Opening Multiple Ports on Windows Firewall

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wheely34

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Jul 24, 2008
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I an running vista business 64-bit and just using the windows firewall. I would like to open up a range of ports in that firewall. For those that are familiar with the WoW updates downloader, it is sensitive to firewalls and security measuers in general. Blizzard recommends keeping TCP ports 3724 and 6112 open. they also recommend leaving ports 6881-6999 open. I have the first two ports open, but how do I make a range of ports open without entering all 100+ of them individually?

Reason I am doing this is I just can't seem to get the downloader to function properly without just totally leaving my firewall off. I'm thinking/hoping opening every port blizzard suggests will solve my issue.
 
I was running into the same problem. It seems as though Windows Firewall will not allow you to specify a large range, such as 6881-6999, however, there is an easier solution than creating an exception for each port.

If you go into the "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security" Panel, you can select "Inbound Rules"; "New Rule" (located on the right side of interface); Under rule type select the radio for "Port" and hit next; Select the radio for "Specific Local Ports". This is where I opened up notepad and started typing the range out separating each port with a comma. When that is done, copy and paste the ports into the list for "Specific Local Ports" and hit next. This is the easiest way I have found. Easier than that would be to go into something like Excel for spreadsheet, and have it list all the ports separated by commas given the range 6881-6999. If you are savvy enough to do that anyway. I'm not sure of the semantics involved, as I had already typed all of them out before realizing there was an easier way.

Hope this helps, take care, and happy hunting %n. Long Live The Alliance!
 
Control Panel>System and Security>Windows Firewall>Advanced Settings[under left Control Panel Home]>Inbound Rules[under left panel]>New Rule[under right panel]>[select] Port>Next>Specific Local Ports

From here you can separate specific ports with commas as your first reply had noted, but there is no need to type in each separate one. If you notice in the examples of port numbers (Example: 80, 443, 5000-5010) under the selection box it shows that you can specify a range of ports using "-" located on your number/signs pad. Then select allow for all, though I doubt public networks needs to be allowed for these ports. Name your rule and presto, youre done!

 
Save this as a .html file. Open it in a browser with javascript enabled. Crtl+A to select all. Paste it into the box and delete the last comma.

<html>
<head></head>
<body>
<script lang="JavaScript">
var fullStr = "";
var i;
for(i=6881;i<=6999;++i)
fullStr = fullStr + i + ",";
document.write(fullStr);
</script>
</body>
</html>
 
1. Open the Control Panel folder, and find the 'Windows Firewall' applet
2. Click the 'Change Setting' link
3. Click the Exceptions tab.
4. Press the 'Add port...' button.
5. In the Name field, type a friendly name for the port to help you remember why you opened it. For example, type "Remote Desktop: Port 8999".
6. In the 'Port number' field, enter the port number you want to open. For example, type "8999"
7. In the Protocol field, select either TCP or UDP, and press the OK button.
 
You can open multiple ports from the command prompt using the following scripts.

To open the ports use:

FOR /L %I IN (6881,1,6999) DO netsh firewall add portopening TCP %I "World of Warcraft downloader"%I

To close the ports use:

FOR /L %I IN (6881,1,6999) DO netsh firewall delete portopening TCP %I


This example is for the WoW range, and opens ports 6881-6999 and gives it the name World of Warcraft downloader. The middle number in brackets just states the increments you go up in. In this case every one, but if you wanted you could make this every 2 or 10 or anything if you feel the need 😉
 
you dont need to have those ports open for the blizzard downloader. Also, the blizzard downloader should be perfectly capable of adding its own exception to windows firewall.
 
Hey,
I'm having trouble with your command prompt solution and this is whats happening:
I copy your solution:
FOR /L %I IN (6881,1,6999) DO netsh firewall add portopening TCP %I "World of Warcraft downloader"%I
I paste it in to command prompt and I see it working on each individual port but it says:
"netsh is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."

and doesn't open them and when I go to my firewall exceptions they are not their so please help me and I'm not particularly great with technology so please bear with me
Thanks a lot
 
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