Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems come with a firewall that helps protect your computer from possible hacker or malware attacks. There are a number of third-party software that includes the use of firewalls, which can be installed on your computer to add additional protection. However, in some cases, you may need to temporarily disable your computer's firewall, if so, continue reading the tutorial to learn more.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Windows XP
Step 1. Select the 'Run' item from the 'Start' menu
Step 2. Type the command 'firewall.cpl' into the 'Open' field and press the 'OK' button
Step 3. Select the 'General' tab, then select 'Disabled (not recommended)' and press the 'OK' button
Method 2 of 5: Windows Vista
Step 1. Go to the 'Start' menu and choose the 'Control Panel' item
Select 'Security', then 'Windows Firewall'.
Step 2. Choose the 'Activate / deactivate Windows Firewall' item
If prompted, enter the computer administrator password.
Step 3. Select 'Disabled (not recommended)'
Then press the 'OK' button.
Method 3 of 5: Windows 7
Step 1. Go to the 'Start' menu and choose the 'Control Panel' item
Step 2. In the search box, type the word 'firewall' (without quotes) and press the 'Enter' key
At the end of the search, select the item 'Windows Firewall'.
Step 3. Choose the 'Activate / deactivate Windows Firewall' item
Select the 'Disabled (not recommended)' radio button, either in the 'Private Network Settings' tab or in the 'Public Network Settings' tab. When finished, press the 'OK' button.
Method 4 of 5: Mac OS X
Step 1. Select 'System Preferences' from the 'Apple' menu
Step 2. Select the 'Security and privacy' tab and then choose the 'Firewall' item
Step 3. If available press the 'Disable firewall' button
If the 'Start' button appears, your firewall is already disabled.
Method 5 of 5: Third Party Firewall
Step 1. Look at the taskbar in the lower right corner of the screen to find the icon for the firewall you are using
(Some anti-virus software also has a firewall. To disable it, you will need to go to the program settings interface).
Step 2. Enter the program and look for the settings menu
To disable the firewall, select the relative item or the relative button. If available, select the main menu or the options menu. Look for the network related settings to disable the firewall and select them.
Step 3. If you are unable to disable the program's firewall, go to the software's online help menu and search for instructions for disabling the firewall
Advice
- Disable the system firewall only if you are doing some particular operation that it might interfere with, such as hosting an FTP server or sharing files with a second computer. At the end of the work remember to reactivate the firewall so that your computer is protected.
- If while using the computer you do not need to be connected to the internet, disconnect from the network. This is the only way to be 100% protected from outside attacks while your firewall is disabled.
- If you disable the firewall regularly, use an anti-virus program to scan your computer at least once a week. Without a firewall in place, your computer is at risk of being infected with a virus, so use anti-virus software frequently to remove any threats that may have infiltrated your device.
