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I have a Mac PC and a Windows PC on the same network.

If I turn the firewall off on the Windows PC the Mac can ping it, if I turn it on, the Mac cannot.

I've checked every individual option in the firewall, but it still is not working. What rule do I need to apply to allow the Mac to connect? Or what am I doing wrong?

Using Windows 7 and OS X Snow Leopard.

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  • Your firewall might be blocking ICMP packets not allowing it to be pinged. You might still be able to access it though if it is connected to the internet.
    – paradd0x
    Feb 17, 2011 at 21:23
  • I tried to allow all ICMPv4 packets through, but still no luck. Crazy thing is, it used to work yesterday, and I never changed any firewall settings, anywhere.
    – v15
    Feb 17, 2011 at 21:29
  • What kind of firewall are you using? The Windows Firewall? Or a Third Party firewall?
    – paradd0x
    Feb 17, 2011 at 21:32
  • Windows Firewall. UPDATE: so I allowed all connections for ICMPv4, domain, public and private. That worked, but it seemed a little unsafe. Is it ok to leave this open? Allow all connection from this?
    – v15
    Feb 17, 2011 at 21:36
  • 2
    Unless you are worried about bad ping packets from some unknown source. No. It's nothing to worry about. And it's not really a connection, since most connections are done in TCP and UDP. ICMP is mostly for ping packets. So you should be fine by leaving it open.
    – paradd0x
    Feb 17, 2011 at 21:38

2 Answers 2

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Your firewall is blocking ICMPv4 packets not allowing it to be pinged. Opening an exception for them in the firewall should help. There is also a very low risk of getting problems from setting that exception in ICMPv4 as most internet connections are done with TCP and UDP

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Here's some info on creating the ICMPv4 rule in Windows 7's firewall from scratch.

If you have IPv6 enabled and working you may have to also add a similar rule for ICMPv6.

These rule(s) should also already be in the "File and Printer Sharing" group of 'predefined' rule sets in the firewall (it'll offer Predefined sets as a choice when you click "New Rule").

You also only have to apply this rule to the networking 'domain' it thinks you're in for your network (ie: Home, Work or Public).

If it WAS working, and then it wasn't, perhaps re-detected the network and it's now set as 'Public' instead of a trusted "Home" or "Work" network. You may want to double-check that as well.

Hope that helps...

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