Windows firewall protects your computer from any kind of threats incoming or outgoing. All the Windows computers are equipped with a firewall installed on the system so that your computer remains safe. Any program that wants to connect to your computer’s network system has to be checked by the firewall. If the program was not enabled to pass, then the firewall will just block it. When you need to allow a program that was not enlisted on the firewall, you must open ports for that program and tell the firewall to allow it to pass through the network. I am going to provide a step-by-step scheme for you so that you can learn how to open firewall ports in Windows 10.
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How to Open Firewall Ports in Windows 10?
Although the article tells about opening ports in Windows 10, other versions of Windows users still can follow it because the process is pretty much the same. Let’s begin…
Step 1: Go to the Windows search bar, just beside the Windows logo on the left of the screen, and search for ‘windows defender firewall’. When you find it, you should click on the one with the Advanced Security option. This is how you can directly get access to the required page.
Step 2: Windows firewall page will appear right before you. Make sure that the firewall is on; it is by default only if you did not turn it off before. You have to create firewall rules for allowing the specific program to get access to your internet. Remember, you have to know the local ports and TCP/ IP number of the program to open ports.
Step 3: On the left side of the firewall screen, you will see ‘Inbound Rules’; click on it.
Step 4: On the right of your screen, another box will pop up where you should see the ‘New Rule’ option; hit it.
Step 5: Next, select ‘Port’ as we are here to open new ports. Then, hit the ‘Next button.
Step 6: Depending on the nature of the program, select the TCP or UDP option, it is totally up to you. Click on ‘Specific local ports and enter the required number. Check the local ports number of the program before entering here. This is how you provide the firewall with the required address of the inbound network so that firewall can allow the data flow during the next time.
If you want to enter multiple ports, then you have to separate them with a comma (,). Suppose two different port numbers are 80 and 443; input like this- 80, 443. On the other hand, if the local ports are too many, then you can provide a range with a ‘dash (-)’ denoting the range like this- 5000-5010. So, input the local ports and then tap on ‘Next to proceed further.
Step 7: Select ‘Allow the connection’ and then hit ‘Next’.
Step 8: Make sure that ‘Domain’, ‘Private’, and ‘Public’- all three are right checked. This will compel the firewall to apply the rule all the time and it does not matter what type of connection the computer is getting.
Step 9: Now, name the rule according to your choice. it is better to give a name that you can remember or is at least vocabulary associated with the program. You can write a short description although it is optional. When you are done, click on the ‘Finish’ button.
Step 10: You can see from the figure that the new rule was successfully created and it is listed on the inbound rules. The tik mark, just beside the rules, indicates that the firewall is allowing the data flow. You can enable it manually by right-clicking on the unchecked rules and then selecting ‘Enable’.
Similarly, you can create outbound rules which can be found right below the inbound rules option. Then, proceed similarly as you did for the creation of inbound rules. This way a new port is opened and from now on, the firewall will permit this port to get connected with your computer network.
Conclusion
Windows firewall always works with a set of rules provided to it so that it can block or allow certain network traffic. By opening a port with the creation of a rule will enable the blocked traffic to flow its data. Thus, your computer gets connected with that certain program over the internet.
