Firewall causing trouble?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Quentin
  • Start date Start date
Q

Quentin

Like many others I had the virus recently and followed all the advice from Norton and MS. That included adding the MS firewall. Since then I have had a number of problems with e-mails - in and out - using outlook express.

I don't like coincidences so today I cancelled the firewall and found my mailing problems have gone. Also, access to a web site I regularly use that was blocked is now clear again.

Is it likely to be just coincidence and have I done the right thing? I realise that I am more open now to another virus and might be creating one problem by eliminating another.

Any comments and advice from out there would be appreciated.

Q
 
Thanks for your interest, Thorsten, but your advice is leaving me confused.
Since your reply I have made several more tests using the MS firewall and
certainly it is having an effect. With it on my e-mails are affected but
when I cancel it the mailing is OK.
It isn't certain the firewall is the problem but it points to a link. What
is puzzling is that sometimes the mail system is fine and as intermittent
faults are always the difficult ones to solve your advice to go use a
stronger firewall would seem to me to increase the chances of interference
by blocking out more.
I am tempted to run without a firewall but probably I shouldn't.
Any comments?
Regards
Q
Click to expand...
The XP firewall does not monitor outgoing traffic (email).

It honors requests you have initiated that require a response from a remote
location (a web page served, authentication at an email server).

It blocks unsolicited incoming activity.

All of this happens automatically. While there is a way to configure
specific ports for the ICF, it is buried in layers of menus and if done
incorrectly could leave some of your ports open and unprotected.

Personal firewalls like the Kerio, Sygate, the free Zone Alarm are a little
"noisier" than ICF but monitor traffic both ways (in and out). They also
notify you of each process wanting to make contact and let you decide if
you want to let that process through (example: sending/receiving email) or
to prompt you for an okay each and every time.
 
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