# Activate an NIC-based Firewall

To activate a Firewall, follow these steps:

1\. In the **DCD**, go to **Menu** > **Virtual Data Centers**.

2\. Select the data center to activate firewall.

3\. In the Workspace, select a Virtual Machine with a **NIC**.

4\. From the Inspector pane, open the **Network** tab.

5\. Open the properties of the NIC for which you want to set up a Firewall.

6\. Choose either **Ingress**, **Egress**, or **Bidirectional** traffic flow type for which the Firewall needs to be activated.

![Activate a Firewall](/files/CnzwUIDSNWscyl6Istsv)

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Warning:** Activating the Firewall without additional rules will block all incoming traffic. Make sure you set the Firewall rules by using **Manage Rules**.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %}
**Result:** The Firewall is activated for the selected **NIC**.
{% endhint %}


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