The Windows Defender Firewall is a critical component of Windows security, controlling inbound and outbound network traffic to protect your system from unauthorized access and malicious activity. While often misunderstood, managing it effectively is essential for both security and application functionality.

This post clarifies the distinction between “Windows Firewall” and “Windows Defender Firewall,” and provides command-line and PowerShell methods to manage its state (on/off) and configure rules.

1. “Windows Firewall” vs “Windows Defender Firewall”

The naming of Windows’ built-in firewall can be a source of confusion, but the reality is simpler than it seems.

Name Reality
Windows Firewall Legacy name (used in Windows XP, Vista, 7)
Windows Defender Firewall Current name (used in Windows 10/11, Server 2016 and newer)
Difference? ✅ None – it’s primarily a rebrand. The underlying service and backend technology remain the same.

💡 Bottom line:

  • netsh advfirewall is the modern command-line interface for managing the firewall.
  • netsh firewall is deprecated (though it still works, it’s not recommended for new scripts).

2. Turn OFF Windows Defender Firewall (Command Line)

You can disable the firewall using either cmd.exe or PowerShell.

🧩 Method 1 – CMD (Works Everywhere)

This command disables the firewall for all network profiles (Domain, Private, Public).

netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off
  • ✅ One-liner
  • ✅ Immediate effect
  • ✅ No reboot required

🧰 Method 2 – PowerShell (Admin)

This uses the newer PowerShell API to achieve the same result.

Set-NetFirewallProfile -Profile Domain,Public,Private -Enabled False
  • Equivalent to turning off all firewall profiles.
  • Requires Administrator privileges.

⚠️ Method 3 – Turn OFF the Service (Nuclear Option)

This method completely stops and disables the Windows Firewall service (MpsSvc).

net stop MpsSvc
sc config MpsSvc start= disabled

⚠️ Warning: This disables all Windows Firewall functionality, including SmartScreen and Defender-controlled network rules. Use only for testing or in isolated lab environments, as it significantly reduces your system’s security posture.

3. Turn ON Again (Restore Firewall)

To re-enable the firewall and restore default protection levels:

netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state on

Or using PowerShell:

Set-NetFirewallProfile -Profile Domain,Public,Private -Enabled True

Both commands restore the default protection levels instantly.

4. One-Liner to Turn OFF (Quick Copy & Paste)

netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off
  • Run in an elevated CMD (as Administrator).
  • Can also be executed remotely via psexec -s or Invoke-Command.

5. Verify Firewall Status

To check if the firewall is off:

netsh advfirewall show allprofiles

Look for:

State                                 OFF

If all profiles show OFF, the firewall is fully disabled.

6. TL;DR

Action Command Works On
🔥 Turn off firewall netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off Windows 10/11, Server 2016+
✅ Turn on firewall netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state on Same
🧱 Disable service completely sc config MpsSvc start= disabled Not recommended for production
🔍 Check status netsh advfirewall show allprofiles All versions

✅ Summary

  • Windows Defender Firewall is simply the new name for Windows Firewall.
  • You can disable it safely using netsh advfirewall or PowerShell cmdlets.
  • Avoid disabling the MpsSvc service unless absolutely necessary, as it compromises security.
  • Changes apply instantly — no reboot required.

💡 Pro tip: Instead of disabling the firewall entirely, use PowerShell to open specific ports. This is a much safer and cleaner approach, keeping your system under control while allowing necessary traffic.

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Allow Port 8080" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 8080 -Action Allow