Firewall configuration tips for Windows 7 systems

Since the launch of the first firewall (Internet Connection Firewall) built into Windows XP, Microsoft has been steadily improving the firewall capabilities of its later systems. The Windows Firewall in the latest client operating system, Windows 7, has been revolutionized to provide more user-friendly features and a significant improvement in the firewall for mobile users. In this article, we'll cover Windows Firewall in Windows 7 and how to configure it with multiple firewall policies.

History of Windows Firewall

The firewall software in Windows XP provides only simple and basic functions, and only protects inbound traffic, blocking any inbound connections that are not natively started. By default, this firewall is turned off. The SP2 system is enabled by default, allowing system administrators to enable firewall software through Group Policy. Vista's firewall is built on the new Windows Filtering Platform (WFP), which adds the ability to filter outbound traffic through the Advanced Security MMC snap-in. In Windows 7, Microsoft has further tuned the firewall's capabilities to make the firewall more user-friendly, especially on mobile computers, and capable of supporting multiple firewall policies.

Windows 7 Firewall

In Vista, the basic settings of the Windows 7 firewall are set through the control panel program. Unlike Vista, you can also access advanced settings through the control panel (including Configure outbound connection filtering) without creating an empty MMC and adding a snap-in. Just click on the Advanced Settings link in the left panel, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: In Windows 7, you can enter advanced firewall settings through the control panel program