There are millions of people from around the world who use VPN for various purposes on the web. Some use it to bypass regional restrictions on the web. Others use it for online privacy and security. But if you’re unable to use a VPN on your Windows Operating System, then it might be because your Windows Firewall Ports are blocking it.
Windows Firewall VPN Problems
VPNs are the best tools to access any content on the web. For instance, hundreds of thousands of people use PureVPN every day to access Netflix US and other streaming channels from their locations.
Others use a VPN to keep their online activities private and secure. Premium VPN services, like PureVPN, offer end-to-end encryption to keep their users safe and anonymous on the web. Other security features, such as the Internet Kill Switch, and DDoS protection, offer even better security to users.
However, plenty of users face difficulties when they try to install or launch their VPN client app. They might have subscribed to the service but would be unable to use it for some reason. That reason revolves around the Windows firewall ports of your system. If you are facing a similar problem on your system, then you can quickly get around it by following the guide below.
How to Open Windows Firewall Ports?
If your VPN is blocked because of Windows firewall ports, then the following methods are sure to release you from this problem.
Method 1: Add an exclusion
Go to Settings
Go to Windows Defender Security Center
Open Virus & Threat protection settings
Click on Exclusions
Click on Add or remove exclusions
Click on Add an exclusion
Add your VPN client software
Note: VPN clients usually use 500 and 4500 UDP, and 1723 TCP ports. If this method doesn’t work, then open Windows Firewall Advanced settings and add a new rule from there.
Method 2: Change Allow app settings
Go to Control Panel
Open System and Security
Open Windows Defender Firewall
Now, click on Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall
Now click on Change Settings
Find your VPN in the list of programs and apps shown
Select the network type on which you want the VPN to run
If your VPN is not on the list, click on Allow another app
Select your VPN
Click on Add and then OK
Method 3: Change Adapter Settings
Go to Control Panel
Select Network & Internet
Go to Network and Sharing Center
Click on Change adapter settings
Click on File
Choose New incoming connection
Click on users you want to access your VPN connection
Checkmark Through the Internet
Click on Next
Now mark the internet protocols you want your VPN to connect to
Double click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4)
Open Control Panel again and go to Windows Firewall
Click on Advanced Settings
Click on Inbound Rules > Actions
Select New Rule
From the Wizard, select Port and click on Next.
You can select TCP and insert 1723 in Specific remote ports field
Click on Next
Choose Allow the connect and click on Next
Now select all options and apply the rule to all
Write a Name and Description
Click on Finish
As an expert in cybersecurity and network management with extensive experience in VPN configurations and Windows Firewall settings, I can provide comprehensive insights into the concepts mentioned in the article regarding Windows Firewall ports blocking VPN connections.
VPN (Virtual Private Network): It's a secure connection that encrypts data transmitted between a user's device and the internet, providing privacy and security. VPNs are commonly used for bypassing regional restrictions, enhancing privacy, and securing online activities.
Windows Firewall: It's a built-in security feature in Windows operating systems that monitors and regulates incoming and outgoing network traffic. It functions by applying rules to block or allow specific ports, applications, or services.
Windows Firewall Blocking VPN: Sometimes, Windows Firewall settings can inadvertently block VPN connections, causing issues in establishing or using the VPN service. This occurs when the firewall blocks the necessary ports or protocols utilized by the VPN.
Solving VPN Issues Caused by Windows Firewall:
The article suggests various methods to troubleshoot VPN connection problems arising from Windows Firewall configurations:
Method 1: Add an Exclusion
Access Windows Defender Security Center settings and add an exclusion for the VPN client software. Typically, VPNs use UDP ports 500 and 4500, along with TCP port 1723.
Method 2: Change Allow App Settings
Navigate to Windows Defender Firewall settings in Control Panel and modify settings to allow the VPN application through the firewall. Ensure the correct network type is selected.
Method 3: Change Adapter Settings
Alter network adapter settings to allow incoming connections for the VPN. This involves creating rules in the Windows Firewall Advanced Settings for inbound connections on specific ports (e.g., TCP 1723) and protocols (e.g., IPv4).
These methods aim to resolve VPN connectivity issues by either excluding the VPN from firewall restrictions, adjusting app permissions, or specifically permitting necessary ports and protocols for VPN operation.
By following these procedures, users can troubleshoot and rectify VPN connection problems caused by Windows Firewall settings, ensuring seamless and secure VPN usage on Windows operating systems.
If the firewall is off, every port is open and any application running on the computer can send and receive data through any port if it is designed to do so.
In the terminal, you can use the lsof command to list open files and ports. The command lsof -i :3000 will show all the processes associated with port 3000.
Go to Start and open Control Panel. Select System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall. Choose Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off. Select Turn on Windows Defender Firewall for domain, private, and public network settings.
To access the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security console, create or edit a group policy object (GPO) and expand the nodes Computer Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
For PC. To open a port (or set of ports) in your Windows firewall, you will want to open your control panel and go to your Windows Firewall settings tab inside your Security tab. Choose Advanced Settings. You will see the firewall window shows a list of rules in the left side.
Check the List. If the specific port is listed, the server is listening on that port. If it isn't, the port is not being used, indicating the application is either not running or not using that port.
On Windows: open the Command Prompt on your Windows machine > type telnet <IP address or domain name> 443 and press Enter. If the command returns “Connected to <IP address or domain name>”, then port 443 is open.
Perform the following steps to check whether the port is listened on:
Open the Command Prompt window.
Run the following command: netstat -ano | findstr :80. If TCP 0.0. 0.0:80 0.0. 0.0:0 LISTENING 4 is displayed, all traffic from port 80 is listened on. Otherwise, you must modify the listen address.
Introduction: My name is Patricia Veum II, I am a vast, combative, smiling, famous, inexpensive, zealous, sparkling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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