Cut all internet access instantly with Block all outbound
Choose Protection ▸ Filtering mode ▸ Block all outbound (panic). Every program on the PC loses internet access until you switch the filtering mode back to Monitor only or Learning.
NetSecWall for WindowsOn this page
To block all internet access at once, choose Protection ▸ Filtering mode ▸ Block all outbound (panic). Every program on the PC — browsers, Windows services, background updaters, everything — is stopped from opening outbound connections until you pick another filtering mode. It is the switch to reach for when something on the PC looks wrong and you want it off the network now.
Block all is part of blocking, so it needs the Family or Pro plan, or the 7-day trial.
How to block all internet access
- Open the Protection menu (Alt+P).
- Point to Filtering mode.
- Choose Block all outbound (panic).
- If a settings password is set, enter it.
A tray message says "All outbound traffic is blocked until you change the filtering mode.", and the status bar shows ⛔ Block-all ON.
For a quicker route, right-click the NetSecWall tray icon and tick Block ALL internet. It is a separate switch that does the same job.
What Block all cuts
- Every program's outbound connections, including browsers, mail, cloud sync, Windows Update and name lookups (DNS).
- Your own network too. The block has no address exceptions, so printers, network drives and the router's settings page become unreachable from this PC.
- Remote sessions. Remote-support tools and any RDP or SSH session you open from this PC drop. If you are working on this PC from somewhere else, expect to lose the connection.
There are no per-app exceptions: an app you allowed in Learning mode is blocked like everything else.
Don't switch Block all on while you are connected to this PC remotely unless you have another way to reach it.
Local (loopback) traffic
Protection ▸ Filtering mode ▸ Block-all: allow local (loopback) traffic is ticked by default. It keeps letting programs talk to this same PC (127.0.0.1) during Block all. That traffic never leaves the machine, and cutting it breaks local databases, development servers and helper processes that many apps rely on.
The option matters for the Packet filter (WFP) engine. Windows Firewall never filters loopback, so with the Windows Firewall (rules) engine, local traffic always keeps working. Untick the option only if you want a literal block-everything on the packet filter. See which engine to use.
Turn Block all off
- Open Protection ▸ Filtering mode.
- Choose Monitor only (no blocking) or Learning — ask when a new app connects.
Block all outbound stays on until you do this, even across restarts: NetSecWall switches it back on when it starts. If the internet is still off afterwards, another switch that blocks everything may be on:
| Switch | Where | How to turn it off |
|---|---|---|
| Block all outbound (panic) | Protection ▸ Filtering mode | Choose Monitor only or Learning |
| Block ALL internet | Tray icon menu | Untick it |
| Bedtime or daily time limit | Protection ▸ Parental controls… | Wait until it ends, or change the parental settings |
| Isolation by your IT admin | Management Server console (managed PCs only) | Ask your administrator to release the PC |
The tray's check mark only shows its own switch. ⛔ Block-all ON in the status bar appears whenever any of them is active. App, country and category blocks are separate and keep applying in every filtering mode.
If NetSecWall closed unexpectedly while Block all was on
The block is a Windows Firewall rule named NetLens Block All. If NetSecWall crashes or is killed, that rule can stay behind and keep the PC offline even though NetSecWall isn't running. When NetSecWall starts again it finds the leftover rule, shows Block ALL internet as on, and tells you: a tray message titled "⛔ All internet is blocked", or a dialog, All internet is blocked, with Turn off Block ALL internet and Keep blocking. Turn it off from the dialog or the tray menu.
If NetSecWall won't start at all, open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security (press Win+R, type wf.msc), go to Outbound Rules and delete NetLens Block All. No internet after blocking something? covers the other causes.
Frequently asked questions
Does Block all outbound also block incoming connections?
It blocks connections that programs on this PC start. Incoming connections are still handled by Windows Firewall's own inbound rules, the same as before.
Will Block all stay on after I restart the PC?
Yes. The filtering mode is saved, and NetSecWall turns Block all outbound back on when it starts. Switch to Monitor only or Learning to end it.
Why is my internet still off after I switched to Monitor only?
Another block-all switch may still be on — the tray's Block ALL internet, a parental bedtime or time limit, or an isolation on a managed PC. Monitor only also leaves app, country and category blocks in place.
Can I keep one app online while everything else is blocked?
No. Block all has no per-app exceptions; only local loopback traffic can be let through. To cut off a single app instead, block just that app.