Solved Why Is Win 11 Firewall so Hopeless?

This problem has annoyed me for some time, and to date I have not found a solution.

I have a few applications that I don't want to access the Internet, because they have a habit of causing trouble when they do.

Let talk about one - ICUE. This is a piece of software I use, but I like to control it's access to the Internet so it doesn't do something when I am not ready for it!!!!

It doesn't matter what I do in the firewall settings, I can not stop it accessing the Internet. This is not a mistake in the settings, rather it is just somehow managing to bypass the settings. I assume it is a DLL or something that I am unaware of that is causing the problem.

At some point, I did manage to download a firewall manager, I can't remember what it is called, but that worked just great, in that it had an option to enforce the firewall strictly, and not allow anything unless specifically allowed in the firewall rules. Problem is that it caused a nightmare with other Windows processes like printing and so on, which just completely stopped and I was left with no clue as to what to enable.

Does anyone know of an app or something to make this task easier? I mean, honestly, at the moment there seems little point in even having a firewall if stuff can just do what the heck it wants regardless.

You can stop ICUE updates in ICUE settings, what is it you think it does outside of update?
I know that doesn’t quell your apparent disliking of Windows 11 firewall but non the less.

Windows Firewall Control

Hello!
ICUE was just an example, I really don't want to turn this in to a discussion about the apps.

@Pocah

I've used Bitdefender Internet Security (paid), since the Windows 7 days.
It's firewall has a "block all" setting, which I have enabled.

Every time a program tries to access the internet, the firewall tells me. Then I can make a rule for it.
Even after I make the rule, each item has it's own toggle, which I can use to temporarily allow internet access.

For one PC for one year... it costs between $25 and $30.

It has 13 modules... I only use three of them. the AV, the firewall and threat defense.







I've been using Bitdefender since 2013.




There are other 3rd party (firewall only) (free), programs. I've never used either, but they keep popping up when I search for firewalls, or search for the top ten firewalls, etc.
Like Tinywall and Simplewall

Pocah said:

Hello!
ICUE was just an example, I really don't want to turn this in to a discussion about the apps.

Click to expand...

I respond to what I read but sure, I get it. Anyway the link I posted, it’s the only Windows Firewall extended settings app I know, there may be others, Pocah?

One can block anything or any app in The Hosts File. Windows firewall is hard to use but it does work.

Confused, iCUE or iQue.

Berton said:

Confused, iCUE or iQue.

View attachment 94330

Click to expand...

I think she mean ICUE!

Berton said:

Confused, iCUE or iQue.

View attachment 94330

Click to expand...

My mistake, not sure why I spelled ICUE like that, I’ve been using it for years

I use Malwarebytes Firewall Control set to flag up any attempts for anything trying to connect.

Thank you, everyone, I am going to experiment with some of the suggested apps.

OneClickFirewall works in Win11,







I find windows firewall also works quite well,

Rollback_Jockey said:

I use Malwarebytes Firewall Control set to flag up any attempts for anything trying to connect.

Click to expand...

me too, it's not so bad for free, with tiny and simple i can't compare.

As someone mentioned above, probably the easiest way to do it is by adding the destination it reaches out to, to a host file adding 0.0.0.0 and that's it. You should be able to determine this with a firewall.