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I got a "Windows Security Alert" in Windows 7. This is because a program (Spotify) on my computer wants to use the Internet connection. But I'm not sure what these options mean.
Windows Firewall has blocked some features of Spotify on all public and private networks.
I have these two options, and I can check one or both of them.
Allow Spotify to communicate on these networks:
Private networks, such as my home or work network
Public networks, such as those in airports and coffee shops (not recommended because these networks often have little or no security)
The first one is already checked by default. The second one is optional. What happens if I check that second option? And what do they mean by "to communicate on these networks"? The computer is a desktop and it's connected to my home network, with routers, switches and all that.
I'm confused by all this. What is it I'm deciding on here? It's not like I can change the network I'm connected to if it's a desktop computer. I will only use it at one location. So does that mean the second options is irrelevant then? Or are they actually asking how far reaching (so to speak) the communication will be, i.e. allow it to communicate within the local home network, but block communication with the outside world (i.e. WAN)? For Spotify to work it needs to communicate with the outside world, i.e. the Internet, so does that mean I have to allow it to communicate with "public networks"?
@Dave That was the default on my Windows 10, and makes sense as the first option also appears to allow internet access to Spotify, so i'm puzzled as to why it's still labeled "not recommended". Maybe the second option listens on both public and private networks? – Cees Timmerman – 2017-12-15T14:14:41.967
I have not seen what this dialog box looks like on Windows 10 yet, whether or not the wording is the same and so on. But the second option in my screenshot is to allow the app to communicate on networks that have been profiled as public, in addition to allowing it to communicate on networks that have been profiled as private. This is more relevant for a mobile laptop computer, than for a stationary desktop computer, since with the laptop you will encounter several different networks as you move to different places. – Samir – 2017-12-17T13:42:19.863
You're right you're not changing the network, just treating it differently. Basically, private network means all those on your local network you are things you trust (such as a NAS drive, your brothers laptop, your sisters tablet etc). Those on a public network (eg, if you connected via WiFi in a cafe) means your machine may be exposed to others (strangers) on the same wifi and therefore possibly vulnerable. I have been in a pub using an open WiFi before, and I was able to see other machines on the same network and was surprised I could connect to their Users directory without any concerns – Dave – 2014-01-21T14:21:47.500
If they had chosen Public (because they're on the public network) then the computer makes the machine more safe and locks it down a little more. – Dave – 2014-01-21T14:23:55.713