you can do it in windows, without any 3rd part apps.

you must create rules for both in and out connections for every exe you dont want to send or receive in windows own firewall (advanced settings).

 

For your NON-PRODUCTION internet facing machines;

I've been using the same combination of firewall and A/V on win7 machines connected to the internet for close to 15 years. The firewall is Outpost Pro 9.1 - THE BEST firewall for windows OS's ever made. It is totally possible to shit-can windows 10 firewall and replace it with Outpost Pro 9.2. Just before agnitum went under they created a version that was win10 savvy - this is the 9.2 version. Don't even bother trying to install 9.1 Pro on a WIn 10 build. It's a no go. And yes, agnitum is long gone and Outpost Pro is an orphan I'm afraid, BUT it STILL doesn't prevent it from being the BEST option with which to replace the POS windows native firewall. Outpost Pro is THE ONLY windows os firewall that has really true REAL TIME network connection monitoring. A few other 3rd party attempts come close to this but NONE are of the quality of Outpost. For A/V symantec endpoint protection 14.3+ works for both windows 7 and Win10. Add the free version of Spybot and Spyware Blaster and you're set. Shit can all the rest of the ms junk because you don't need it anymore.

** FYI, this is NOT recommended for machines actively being used for media production.

 

good small free and open source firewall for you https://www.henrypp.org/product/simplewall
blocks windows phoning home and other microsoft rubbish
don't trust windoze firewall

 

Works very well and it is free!
https://www.binisoft.org/wfc

 

Yeah I also recommend this - I use it and like it a lot, makes working with the Windows firewall a lot easier

 

Agree

 

Native windows firewalls have sucked ever since their debut. There's one firewall for internet use that does NOT require a controller or digging thru half a ton of menus to get one filter made. In addition, it has REAL TIME connection monitoring for ALL configured networks as in - source IP/port, destination IP/port, incoming/outgoing, processes using connection, process ID, byte counts in/out etc, and many other attributes. You can actually see what is going on with your network connection(s) in REAL TIME - block connections, troubleshoot, etc... Agnitum Outpost Pro 9.1 for win7 and 9.2 pro for Win 10. Agnitum is gone but the firewall lives on.

 

Last edited: May 18, 2023