What is the Firewall Service name? This question has come up several times over the years. The answer is simple. When you install Windows 7 or 8, you get two services running automatically.
One is called the firewall service and the other is called the Network Access Protection (NAP) service. To have more information, let us tackle it below.
Introducing About Firewall Service Name
The default name of the firewall service is “Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)”. You may not see this name in the list of services because it is installed automatically and its startup type is set to Automatic.
However, if you go to Control Panel>System and Security>Windows Firewall then you will see it there.
Introducing About Network Access Protection (NAP) Service Name
The default name of the Network Access Protection (NAP) service is “Network Access Protection Agent”. So this service also gets installed automatically by Windows 7 or 8 but its startup type is set to Manual.
When you go to Control Panel>System and Security>Windows Firewall, you will not find this service listed there. However, if you go to Control Panel>System and Security>Administrative Tool.
So you will find it there in the list of services.
How Important Is The Firewall Service Name?
Depending on your Windows edition and if you have already installed the service or not. There will be a difference in the firewall service name.
If you have any external firewall or third-party firewall installed. Then you will find it as the “Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)” service in the list of services.
As far as Windows 7 and 8 are concerned, this is the default name for the firewall service. If you do not have any firewall installed then this is also the default name for the firewall service.
However, if you want to uninstall Windows Firewall and install an external firewall. Then you can change this name to whatever you like.
But do remember that whatever name you assign to this service has to be unique. If it is not unique, then Windows will refuse to start it on reboot.
So we suggest that you should use a unique name that you like to call it and use it as your default name. You can check what name is assigned to this service by looking at:
- Control Panel
- System and Security
- Windows Firewall or Control Panel
- System and Security
- Administrative Tool
As far as we know, there is no way of changing this name at present. So when you uninstall Windows Firewall, this service’s default startup type will be Automatic again.
However, if you want to uninstall Windows Firewall and install an external firewall the same as a step of checking your name assigned.
After you go to the administrative tool, Click on “Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)” in the list of services. So that it becomes highlighted.
Now click on “Stop” from the Action Menu or click on “Disabled” from the Startup Type drop-down list box under the Service Status section.
Conclusion:
So that’s it. You have now successfully changed the name of the firewall service in Windows 7 and 8.