I'd like to make it so Windows disregards internet access for every system and user application, and let me add exceptions as I see fit, but I'm having problems...
Going to "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security", selecting "Windows Firewall Properties", and then setting Inbound/Outbound connections to "Block" on all tabs should theoretically, as described on the previous menu, block inbound/outbound connections for applications that do not match a rule. In this case, everything except my internet browser, but it does something else instead. It completely turns off any Internet access to the device, and puts it in a "Limited" state (Local connection). This means I can't access the internet anywhere, and I'm not sure how to fix it. Disabling Windows Firewall allows internet access yet again, but I can't live with the amount of connections this system makes without being paranoid.
Is there perhaps a system service I need to allow internet access to before I can get my primary applications to function over the net? That's the only thing I can think of, but I wouldn't know which one to allow access to. I've scanned this site for a little bit, and I can't really find anything that helps.