[KB3198] Pause or disable the ESET Firewall

Issue

Pause the ESET Firewall for diagnostic or troubleshooting purposes
Stop the ESET Firewall from interrupting web browsing without exposing your system to security risks. If an intrusion is detected, your system will still be protected using this method
Disable the firewall until re-enabled by user (potential security risk)—This method can potentially expose your system to attack and is not recommended unless you are advised by ESET technical support to disable the firewall entirely
Re-enable the firewall after you have finished troubleshooting

Details

Click to expand

As an alternative to disabling the firewall, you can create a rule to open all connections through TCP and UDP. Using this method the Intrusion Detection System (IDS) will remain active but the ESET Firewall will not interrupt regular web browsing. We recommend that you leave the firewall active at all times except when diagnosing/troubleshooting system problems.

Solution

Firewall troubleshooting?

This article is part of a series of recommended steps to troubleshoot firewall issues. Click here to start with step 1.

Security passwords

If you are prompted to type a password when making changes to the settings shown below, you have a security password in place. This is different from your ESET-issued password. If you do not know your security password, use the ESET unlock tool to reset it and access settings.

Pause the ESET Firewall until a system restart is performed

To troubleshoot your connection issues, follow the steps below to pause the firewall. With the firewall paused, attempt to re-connect the device or open the application that is not working properly.

Open the main program window of your ESET Windows product.
Click Setup → Network protection.

Figure 1-1
Click the slider bar next to Firewall.
Select Pause until reboot and click Apply. The ESET Firewall will remain paused until the next time you restart your computer.

Figure 1-2

While the ESET Firewall is paused, the protection status will turn red to indicate that maximum protection is not ensured and your computer is vulnerable to threats.

If you are diagnosing potential firewall issues, attempt to connect the device or use the application that is not working properly. If you are successful, your issue is related to the firewall. Re-enable your firewall and then complete the steps in this Knowledgebase article to resolve your connection issues.

Create a rule to permanently allow all network traffic

Open the main program window of your ESET Windows product.
Press the F5 key to access Advanced setup.
Click Network Protection → Firewall. In the Filtering mode drop-down menu, select Interactive mode.

Figure 2-1
Expand Advanced, and next to Rules click Edit.

Figure 2-2
Click Add. In the Name field, type a name for your rule. In the Direction drop-down menu, select Both. In the Action drop-down menu, select Allow and then click OK.

Figure 2-3
Select the check box next to Show built in (predefined) rules and select the rule you created in step 5.
Click the up arrow. This will move your rule to the top and ensure that it is enforced.

Figure 2-4
Click OK to save your changes.

Figure 2-5

Permanently disable the ESET Firewall

Disabling the firewall can expose you to threats

Unless you have been instructed by ESET technical support to disable the firewall entirely, we recommend that you use the steps to disable the firewall temporarily.

The steps below will disable HTTP, POP3 and IMAP scanning

This represents a potential security threat to your system. Use the following instructions with caution and re-enable the firewall as soon as possible.

Open the main program window of your ESET Windows product.
Click Setup → Network protection.

Figure 3-1
Click the slider bar next to Firewall.
Select Disable permanently and click Apply. When you have finished testing or troubleshooting, proceed to the next section to re-enable the firewall. The protection status color will not change to red, although your computer will be at risk while the firewall is disabled.

Figure 3-2

Re-enable the firewall

Open the main program window of your ESET Windows product.
Click Setup → Network protection.

Figure 4-1
Click the slider bar next to Firewall. The firewall status is now Enabled.

Figure 4-2

Last Updated: Mar 4, 2022