Windows Firewall Settings: Server Roles

Article
10/08/2009

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Windows Firewall is a stateful host firewall that blocks all unsolicited incoming TCP/IP traffic, including Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) and Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) traffic. If you enable Windows Firewall on a server and you install or configure a server role that listens for unsolicited incoming traffic, you must usually configure Windows Firewall settings so that the server role can receive unsolicited traffic. Although you can configure Windows Firewall settings manually, the recommended method is to use the Security Configuration Wizard (SCW).

To use a server role work with Windows Firewall, you usually need to add one or more programs or ports to the Windows Firewall exceptions list. When you add a program or port to the exceptions list, you instruct Windows Firewall to allow unsolicited incoming traffic to reach the specified program or pass through the specified port. In some cases, you might need to configure a registry setting or enable one of the preconfigured Windows Firewall exceptions, such as the File and Printer Sharing exception or the Remote Administration exception.

Warning

The Remote Administration exception allows traffic through numerous ports, which can make your computer more accessible to attack. Be sure to read the Windows Firewall documentation so that you understand the risks of using the Remote Administration exception. Incorrectly editing the registry can severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on the computer.

For more information about configuring Windows Firewall exceptions, see Managing Program, Port, and Service Exceptions (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=43261) and Help: Understanding Windows Firewall Exceptions (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=43260). For more information about SCW, see Security Configuration Wizard Overview on the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=43259).

Use the A-Z list to find out how to configure Windows Firewall for use with the following server roles.

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