Recently, my husband had trouble installing a wireless router and enlisted
the help of D-Link, the manufacturer. The staff instructed him to disable the
Microsoft firewall. Now the warning about the computer being at risk is
constantly showing. My husband told me not to worry because the router is
acting as the firewall now. Is he correct to assume that? If not, what should
we do?
Your husband is half right. The router is, in fact, acting as a firewall.
But, technically, only half a firewall.
But not to worry. I run with only half a firewall myself.
And I get no warnings.
Let’s look at how.
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A router acts as a firewall to the extent that it prevents certain types of
external access attempts from reaching your machines. Many consider that to be
“half” a firewall, because many software firewalls also block internal attempts
to access things on the internet. For example, with a router acting as your
firewall a virus on someone else’s machine out on the internet cannot access
your machines directly – but a virus on your machine could reach out
and contact machines out on the internet.
The trick, of course, to remaining safe in this situation is to be smart
about the other ways that you can get infected – don’t open attachments you
don’t trust, don’t visit websites you don’t trust, don’t allow untrusted
activex controls, and of course run regular anti-spyware and anti-virus scans
and so on.
It’s what I do. I don’t run a software firewall – I rely solely on my
router, and on my own “good behavior”.
situation is to be smart about the other ways that you can get
infected…”
Now, about that annoying warning.
The Windows firewall is on by default. In fact, after Windows XP service
pack 2, the firewall became downright annoying in an attempt to encourage
people to do something to stay safe. If you do, or know, nothing else,
Windows wants you to turn on the firewall just to stop the annoying
message.
The other approach is to tell Windows “I know what I’m doing.”
In Control Panel, double click on Security
Center. You should see a dialog box including something like this:
Click on the Recommendations… button for this dialog:
Don’t turn the firewall on, but instead check the box labeled “I
have a firewall solution I’ll monitor myself.“
Once you hit “OK” the Firewall status in the Security Center will change to
“Not Monitored”:
That’s the setting that, essentially, tells Windows “Stop bugging me, I know
what I’m doing.”
Why don’t you mention ZoneAlarm? I’ve been using it for years and am very satisfied.
Hi Leo!
You have been very helpful to me as far as my job is concerned.I am into technical support department for DELL laptops,the kind of information that I get from u makes my job very easy.The only think I need to do is just to check my email and I find the answers for my queries from you.
Thaks LEO U been a wonderful buddy.
May U live long.
Thanks,
yawer
Hello Leo
I`m having problem loging in to my msn hotmail web page! can you please help me
Thnk u
Leo,
You are “God Sent”, thank you sooo much for all of your help !!
my firewall is on “not monitored” and cannot get it to to “on” status. it’s either on “off” or “not monitored”, what can I do
Hi, Leo
I am trying to publish my website but after publishing I get errors:”’ Some of the images could not be send to the server
I contacted 1&1 and Netobjects Fusion and they told me that the problem may be in my firewall.
Can I turn it off?
I do not have such a thing ”Security Center”” in the ”Control Panel”
I do not know what to do?
Please help
thank you
leo the windows firewall is not turning off.What do i do?
Your description of disabling Windows firewall warning was exceptionally well written-not only was it precisely correct, but you did it with zero technobabel, and the additional information you provided was both concise and useful!!!
hey leo i need to know how to turn my firewall off not on. if you can help me i will appericate it.
thanks, cody
My firewall is on, but windows thinks it is off. Can you suggest why.
hello Mr.leo,
i have done the firewall to not monitored status for a connection what is its mean firewall is turned off for that connection or still on. please tell.
Hello Leo!
Very nice explanation, did help me with Virus Warning, but my Firewall option doesnt have “Recommendations” button. What shall i do to disable windows firewall completely?
Thx in forward.
Hi I need to turn off my firewall on a Windows ME older computer. I cannot find security center anywhere? I need to install a Buffalo wireless adapter but it remains disabled and I do not know what to do?? Please help?
Best regards
Susie
16-Mar-2009
I have done everything what it says, with the recomendations. But i still cannot get onto Windows Messenger 2009. It keeps saying “We were unable to sign you into .NET Messenger Service, possibly because of a problem with this service or with your Internet Connection. Please make sure you are connected to the internet.” But my internet connection is fine. Is it the firewall that is blocking it? I have been trying different things all day, and i cannot seem to be able to sign in please help!
I do not have a security center in my control panel what do i do now?
i get into control panel dob.click on sec.cntr.but i get a box that has nothing to do with firewall so unable to click on to recommendations. the box has areas in alphabetical order but nothing close to Firewall now what else can i do there should be some standards set up that need to give the consumer the option as to except or decline a product
http://computers-technology.helium.com/how-to/9190-how-to-enable-or-disable-the-
The link above will show you step by step how to turn off or on your Windows Firewall.
How do I turn on the Windows Firewall/ICS if I when I attempt to turn in on, I get this message:
“Windows cannot start the Firewall/ICS”.
I was attempting this from Network Connections, properties, advanced tabs.
Her husband is not “half right” as you put it – how patronising. He is 99.9% right because the half the of firewall you refer to is to stop outgoing traffic. Stopping outgoing traffic does not increase security because if you have a malicous program sending outgoing traffic, it is already too late – you are infected. It is also not a useful method of detection either as that is what your anti-virus/spyware program is for.
27-Dec-2011