Using Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: Controlling Communication with the Internet

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2

This document provides information about the communication that flows between the features in Windows® 7 and Windows Server® 2008 R2 and sites on the Internet. It also describes steps to take to limit, control, or prevent that communication in an organization with many users. It also provides a link to information regarding how an organization may enable the “Commercial Data Opt-in" setting on a device to enable the collection of information by Microsoft related to computer, application, and driver compatibility, and share that data with the organization via the Windows Analytics product, for example so the organization can determine which computers in an organization are capable of upgrading to a newer version of Windows.

For more information about what is and is not covered in this document, see Introduction to Controlling Communication with the Internet in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Note

For a downloadable version of this document, see Using Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: Controlling Communication with the Internet in the Microsoft® Download Center.

Previous versions of this document discussed the client and server versions of Windows separately, although most of the information and guidance pertained to both. This document combines the information about Internet communication as it pertains to Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. If applicable, differences in how a feature is implemented in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 are noted in each section. For example, certain features that are included automatically in Windows 7 must be installed separately on computers running Windows Server 2008 R2.

The following sections of the document pertain only to Windows Server 2008 R2:

• Active Directory-Related Services and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows Server 2008 R2

• Remote Desktop Gateway and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows Server 2008 R2

• Remote Desktop Licensing and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows Server 2008 R2

• Remote Desktop Web Access and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows Server 2008 R2

The following sections of this document pertain to both Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2:

• Activation and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Certificate Support and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Device Manager, Hardware Wizards, and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Dynamic Update and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Event Viewer and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• File Association Web Service and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Help and Support Features that Communicate Through the Internet in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Internet Explorer 8 and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Internet Information Services and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Internet Printing and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Internet Protocol Version 6, Teredo, and Related Technologies in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Plug and Play and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 7

• Program Compatibility Features and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Remote Assistance and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• SmartScreen Filter and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program, Commercial Data Opt-in Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Windows Defender and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Windows Error Reporting and the Problem Reports and Solutions Feature in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Windows Media Player and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Windows Media Services and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows Server 2008 R2

• Windows Time Service and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Windows Update and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

The following appendices provide additional valuable information that pertains to both Windows 7and Windows Server 2008 R2:

• Appendix A: Resources for Learning About Automated Installation and Deployment for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Appendix B: Resources for Learning About Group Policy for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Appendix C: Group Policy Settings Listed Under the Internet Communication Management Category in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Appendix D: Search, Games, and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Appendix E: Telnet Client and Telnet Server in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Appendix F: Internet Connection Sharing, Network Bridge, and HomeGroup in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Appendix G: Windows Firewall in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Appendix H: Network Connectivity Status Indicator and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Appendix I: Message Queuing and Internet Communication in Windows Server 2008 R2

• Appendix J: Wizards in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Related to Connecting to the Internet