Windows 10: Internet cuts out, but only inbound. Outbound still works fine for the duration.

A bug showed up 7 days ago. My internet has started cutting out intermittently. Strangely though, this issue appears to only be inbound messages, and my computer can send messages correctly outbound with no delay or notice that anything is wrong. In a discord call, for example, when it cuts out other users can still hear me perfectly fine and with no delay compared to before, even though I cannot hear their responses. I suspect the issue has to do with my I/O controller, but have no idea how to test that theory. Any ideas?

Edit: Thought I should mention, I have already tried disabling and re enabling my wireless adapter, and done a clean reinstall of windows 10.

:)

 

ISP email can receive inbound but not send outbound emails

Trying to set up email. can receive inbound emails but cannot send outbound emails or replies to any inbound. ISP provider is pathcom.com. inbound email server set as pop3.pathcom.com, outbound email server set as smtp.pathcom.com - had no issue setting
this up on my laptop outlook 2007. I contacted pathway support and they asked me to enter in outgoing server SMTP port 587. cannot enter a port no. info on my windows phone 8. So I can only receive incoming emails and cannot sent out.

 

Installed programs not listed in Inbound or Outbound Rules of windows 10 firewell

I recently upgraded to "Windows 10" from 7 Pro. I used the free "Zone Alarm" program for years, with no problems. But, now the ZA program says that it is not compatible with W10, so I uninstalled it. I thought no problem, I'll just use the W10 Firewall
& control internet communication with the inbound & outbound rules. However, only about 5% of my installed programs are showing up in the list. How do I get them to be added to the list? Also, there is no "Exception" tab. Thanks-

 

Why does Windows Firewall allow inbound connections by default for all modern apps?

To continue my initial question that was posted
here, I would like to understand why the Windows Firewall allows by default incoming connections for any modern app.

A few observations:

In Windows Firewall with Advanced Security there are two sets of rules: inbound and outbound.

Outbound rules allow programs and apps to communicate to the internet. Inbound rules allow unsolicited connections (as I have understood so far, random not user or app provoked connections) to the computer from the internet.

Since Windows Firewall's outbound scanning is disabled by default, outbound rules are useless due to this "allow everything" policy (unless there is an explicit outbound block rule).

Regular apps (non servers), such as browsers, can work just fine by having outbound allow rules (or by the default "allow everything" Firewall setting). They can still receive incoming data if they are allowed to communicate to the internet (outbound) even
if there is no allowing inbound rule or even if there is a blocking inbound rule!

For example, launching Google Chrome and typing an address, will make the browser send a request (outbound) to the website's server and receive info (to display the webpage) -- all this with no inbound rule enabled.

I understand that unsolicited inbound connections are required when, for example, sharing files or printers on a PC network. A remote PC on the same network can send a request to get access on some resources (media file, printer etc.).

Based on all the above, I do not see the purpose of having inbound allowing rules for all apps installed on the PC. Apps can work just with the outbound allowing rules or policy. Very few apps actually need to receive unsolicited inbound connections to work
properly (server apps). Why then allow all apps to do so? Isn't that kind of a risk, if say, a malicious inbound connection exploits a vulnerability?

Thanks in advance,

John