How to Disable Windows Firewall

If you are running Windows Firewall and decide to switch to a hardware firewall, you will want to disable the Windows Firewall so the two don’t conflict. To disable the Windows Firewall, you follow unique steps for each version of Windows

Following these steps disables the Windows Firewall in Windows 7:

1. Open the Control Panel.

   
   



2. Choose System and Security and then choose Windows Firewall.

   
   



3. From the list of links on the left side of the window, choose Turn Windows Firewall On or Off.

   
   



4. Choose the option Turn Off Windows Firewall (Not Recommended).

   
   



5. Click the OK button.

   
   



6. Close the Windows Firewall window.

   
   

In Windows Vista, disable the firewall by heeding these directions:

1. Open the Control Panel.

   
   



2. Choose Security and then Windows Firewall.

   
   



3. Click the Change Settings link in the Windows Firewall window.

   
   



4. Type the administrator’s password or click the Continue button.

   
   



5. Choose Off in the Windows Firewall Settings dialog box.

   
   



6. Click OK.

   
   



7. Close the Windows Firewall window.

   
   

In Windows XP, follow these quick steps to disable the Windows Firewall:

1. Open the Control Panel’s Windows Firewall icon.

   
   



2. Choose Off in the Windows Firewall Settings dialog box.

   
   



3. Click OK.

   
   



4. Close the Windows Firewall window.

   
   

When you disable the Windows firewall, the Action Center or Windows Security Center screen reports that “something is wrong”. You may also find yourself bothered by its attempts to remedy the situation (such as with pop-up reminders from the notification area). That’s okay: If you have a hardware firewall, you don’t need to run the Windows Firewall, or any other software firewall, on top of it.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-disable-windows-firewall.html