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
2. This will bring up the following window
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.
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
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
6. In the following example, you will see how to all Inbound and Outbound ports for a common program, Quickbooks
7. From the Advanced Security section, on the left side, click on Inbound Rules. This will bring up the following window.
8. From here you can view all the current rules, change and create new ones
9. On the right side, click on New Rule. This will bring up the following window.
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.
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
12, Then you want to Allow that port connection.
13. You can typically leave the next items checked
14. Then just give the rule an optional description
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),
16. If it was a program you want to allow or block, when you click on to create a New Rule
17. Then browse to the location of the program you want to allow or block
18. Then browse to the location of the program you want to allow or block
19. Then check whether to Allow or Block the connection
The preceding steps are the basics for allowing or blocking ports or programs through the Windows Firewall
