Service Pack 2 security questions...

[George]

I installed WinXP Service Pack 2 (SP-2). It defaults to "Windows Firewall
ENABLED". Would appreciate some responses from several others on these
questions...

a) Do I need to turn off (DISABLE) the WINDOWS firewall? My 2003 Linksys
router BEFSX41 VPN router already has a firewall. Will Win-Firewall
interfere with my Linksys Router/Switch? Will it interfere with the ability
to share files among PC's behind the router? Will it create any other
problems?

b) Windows also makes its "Windows Security Center" the default, over McAfee
Online (which I pay $29/year for)...but after installing SP2, McAfee
instantly uploaded an update which asked me to make McAfee the DEFAULT and
gave a message something about I could have conflicts if I select NO (don't
make McAfee the default). What are most people doing here?

Thanks
George

 

[Phil]

I installed WinXP Service Pack 2 (SP-2). It defaults to "Windows
Firewall ENABLED". Would appreciate some responses from several
others on these questions...

a) Do I need to turn off (DISABLE) the WINDOWS firewall? My 2003
Linksys router BEFSX41 VPN router already has a firewall.

If your router does NAT and SPI then the windows firewall is not needed.
But, you may want to consider an outgoing monitoring firewall like zone
alarm, to monitor outbound connections, which the router does not
do.(although many routers config correctly to lock down outbound traffic can
be just as effective).

Will Win-Firewall interfere with my Linksys Router/Switch?

No, but like I said above, it's not needed.

Will it interfere with the ability to share files among PC's behind the
router? Will it create any other problems?

If not configured correctly, yes it can.

b) Windows also makes its "Windows Security Center" the default, over
McAfee Online (which I pay $29/year for)...but after installing SP2,
McAfee instantly uploaded an update which asked me to make McAfee the
DEFAULT and gave a message something about I could have conflicts if
I select NO (don't make McAfee the default). What are most people
doing here?

The security center is nice for people who don't want to bother with proper
computer maintenance, so they let xp tell them when they've been lazy and
that it's time to get updates, or to update your av. The firewall monitor
would be nice, but it doesn't work with routers/hardware firewalls, so if
you have one, it's useless. IMO, you probably don't need either the security
center or mcafee, but I don't know what this pay service gets you, so can't
answer on which way to go is best. I have the secuirty center monitor my av
program(avg), but it always gets updated before security center thinks it
old anyway.

 

[Mike Hall]

McAfee Security Centre is part of McAfee version 8 and above.. not sure that
there is a way to disable it.. it doesn't get in the way of anything so I
leave it be..

 

[Peter]

Make McAfee your default.

 

[Mike Hall]

You may have replied to the wrong part of the thread.. McAfee already is my
default..

 

[Guest]

Since McAfee is providing the Virus protection software, it makes sense to
let McAfee handle all the Virus stuff, including the Security Center for
virus protection. It's what they do. That should reduce the risk of any
interface issues between WinXP and McAfee.