Help: Enable or disable the File and Printer Sharing exception

  • Article

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

To enable or disable the File and Printer Sharing exception

  1. Open Windows Firewall.

  2. Click the Exceptions tab.

    To enable the File and Printer Sharing exception, in Programs and Services, select the File and Printer Sharing check box, and click OK.

    To disable the File and Printer Sharing exception, in Programs and Services, clear the File and Printer Sharing check box, and click OK.

Notes

  • To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. If the computer is joined to a domain, members of the Domain Admins group might be able to perform this procedure.

  • To start Windows Firewall, click Start, point to Control Panel, and then click Windows Firewall.

  • You can also use the netsh command with the firewall context to perform this procedure and configure other Windows Firewall settings.

  • You can also use Group Policy settings to perform this procedure and configure other Windows Firewall settings.

  • You can configure Windows Firewall settings in the standard profile or the domain profile. The domain profile is used when a computer is connected to a network in which the computer's domain account resides. The standard profile is used when a computer is connected to a network in which the computer's domain account does not reside, such as a public network or the Internet. Make sure Windows Firewall is using the correct profile when you perform this procedure.

  • If a Windows Firewall setting appears dimmed in the graphical user interface, and on the General tab, you see For your security, some settings are controlled by Group Policy, the setting might be managed by Group Policy. If all Windows Firewall settings appear dimmed, and on the General tab, you see You must be a computer administrator to change these settings, you do not have administrative rights to configure Windows Firewall.

  • On Windows Server 2003, Windows Firewall is turned off by default and the Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing service is disabled by default. You might have to start the Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing service if you try to perform this procedure and you have never started Windows Firewall.

  • Windows Firewall is not included in the original release of the Windows Server 2003 operating systems.

  • The File and Printer Sharing exception allows unsolicited incoming traffic through TCP ports 139 and 445, and UDP ports 137 and 138.

  • Enabling the File and Printer Sharing exception allows incoming Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo traffic, which enables computers to ping your computer. To block incoming ICMP echo traffic, you must edit the File and Printer Sharing exception so that TCP port 445 is disabled.

  • Editing or disabling the File and Printer Sharing exception can prevent other computers from accessing your shared folders, files, and printers. Be sure to test for the impact these changes might have on file and printer sharing functionality.

  • You should configure scope options for any exceptions that you enable.

  • Enabling the File and Printer Sharing exception will allow other computers to reach your computer with the ping command.

See Also

Concepts

Help: Understanding Windows Firewall exceptions
Help: Administering Windows Firewall with Netsh
Help: Administering Windows Firewall with Group Policy
Help: Determine which profile Windows Firewall is using
Help: Understanding Windows Firewall scope options