5 Things To Do If Your Windows Firewall Is Blocking the Internet

Not being able to access the internet is scary, after all, most of our day-to-day tasks depend on it. The outage could arise because of several reasons, but, for some users the reason is strange – their Windows Firewall was blocking the internet. If that’s you, this post will help you fix the issue.

What’s The Problem All About?

Many users who have faced this issue reportedly received errors like these –

Contact your network administrator the Windows Defender Firewall rule HSS DNS leak is blocking your internet connection

Failure: unable to access network data. this may be due to the Windows Defender Firewall blocking act

Before we discuss the various ways in which you can fix the issue, we urge you to first check the authenticity of the website. It could be that the website you are trying to visit is malicious and your Windows Security is stopping you from accessing it. A third-party Antivirus program can help you in this regard. Later in the blog, we also discussed one such tool that protects your PC on a real-time basis. If you are sure that the website or even your internet connection is safe, here are some steps that you can undertake if Windows Firewall is blocking your internet connection.

Best Ways To Fix Firewall Blocking Internet Access

1. Check For Poor Network Connection

It is likely that your Windows Defender Firewall isn’t blocking your internet instead the reception from your ISP’s side is bad in your area. First, and foremost, head to your System’s Tray and see if you are connected to your Wi-Fi. You will see Connected, secured if you are. Then here’s how you can ascertain the speed of your internet connection. Also, you can ask your other friends and colleagues using the same connection as yours if they are also facing any internet issues or not.

2. Uncheck HSS DNS Leak Rule’s Permission

As the heading goes, many users have reportedly been able to fix the issue by unchecking the private and public checkboxes in HSS DNS. The steps for the same are mentioned below –

1. In the Windows search bar type Control and click on Open from the right-hand side to open the Control Panel.
2. Click on View by dropdown and select Large icons.
3. Click on Windows Defender Firewall.

4. Click on Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
5. Click on Change settings.
6. Uncheck the Private and Public checkboxes for the HSS DNS leak
7. Click on OK

3. Restart Your Router

If Windows Firewall is blocking your internet, you can also try restarting your modem or router. To do that, first, turn off your router and detach the power cable. Wait for some time and then again connect the cable and turn on the router. Restarting the router is known to resolve many other Wi-Fi-related issues as well.

4. Reset Windows Firewall To Default

Up until now if you are unable to fix the issue, then resetting Windows Firewall to default settings may do the trick.

1. Open Control Panel and head to Windows Defender Firewall as shown above.
2. From the left-hand pane click on Restore Defaults

3. In the next Window, click on Restore Default and then, click on Yes

5. Turn Off Windows Defender

Last but not the least, turning off Windows Defender is another workaround that can help you connect back to the internet. But, keep in mind, by doing this, you might expose your PC to danger. We urge you to keep a second line of defense i.e. another Antivirus ready. So that, while you fix the issue, your second line of defense will ward off any incoming malicious threats.

T9 Antivirus, for instance, is regarded as one of the best Antivirus programs for Windows.

Here are some of the notable features of T9 Antivirus –

• Real-time and on-demand protection.
• Exploit protection against zero-day vulnerabilities.
• Comprehensive scanning modes – Quick, Deep, and Custom
• Web and Firewall protection.
• Malware definitions are updated frequently so that you are protected against even the latest malware.

We have discussed the features of T9 Antivirus in greater detail in this review and we have also talked about how you can use it for your PC’s maximum safety.

Wrapping Up

We hope Windows Firewall is not blocking your internet. If you have been able to fix the issue, do let us know which of the above steps worked out for you. Also, if you are looking for an alternative Antivirus that can help keep your PC protected all the time, T9 Antivirus is a great option. For more such technical content, keep reading WeTheGeek. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Flipboard, Instagram, and Twitter.