Windows – What Firewall Rule(s) Will Allow Windows Update and ONLY Windows Update To Work

windows 8.1windows firewallwindows update

What Firewall Rules Will Allow Windows Update and ONLY Windows Update to Work For Windows 8.1? If that is not possible please provide the minimum rules necessary and the names of the additional program(s)/service(s) that must be granted access.

Best Answer

I debugged this problem for hours. In the end, to get Windows Update through Windows firewall you must allow svchost. You cannot narrow the protocol, scope, application packages or services.

So I have 0 inbound firewall rules, and 3 outbound firewall rules two of which are active at any point in time. Those rules are:

  1. Allow svchost

  2. Block svchost

  3. WFC - Core Networking - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP-out)

AND Other applications that require internet (i.e., your web browser)

To connect to the internet, I must turn on 1 and 3. After I can turn off 1 and 3 and turn on 2. If my internet is on, and I want to use windows update, I then disable 2 and enable 1. That means after I have connected to the internet and don't plan on using windows update that the only weakness in my firewall is my browser assuming I haven't added any other exceptions.

Windows PowerUser,

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