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If you are using Windows and have not installed a "complete" security suite for the operating system, you are likely using Windows Firewall to protect the operating system.
While there are standalone firewall applications as well, or hardware firewalls, it is likely that most users make use of the built-in firewall of the operating system.
Configuration of the firewall is not as straightforward as it can be, considering that you first need to find out how to open it, and then work your way through the menus that it makes available.
The guide that you are reading looks at one advanced configuration option: how to block IP ranges in the Windows Firewall. This is a list of IP addresses that you combine in a single expression, for instance 206.111.0.0 - 206.111.0.16 which covers all IP addresses in that range. Note: the screenshot below shows a different rule.
How to load the firewall controls
The easiest way to load the firewall controls is the following:
Block IP ranges
Note: The following guide uses the built-in firewall of Windows 7. If you are using a different Windows operating system, the way may be different.
Edit or Remove the rule
You can edit or remove the rule at any time. To edit it, double-click on it in the firewall controls and use the tabs to make modifications to the rule set.
To delete it, simply select it and hit the delete key on your keyboard afterwards. All you need to do then is confirm the prompt and the rule gets removed from the system again.
Ghacks is a technology news blog that was founded in 2005 by Martin Brinkmann. It has since then become one of the most popular tech news sites on the Internet with five authors and regular contributions from freelance writers.
Windows Firewall functionality is great, at least starting with Vista that included outbound filtering, but unfortunately the interface is not so great. Here’s a tip for a future review:
Windows Firewall Control – http://www.binisoft.org/wfc.php
It only uses the Windows Firewall functionality, but with a new and much better interface so you won’t have to go into the complicated “Windows Firewall with Advanced Security” interface.
It adds everything you could ever want with Windows Firewall that Microsoft didn’t build into it. For example having easy control also over all outbound connections (which is disabled by default in Windows Firewall so it allows everything!!).
How I discovered this was I wanted to enable outbound filtering but soon realized it’s almost impossible to achieve with the default interface, so I started searching info about it and found this amazing app.
Seriously?
Since when does 206.111.0.0/16 mean:
206.111.0.0 through 206.111.0.0 inclusive?
Windows Firewall is a great utility, and they have resisted the calls to include pointless outbound filtering (if something is calling out you’re already scuppered), and is really easy to use, but if you don’t get subet masks, then its not going to go well!.
You are right, I did not make that clear enough. Windows Firewall handles subnets correctly, my description needed more explaining.
I know this is an old article, but I know who you are “Alan”. You’ve been pestering the alt.comp.freeware newsgroup with your poor logic about outbound blocking for years. What part of a Trojan calling out for more malware or other such hijinks to jump onboard don’t you understand? You are acting like a fool if you honestly believe that anybody believes you and your nonsense. And now, even the company you work for, Microsoft, disagrees with you and grudgingly includes outbound blocking in their firewall.
This was 2014… how do we do it NOW, in 2017???? (“Scope” is no longer an option: Rule Type, Program, Action, Profile, and Name. Nowhere do I see a place that I can add an IP or a URL to block…. It seems all this POS firewall is good for NOW is to block INSTALLED PROGRAMS from running–which I can do by manually uninstalling–making this the most useless POS I have ever seen.)
On my Win10Pro, if I choose ‘custom’, I can add a scope.
in your exemple I will prefer 206.111.0.0 trought 206.111.255.255
but in the fire wall of windows either this system don’t work you have to use certainly
https://www.commentcamarche.net/faq/18728-configuration-du-pare-feu-avance-de-securite-de-windows-7 sorry but it’s in French let me know on my e-mail
chris.
Best regards and Many thanks for your help