What MS apps really need internet access?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Solar_Flare
  • Start date Start date
S

Solar_Flare

Buggy software AND a lost net connection was just too much to bear
this week.

I reinstalled my firewall and I was asked by lots of apps to access
the Internet. Other than my email client, browser, newsreader, and
antivirus utility I want to deny network access to everything else. I
am puzzled by all those other apps asking for permission to access the
network.

Background: Two days ago I lost my ability to access the net. I have
a single PC (WinXP Home) connected directly to a cable modem. My
anitvirus program (Norton) was corrupted and perhaps Zone Alarm
settings were also corrupted. I reinstalled NAV and Zone Alarm and
then found my PC couldn't get out to the network. After mucking around
Network Connection and granting more permissions in Zone Alarm, I am
back online. What was the cure.

Am I currently too permissive?
I ended up giving permissions to the following programs:
Client Server Runtime Process
Generic Host Process for Win32 Services
IP Configuration Utility
Windows NT Logon Application
Windows Installer

What do these apps do and just because they nagged and nagged me to
giving permission, should I have done so?

Also, I do not intend to use Windows Messenger, but Messenger always
nags for permission to access the net. Is Messenger necessary for
other processes like Window Update? Messenger is in my system tray and
refused to be shut down at the moment. I am using a selective startup
in msconfig, but didn't see anything about stopping Messenger from
starting in the sys tray.

TIA


(e-mail address removed)
 
You do need the Generic Host Process for Win 32 Services,
but you never need a server service unless you are running a
server intentionally.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


| Buggy software AND a lost net connection was just too much
to bear
| this week.
|
| I reinstalled my firewall and I was asked by lots of apps
to access
| the Internet. Other than my email client, browser,
newsreader, and
| antivirus utility I want to deny network access to
everything else. I
| am puzzled by all those other apps asking for permission
to access the
| network.
|
| Background: Two days ago I lost my ability to access the
net. I have
| a single PC (WinXP Home) connected directly to a cable
modem. My
| anitvirus program (Norton) was corrupted and perhaps Zone
Alarm
| settings were also corrupted. I reinstalled NAV and Zone
Alarm and
| then found my PC couldn't get out to the network. After
mucking around
| Network Connection and granting more permissions in Zone
Alarm, I am
| back online. What was the cure.
|
| Am I currently too permissive?
| I ended up giving permissions to the following programs:
| Client Server Runtime Process
| Generic Host Process for Win32 Services
| IP Configuration Utility
| Windows NT Logon Application
| Windows Installer
|
| What do these apps do and just because they nagged and
nagged me to
| giving permission, should I have done so?
|
| Also, I do not intend to use Windows Messenger, but
Messenger always
| nags for permission to access the net. Is Messenger
necessary for
| other processes like Window Update? Messenger is in my
system tray and
| refused to be shut down at the moment. I am using a
selective startup
| in msconfig, but didn't see anything about stopping
Messenger from
| starting in the sys tray.
|
| TIA
|
|
| (e-mail address removed)
 
Most of those apps aren't trying to connect to the internet. They are trying to connect to the network. As you've told windows that your connection is a network connection. Your ISP will drop them. Many rules of internet access are enforced by the routers on the internet itself.

Remove all your network shit from your Internet connection (Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP, remove File and Print Sharing, etc). Some other traffic is autoconfiguring and again the routers will drop them as they are local traffic only.

If you want details give the address/port/process. I suspect many are special autoconfiguring addresses (there is no address of that number or every computer answers to that address). The routers will handle it. That's where the internet's intelligence is - not on your local computer.
 
Check out www.blackviper.com. He has a great site, with lots of information
on what actually needs to be running on your machine. Go to the Services
page for details.
Click to expand...

Went to blackviper site - looks like some valuable reading.
thanks for the tip.

(e-mail address removed)
 
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