NIS2013 is managing Windows Firewall which claims off, but still get popups from Windows Firewall

I am on Windows 7 x64 with NIS 2013. I have verified that Windows Firewall claims to be off, yet when I booted the system today I got a popup from Windows Firewall asking if I wanted to allow a program to access the Internet!  This program, Netgear's Genie app which talks to a Netgear router, isn't working for me (won't log in), so I wonder about the coincidence.  There is nothing in the NIS logs about the Genie app.

 

Why did I get a Windows Firewall popup if Windows Firewll is disabled?  I have used NIS for many, many years....