Open the Control Panel. (Classic View)
A) Click on the Aministrative Tools icon.

B) Click on Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.

3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.
CONSOLE :

STEP TWO:
Use Advanced Security Management Console

NOTE

For more detailed information about how to use Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, see this also: Overview of Windows Firewall with Advanced Security

1. Click on Help on the menu bar. (See screenshot above)

2. Click on Help Topics.
NOTE: The Help Topics are very detailed and will show you how to use the options.
HELP WINDOW:

That's it,
Shawn

**Viracocha711** · 03-04-2008

OK, I must be a dumb*** because even reading the help is not helping? You would think if MS wanted you to use their security they would have made it a little more user friendly?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

**Brink** · 03-04-2008

You might give try the free Comodo Firewall Pro instead. It will ask you to approve or block items from the firewall. It's easier to use IMO.

Comodo™ Free Firewall Software Download

Shawn

**eight0five** · 10-28-2008

can this be used to completely greyout the windows firewall options.? so no one can change them, if so how?

**Brink** · 10-28-2008

Sorry Eight0ffive, but this will not stop someone from changing the Windows Firewall settings. However, the user must be an administrator or have the adminstrator password to be able to make changes to the Windows Firewall settings.

**eight0five** · 10-28-2008

Do you know a way to completely greyout windows firewall options? like when i installed Windows Live OneCare it did it at first, but now its back to normal.

**Brink** · 10-28-2008

Windows Live OneCare installs it's own version of Windows Firewall, so that may be what you are seeing now since it will disable the default Windows Firewall when it is installed.

**eight0five** · 10-28-2008

yes it did disable it at first, but its not like that anymore, thats what im asking, is there anyway to completely disable it through the registry or some other way, ive tried reinstaling it, everything.

**Brink** · 10-28-2008

Stopping and disabling the Windows Firewall service should completely disable the Windows Firewall.

However, doing this will leave you without a firewall running including the one from Windows Live OneCare. Unless you are going to install another firewall program, I would not recommend doing this. It would not be a good ideal to run your computer without a firewall running.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

**Raphs** · 11-07-2008

Is there a way to let windows firewall tell me whenever ANY program (even ones like system.exe) tries to connect to the internet ?And then let me choose whether to block it or not? I want to be able to monitor exactly which components are able to access the internet, for me ,this is a big cash saving as i rely on expensive dialup internet. I used to be able to do this with Norton's firewal, but i've since switched to McAffee(for personal reasons). With it i had the option of letting a program connect once,or permanently.

03-04-2008
Viracocha711 Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Vista Ultimate x64 9 posts	Re: Windows Firewall with Advanced Security OK, I must be a dumb*** because even reading the help is not helping? You would think if MS wanted you to use their security they would have made it a little more user friendly? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
My System Specs

03-04-2008
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,815 posts	Re: Windows Firewall with Advanced Security You might give try the free Comodo Firewall Pro instead. It will ask you to approve or block items from the firewall. It's easier to use IMO. Comodo™ Free Firewall Software Download Shawn
My System Specs

10-28-2008
eight0five Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Vista Home Premium 32 bit 7 posts	Re: Windows Firewall with Advanced Security can this be used to completely greyout the windows firewall options.? so no one can change them, if so how?
My System Specs

10-28-2008
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,815 posts	Re: Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Sorry Eight0ffive, but this will not stop someone from changing the Windows Firewall settings. However, the user must be an administrator or have the adminstrator password to be able to make changes to the Windows Firewall settings.
My System Specs

10-28-2008
eight0five Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Vista Home Premium 32 bit 7 posts	Re: Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Do you know a way to completely greyout windows firewall options? like when i installed Windows Live OneCare it did it at first, but now its back to normal.
My System Specs

11-07-2008
Raphs shaRp Join Date: Dec 2007 Windows Vista Ultimate 32bit (x86) 10 posts	Re: Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Is there a way to let windows firewall tell me whenever ANY program (even ones like system.exe) tries to connect to the internet ?And then let me choose whether to block it or not? I want to be able to monitor exactly which components are able to access the internet, for me ,this is a big cash saving as i rely on expensive dialup internet. I used to be able to do this with Norton's firewal, but i've since switched to McAffee(for personal reasons). With it i had the option of letting a program connect once,or permanently.
My System Specs

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