Win XP Firewall

  • Thread starter Thread starter ilyaz
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ilyaz

I have Win XP Home installed on my machine. It was easy to checkmark the
Internet Connection Firewall option, but there are quite a few Settings
options. On the Services tab, I think, I should check all but Remote
Desktop. But what about options on the ICMP tab? I'm at loss. May someone,
please, suggest what do I need to check? I have just one computer and am the
only user of it.
 
ilyaz said:
I have Win XP Home installed on my machine. It was easy to checkmark
the Internet Connection Firewall option, but there are quite a few
Settings options. On the Services tab, I think, I should check all
but Remote Desktop. But what about options on the ICMP tab? I'm at
loss. May someone, please, suggest what do I need to check? I have
just one computer and am the only user of it.
Click to expand...

You really don't need to check anything on the services tab unless you
are running a web, mail, news, ftp server, etc. If you are not, then
you don't need any of those items checked. There is also no need to
check anything on the ICMP tab.

--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Windows XP & Smart Display
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/tp.porterfield/support

Please post all follows to the newsgroup only
 
I have Win XP Home installed on my machine. It was easy to checkmark the
Internet Connection Firewall option, but there are quite a few Settings
options. On the Services tab, I think, I should check all but Remote
Desktop. But what about options on the ICMP tab? I'm at loss. May someone,
please, suggest what do I need to check? I have just one computer and am the
only user of it.
Click to expand...
I wasn't aware there WERE any settings for the XP firewall... mine
certainly hasn't got any.
 
Thank you, Tom! You saved my day!
Ilya
Click to expand...
Can someone please tell me where all these "tabs" are, in relation to
the inbuilt firewall? All I have is one check box on the connectoid
which enables or disables the firewall.
 
Rifleman said:
Can someone please tell me where all these "tabs" are, in relation to
the inbuilt firewall? All I have is one check box on the connectoid
which enables or disables the firewall.
Click to expand...

In the properties for the connection question go to the Advanced tab.
There you will see a check box to enable the firewall - "Protect my
computer and network by limiting or preventing access to this computer
from the internet." When you check the box next to that line the
Settings button on the bottom of the dialog will become enabled. Click
that button and you a dialog with three tabs will be displayed, one for
services, one for security logging and one for ICMP.

--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Windows XP & Smart Display
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/tp.porterfield/support

Please post all follows to the newsgroup only
 
Tom Porterfield said:
In the properties for the connection question go to the Advanced tab.
There you will see a check box to enable the firewall - "Protect my
computer and network by limiting or preventing access to this computer
from the internet." When you check the box next to that line the
Settings button on the bottom of the dialog will become enabled. Click
that button and you a dialog with three tabs will be displayed, one for
services, one for security logging and one for ICMP.
Click to expand...

I'm not the original poster. You mean it isn't enough just to check
the "protect my computer" box? I did go to a website that tests that
sort of thing, got a result about being in stealth mode.
 
Maureen said:
I'm not the original poster. You mean it isn't enough just to check
the "protect my computer" box? I did go to a website that tests that
sort of thing, got a result about being in stealth mode.
Click to expand...

For most folks out there just checking the box is all you need to do.
The advanced settings are for those who might want to open up some of
the firewall to allow specific incoming requests that would (and
usually should) otherwise be blocked.

--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Windows XP & Smart Display
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/tp.porterfield/support

Please post all follows to the newsgroup only
 
For most folks out there just checking the box is all you need to do.
The advanced settings are for those who might want to open up some of
the firewall to allow specific incoming requests that would (and
usually should) otherwise be blocked.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for your response. I did look inside the settings,
which are all unchecked except the top one in the services tab,
dplaysvr. Is that as it should be? I didn't change it, at least not
knowingly.
 
Maureen said:
Thanks so much for your response. I did look inside the settings,
which are all unchecked except the top one in the services tab,
dplaysvr. Is that as it should be? I didn't change it, at least not
knowingly.
Click to expand...

Dplaysvr is an interesting file. I don't have that one listed on my
services tab for the firewall advanced settings. I say it's
interesting because that file is one of the files used by Direct X, it
is the direct play server helper. So if you are hosting online games
from your PC it may be necessary to have that service checked. What
makes this even more interesting is that file name is also one of the
ones associated with the magistr virus - see
http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/w32mag.html for details. But
since the file is part of Direct X, the presence of the file is not an
indication of virus infection, I don't want to alarm you just passing
along details.

Certainly if you don't host online games for your PC then there should
be no reason to have that checked.

--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Windows XP & Smart Display
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/tp.porterfield/support

Please post all follows to the newsgroup only
 
Dplaysvr is an interesting file. I don't have that one listed on my
services tab for the firewall advanced settings. I say it's
interesting because that file is one of the files used by Direct X, it
is the direct play server helper. So if you are hosting online games
from your PC it may be necessary to have that service checked. What
makes this even more interesting is that file name is also one of the
ones associated with the magistr virus - see
http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/w32mag.html for details. But
since the file is part of Direct X, the presence of the file is not an
indication of virus infection, I don't want to alarm you just passing
along details.
Click to expand...
Certainly if you don't host online games for your PC then there should
be no reason to have that checked.
Click to expand...

No online games played here. Still, perhaps the firewall checked the
dplaysvr setting in response to running the Hasbro Scrabble game,
which can be used to play on line. I've unchecked it, will run the
game later today and see if the check returns.

Again, thanks for replying..
 
Here's what I did:
I have a dial-up connection. When I select "connect to" on the Start menu, I
can then access the dial-up facility. This opens a box headed "Connect
[my_ISP]" At the bottom of that window is the Properties button, which I
then select. From there I select the Advanced tab. On this window at the top
it says "Internet Connection Firewall," underneath which there is a check
box next to "Protect my computer and network by limiting or preventing
access to this computer from the Internet." I checked this box, and I
clicked OK, and then Closed the properties. This enabled my XP firewall.
On that same Advanced tab there's a link to details about firewalls, if you
want to read it.
 
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