Configure LabVIEW, DSC, NI Variable Engine, and Lookout to Work with Windows Firewall

I'm using the Windows Firewall in Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10, and I want to make sure that LabVIEW, LabVIEW DSC, NI Variable Engine, and Lookout will not be blocked by the firewall. What settings do I need to modify?

Note: From January 2022, support for Lookout is limited to community support pages.

For a development system, the software that needs to be unblocked is as follows: 

LabVIEW or LabVIEW DSC Module 8.x or Later

• C:\Windows\SysWOW64\lkads.exe
• C:\Windows\SysWOW64\lktsrv.exe
• C:\Program Files\National Instruments\Shared\Tagger\tagsrv.exe
• C:\Windows\SysWOW64\nicitdl5.exe (if using LabVIEW DSC)
• C:\Program Files\National Instruments\DataSocket\cwdss.exe (if using DataSocket)

LabVIEW or LabVIEW DSC Module 7.x or Lookout 6.0:

• C:\Windows\SysWOW64\lkads.exe
• C:\Windows\SysWOW64\lktsrv.exe
• C:\Program Files\National Instruments\DataSocket\cwdss.exe (if using DataSocket)
• C:\Windows\SysWOW64\nicitdl5.exe (if using LabVIEW DSC)
• C:\Program Files\National Instruments\Lookout x.x\lookout.exe (if using Lookout)

LabVIEW or LabVIEW DSC Module 6.x or Below or Lookout 5.1 or Below:

• C:\Windows\SysWOW64\lkads.exe
• C:\Windows\SysWOW64\lktsrv.exe
• C:\Windows\SysWOW64\lkcitdl.exe (is using LabVIEW DSC)
• C:\Program Files\National Instruments\DataSocket\cwdss.exe (if using DataSocket)
• C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW x.x\dscengine.exe (if using LabVIEW DSC)
• C:\Program Files\National Instruments\Lookout x.x\lookout.exe (if using Lookout)

NOTE: For 32-bit operating systems, use C:\Windows\System32 instead of C:\Windows\SysWOW64
NOTE: If running 32-bit LabVIEW file paths could be in C:\Program File (x86)\. E.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\DataSocket\cwdss.exe


If you want to keep the firewall enabled, follow these steps to unblock NI's Shared Variable/Tag software:

Windows 7/8/10

1. Open the Windows Control Panel
2. If on Windows 7, Click Windows Firewall. If on Windows 8/10, click System and Security and then select Windows Firewall.
3. Click Allow a program through the Windows Firewall respectively Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall
4. If using Windows 7/10, click Change Settings
5. Click Allow another program... resp. Allow another app...
6. Click Browse...
7. Navigate to one of the executables listed below.
8. Click Open
9. Click Add
10. Repeat steps 5 to 9 for the entire list of executables.
11. All of the executables added during the previous steps and LabVIEW should now appear in the list of programs. Use the check boxes to allow the programs to be used with each Network Type (Private and/or Public, as well as Domain in case you are on a company network). Make sure that your network type matches the exceptions.
12. Click OK
13. Close the window.
14. Reboot your computer.

Windows Vista

1. Open the Windows Control Panel
2. Click Allow a program through Windows Firewall under Security
3. Click the General tab
4. Ensure that Block all incoming connections is unchecked.
5. Click the Exceptions tab
6. Click Add program...
7. Click Browse...
8. Navigate to one of the executables listed below.
9. Click Open
10. Click Add
11. Repeat steps 5 to 9 for the entire list of executables.
12. All of the executables added during the previous steps and LabVIEW should now appear in the list of programs. Use the check boxes to allow the programs to be used with each Network Type (Private or Public). Make sure that your network type matches the exceptions.
13. Click OK
14. Close the window
15. Reboot your computer.

Windows XP

1. Open the Windows Control Panel
2. Click Windows Firewall under Security
3. Click the General tab
4. Ensure that Don't allow exceptions is unchecked.
5. Click the Exceptions tab
6. Click Add program...
7. Click Browse...
8. Navigate to one of the executables listed below.
9. Click Open
10. Click Add
11. Repeat steps 5 to 9 for the entire list of executables.
12. All of the executables added during the previous steps and LabVIEW should now appear in the list of programs. Use the check box to allow the programs to be used on the network.
13. Click OK
14. Close the window
15. Reboot your computer

Additional Information

Windows provides a firewall which can be enabled for additional network security. If the Windows firewall is enabled and a program attempts to access and open a network port, Windows will prompt the user to ask if they want to unblock the program.

Unfortunately, Windows does not prompt the user to ask about services on the system which attempt to access the network and they are blocked by default if the firewall is enabled. Some of the networking functionality built into NI software relies on services which will be blocked unless specific exceptions are made in the firewall configuration.

NOTE: Before implementing those changes you can disable Windows Firewall temporarily to quickly check if that is the cause of your issue.