Q: I have a firewall exception configured. Why is traffic configured in the Allow exception still not passing through the firewall?

A: Check your other firewall rules for block rules. Block rules override Allow rules, so if you have another rule configured that includes blocking the type of traffic you have specified in the Allow rule, then the Allow won't have any effect.

Another possibility is your firewall is in Block all connections, which would override any rules. Start the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security administrative program and select Windows Firewall Properties. Make sure the profile that’s active for Inbound connections shows Block (default) instead of Block all connections. Finally, make sure you have enabled the firewall exception for the profile that’s actually in use, such as Domain, Private, or Public (see Figure 1 below).


firewallblock_0