Messenger

  • Thread starter Thread starter Owen Newcomer
  • Start date Start date
Disable Messenger Instructions (Complete Uninstall):
- Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs
- Uninstall Windows Messenger

Kepp the Program, but Disable Auto-Start Function
- Open Messenger
- Tools > Options
- Preferences tab
- Uncheck "Run this program when windows starts"
 
There two "Messengers" in Windows XP

The first one "Windows Messenger" is used for chatting
with friends and family. To disable this
-Open Windows Messenger
-Tools>>Options
-Preferences tab
-Uncheck "Run this program when windows starts"
And then there's the messenger service, which can give you
alot of popups ads. To disable this..

You can just enable XP's built in firewall to stop them. -
https://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?
url=/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/proddocs/hnw_enable_firew
all.asp

and you can also disable the service completely if you
wish.

to stop this goto your Control Panel, goto Admin
Tools>>Services>>Scroll down to "Messenger" double click
on it, and select "Disable" instead of Auto. This will
fix it for u

both will work.
 
The second option is a great tool, but it is only featured in WinXP Pro Ed.

Any firewall or router will do the same for that one if you have WinXP Home
Ed...
 
Where?

If behind a router or using a 3rd party wall, it blocks the messages, but
straight inet connection gets those popups like mad (not to mention is
incredibly non-secure).

I have tried all suggestions, but have found that Home Edition has no inet
connection firewall...
 
WinXP Home doesn't have the advanced tab...

I already triewd looking for it several times in all of my NIC
connections...
 
Dan said:
WinXP Home doesn't have the advanced tab...

I already triewd looking for it several times in all of my NIC
connections...
Click to expand...

My WinXP Home does.
 
Tabs are general and ADVANCED on my system. I don't use a network bridge
however so cannot speak for 'authentication'.
 
There isn't anything on authentication except the type thereof that you
wanrt windows to use to verify users over the network or somewthing like
that.

-- Dan
 
The wizard bridges all network connections by default. That is, if you have
multiple NICS, firewire adapters or even multiple modems the wizard will try
to "clump" them by bridging. This is extremely problematic when dealing with
dockable laptops that are used undocked in one location with one type of
topology and another network with a different topology. What bridging does
is connects two or more physically separate networks into a single network.
Reality is that the only time this occurs is in an enterprise level
environment. The fact that the XP networking wizard bridges by default is,
literally, a nightmare.

Before I can say much else though, I need to know what your network topology
is. I can tell you one thing off the bat though and that is you should not
be running multiple firewalls. Of the two I know that the free version of ZA
is problematic with LANs and I've only heard that the free version of Sygate
is workable. I do know that Kerio can be used on a LAN without any issues,
as well as other firewalls that cost. ICF is not appropriate on a LAN. It's
OK to enable ICF on the WAN side of the network, but enabling it on the LAN
can be a nightmare.

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.

http://www.dts-l.org
 
I am running a server, so that is my reason for running firewalls on the
computer even though its behind a router.

Both Zone Alarm and Sygate catch the same intrusions and programs, so I
think maybe I can delete Zone Alarm (?) since Sygate actually shows attack
ip's, times, types, etc. and is (in my opinion) better than ZA.

The Topology of my Lan:

[WAN] --> [Router] --> [PC1 - Win98]
--> [Server - WinXP]

Thanks

-- Dan


Walter Clayton said:
Correctly configured, one and only one firewall will capture all intrusions
without letting anything through to a second firewall. That's why running a
firewall on machines on a LAN behind a router with an SPI firewall doesn't
gain anything. The issue with running two firewalls is that all traffic is
being vetted twice which is literally double the overhead for no additional
security.

And yes, I can actually configure ZA to run in high security on a LAN as
well as a WAN, but it's not a simple process. What you've done with ZA is
open the barn doors which is why Sygate is trapping traffic as well.

Disabling a bridge is not the same thing as deleting it. Disabling a bridge
disables all associated NICs which is a completely different thing.

Setting that aside, lets look at topology. In crude diagrams your
configuration should be something along the lines of one of the following:

[WAN]--->[PC1]-->[PC2]

[WAN]-->[Router]-->[PC1]
-->[PC2]

[WAN]-->[HUB]-->[PC1]
-->[PC2]

Notice on the last two that there is a major difference between the function
of a router and a hub. Also, there are variations on the theme that I have
seen some people attempt. These invariably have a lot of problems.

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.

http://www.dts-l.org


Dan said:
Walter and All --

Thank you so much for all your help!

So, if I understand what you are saying:
- I don't need the ICF on a LAN, only WAN
- Bridging is a nightmare (which I knew, but just verifying that fact)

Multiple firewalls are working great with my network. I correctly
configured Zone Alarm (free) to work with the LAN, so that was never an
issue. Sygate always worked with the LAN, so never an issue. Both combined
are awesome, because Sygate catches all the intrusions (ZA gets most) and
they do two checks for program security, in case something got past one, the
other catches it.

Notes on config ZA for LAN use:
- Under "Firewall" (Main tab) set Internet zone security to High, set
Trusted zone security to Low
- Under "Program Control" (Main tab) set Program Control to Medium
- These set it up to work beautifully with a LAN

The only thing I am still not sure about is a.) wether to to remove my
bridge and b.) what you meant by topology of my network. Last time I
disabled the bridge, my computer's Inet Connection went completely down, and
I reenabled it ASAP. Any issues/thoughts/comments on this?

Thanks again!

-- Dan


will
try dealing
with of the
LAN
Click to expand...
so
I kind
Click to expand...
need
do my
NIC
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
OK. Delete the bridge. Each machine has a single connection and that
connection is to the router.
And yes, uninstall ZA.

Before I go much further, I need to know what you use the server for in
general terms. Are you running a server for internet access by others or is
it strictly for LAN access only? Do you use it as a work station at the same
time to access the internet?

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
http://www.dts-l.org
 
My Server's Use:
- Mail Server (POP3, SMTP)
- FTP Server
- HTTP Server (Apache)
- MySQL Server

Basically, its a full-fledged, all-purpose server.
My server is a workstation and accesses the internet at the same time.

-- Dan

Walter Clayton said:
OK. Delete the bridge. Each machine has a single connection and that
connection is to the router.
And yes, uninstall ZA.

Before I go much further, I need to know what you use the server for in
general terms. Are you running a server for internet access by others or is
it strictly for LAN access only? Do you use it as a work station at the same
time to access the internet?

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
http://www.dts-l.org


Dan said:
I am running a server, so that is my reason for running firewalls on the
computer even though its behind a router.

Both Zone Alarm and Sygate catch the same intrusions and programs, so I
think maybe I can delete Zone Alarm (?) since Sygate actually shows attack
ip's, times, types, etc. and is (in my opinion) better than ZA.

The Topology of my Lan:

[WAN] --> [Router] --> [PC1 - Win98]
--> [Server - WinXP]

Thanks

-- Dan
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Sorry, I didn't specify LAN / Internet in the previous response.

It is intended for use over the internet, which it fulfils rather well.

-- Dan

Walter Clayton said:
OK. Delete the bridge. Each machine has a single connection and that
connection is to the router.
And yes, uninstall ZA.

Before I go much further, I need to know what you use the server for in
general terms. Are you running a server for internet access by others or is
it strictly for LAN access only? Do you use it as a work station at the same
time to access the internet?

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
http://www.dts-l.org


Dan said:
I am running a server, so that is my reason for running firewalls on the
computer even though its behind a router.

Both Zone Alarm and Sygate catch the same intrusions and programs, so I
think maybe I can delete Zone Alarm (?) since Sygate actually shows attack
ip's, times, types, etc. and is (in my opinion) better than ZA.

The Topology of my Lan:

[WAN] --> [Router] --> [PC1 - Win98]
--> [Server - WinXP]

Thanks

-- Dan
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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