Error message when you try to use Windows Meeting Space on a Windows Vista-based computer: "Group Policy might be preventing you from changing firewall settings"

When you try to use Windows Meeting Space (WMS) on a Windows Vista-based computer, you receive the following error message:

This problem occurs when you use a Group Policy object (GPO) to prevent Windows Firewall from accessing the local firewall rules. This problem occurs because WMS tries to open many firewall ports when it starts, and the firewall tries to apply the local firewall rules that are specified in the currently active profile. However, the Group Policy object prevents Windows Firewall from accessing the local firewall rules. Therefore, some WMS components cannot communicate with one another.

To resolve this problem, enable the local firewall rules in the GPO Editor. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, Click Run, type gpedit.msc in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. Expand Computer Configuration, expand Windows Settings, expand Security Settings, and then expand Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
3. Click Windows Firewall with Advanced Security - Local Group Policy Object, and then click Windows Firewall Properties.
4. In the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security - Local Group Policy Object dialog box, click Customize.
5. In the Customize Settings for the Domain Profile dialog box, click Yes in the Apply local firewall rules list.
6. Click OK two times, and then close the GPO Editor.