Questions... (routers and firewalls)

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

transient wrote:

> Iam running XP Pro, with service pack 2 and I think all updates.
> How do I turn on the firewall? Or is it automatically running?
> Whats the best software firewall to run?
> Is a router say a linksys one safe?
> What is a good router for casual internet/gaming to run.
> I would like to run xp's plus a software, plus a hardware router.
> thanks for your time!!

Go to Control Panel and double-click the icon for the Windows Firewall.
That will tell you its status. If you don't have a third-party firewall
(or antivirus with a built-in firewall like Norton AV 2005) that
disabled the Windows Firewall, it will be running automatically. The
Windows Firewall is just fine for most users.

Home routers are a good idea to put between your computer and the
Internet if you have broadband (cable/dsl), even if you only have a
single computer. Routers are relatively inexpensive (around $60-70usd)
and easy to set up. I would buy a well-known brand such as:

Linksys, D-Link, Netgear, Buffalo, Belkin

Here is a link (TinyURL'd) to the Linksys Learning Center:
http://tinyurl.com/8ka4w

This isn't a plug for Linksys - it is just that I think this site has a
lot of helpful information.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

From: "transient" <transient@discussions.microsoft.com>

| Iam running XP Pro, with service pack 2 and I think all updates.
| How do I turn on the firewall? Or is it automatically running?
| Whats the best software firewall to run?
| Is a router say a linksys one safe?
| What is a good router for casual internet/gaming to run.
| I would like to run xp's plus a software, plus a hardware router. thanks for
| your time!!

Installation of WinXP P2 automatically enables the WinXP FireWall.

Linksys is just fine. For added security I always suggest blocking both TCP and UDP ports
135 ~ 139 and 445 on *any* SOHO Routers.

A Router with a full FireWall implementation costs more than a just a standard NAT Router.
If you want it, go for one !

--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

"David H. Lipman" wrote:

> From: "transient" <transient@discussions.microsoft.com>
>
> | Iam running XP Pro, with service pack 2 and I think all updates.
> | How do I turn on the firewall? Or is it automatically running?
> | Whats the best software firewall to run?
> | Is a router say a linksys one safe?
> | What is a good router for casual internet/gaming to run.
> | I would like to run xp's plus a software, plus a hardware router. thanks for
> | your time!!
>
> Installation of WinXP P2 automatically enables the WinXP FireWall.
>
> Linksys is just fine. For added security I always suggest blocking both TCP and UDP ports
> 135 ~ 139 and 445 on *any* SOHO Routers.
>
> A Router with a full FireWall implementation costs more than a just a standard NAT Router.
> If you want it, go for one !
>
> --
> Dave
> http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
> http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm
>
>
>

Thanks for the replies!!!!
I had a Linksys router, but when I moved it must have gotten broken. Anyone
know how to troubleshoot a router? The router detects my cable modem(5 mbs
dn/ 256 k up)But when i connect form my mobo to router, none of the 4 ports
light up. I ran that linksys setup thingy, buy alas, it couldnt detect the
router through any of the ports. I was looking at the 129$ Linksys router at
Best Buy + Adaware and Zonealarm. I found like 8 trojans using like 10
differnet spyware programs, in less that a month of normal usage - s c a r y
-.
If I block those ports will I still be able to game online? BTW whats a
SOHO router?
i think ill reinstall xp after i get my set up up again. Thanks again for
replies.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

From: "transient" <transient@discussions.microsoft.com>


| Thanks for the replies!!!!
| I had a Linksys router, but when I moved it must have gotten broken. Anyone
| know how to troubleshoot a router? The router detects my cable modem(5 mbs
| dn/ 256 k up)But when i connect form my mobo to router, none of the 4 ports
| light up. I ran that linksys setup thingy, buy alas, it couldnt detect the
| router through any of the ports. I was looking at the 129$ Linksys router at
| Best Buy + Adaware and Zonealarm. I found like 8 trojans using like 10
| differnet spyware programs, in less that a month of normal usage - s c a r y
| -.
| If I block those ports will I still be able to game online? BTW whats a
| SOHO router?
| i think ill reinstall xp after i get my set up up again. Thanks again for
| replies.

SOHO -- Small Office, Home Office

If you connect an Ethernet port of a computer via properly wired twisted pair Ethernet Cable
to a LAN port of the Router, then the lights should light up on both the Router and the
Ethernet port of the PC. If one light on one side lights up then the send pair may be good
but the receive pair may me bad or vice versa. If both sides do not light then it is a bad
cable alltogether.

If you block TCP and UDP ports 135 ~139 and 445 it will NOT affect gaming or any other
normal Internet acces. It will only block NetBIOS over IP and MS Networking. This is good
becuase it mitigates hackers and internet worms from getting from the Internet (WAN) side of
the Router to the LAN side and keeps MS Networking from leaking out from the LAN side to the
Internet.

--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

"David H. Lipman" wrote:

> From: "transient" <transient@discussions.microsoft.com>
>
>
> | Thanks for the replies!!!!
> | I had a Linksys router, but when I moved it must have gotten broken. Anyone
> | know how to troubleshoot a router? The router detects my cable modem(5 mbs
> | dn/ 256 k up)But when i connect form my mobo to router, none of the 4 ports
> | light up. I ran that linksys setup thingy, buy alas, it couldnt detect the
> | router through any of the ports. I was looking at the 129$ Linksys router at
> | Best Buy + Adaware and Zonealarm. I found like 8 trojans using like 10
> | differnet spyware programs, in less that a month of normal usage - s c a r y
> | -.
> | If I block those ports will I still be able to game online? BTW whats a
> | SOHO router?
> | i think ill reinstall xp after i get my set up up again. Thanks again for
> | replies.
>
> SOHO -- Small Office, Home Office
>
> If you connect an Ethernet port of a computer via properly wired twisted pair Ethernet Cable
> to a LAN port of the Router, then the lights should light up on both the Router and the
> Ethernet port of the PC. If one light on one side lights up then the send pair may be good
> but the receive pair may me bad or vice versa. If both sides do not light then it is a bad
> cable alltogether.
>
> If you block TCP and UDP ports 135 ~139 and 445 it will NOT affect gaming or any other
> normal Internet acces. It will only block NetBIOS over IP and MS Networking. This is good
> becuase it mitigates hackers and internet worms from getting from the Internet (WAN) side of
> the Router to the LAN side and keeps MS Networking from leaking out from the LAN side to the
> Internet.
>
> --
> Dave
> http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
> http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm
>
>
> thanks!!!!!