What should I do when the Windows Firewall service fails to start or stops unexpectedly? This might happen because some other application has changed the settings. The solution involves changing the firewall settings back to default or resetting the firewall entirely.
If the service does not run properly, then you may get a System error code 6801, as shown below. As such, the process of troubleshooting the problem becomes relevant.
What to do?
1. First, you should try to reset the Windows Firewall service. To do this, you need to restart your computer and press F8 key before the Windows operating system boots up completely. You will then need to go to Safe Mode with the Networking option.
2. The next step is to change the firewall settings back to default. To do this, open the Control Panel -> System and Security -> Windows Firewall. Here, click on Advanced Settings. Under the General tab, click on the Restore Defaults button and then click Apply button.
3. If you still cannot resolve the problem, then try resetting the firewall entirely by following these steps:
a) Go to Start Menu -> Control Panel -> System and Security -> Administrative Tools -> Services. Here, look for Windows Firewall service and double-click on it to open its properties window.
b) Now, under Startup Type, select Disabled from the drop down menu and then click Stop button followed by OK button, as shown below:
c) Restart your computer and check if the issue is resolved. If not, then proceed with step
d) To reset firewall entirely, open Command Prompt (Admin). To do this go to Start Menu -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Right-click on Command Prompt (Admin), as shown below: e) Now type following commands in Command Prompt (Admin): netsh advfirewall reset netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state on netsh advfirewall set allprofiles enable netsh advfirewall set allnets enable f) Close Command Prompt (Admin) and reboot your computer one more time and check if the problem is resolved now?
What is a Windows firewall service?
The Windows Firewall service is the software that controls the operating system’s firewall. It allows or blocks incoming and outgoing network traffic. It also monitors the connection between the computer and the Internet. The Windows Firewall service is disabled by default, but it can be easily enabled by the user through the Control Panel.
The Windows Firewall service first appeared in Windows XP Service Pack 2 and was succeeded by a newer firewall in Windows Vista. However, both firewalls act similarly.
Blocks unwanted programs
In addition to blocking malicious network packets, the Windows Firewall service can block unwanted programs from accepting incoming network connections. This feature is called “AUP filtering.” AUP filtering prevents programs from communicating with certain hosts. Such as peer-to-peer file-sharing software, and instant messaging software.
Moreover, other programs that make outgoing connections to other computers without your knowledge or consent. AUP filtering is turned on by default in all versions of Windows after XP, including Windows 7 and Windows 8. However, you can turn it off if you want to allow a program to make outgoing connections to other computers without your knowledge or consent.