About windows xp home firewall

[Juan Gentry]

I have two computers and both of them are on a network
using a router. One is wireless and the other wired to
the router. I want to us the xp built in firewall but
everytime i turn it on i cannot transfer files from one
computer to another. I get the error message about asking
the system admin. for authority. Is ther anything that i
have to modify in the firewall settings?

 

[Eric Cross]

Greetings Juan,

You can but I don't see the purpose of using it on the local area network
because it blocks file and printer sharing. It is intended for direct
connections to the Internet. A third party firewall does everything and more
that the XP's firewall does and I recommend it for the network.

Yes, you can easily open the XP's firewall to allow file and printer sharing
by opening the following ports.

TCP 139, 445; UDP 137, 138, 445

_______________
Eric

 

[CheshireCat]

Hi Juan

You should install another firewall. ICF is only for use when connecting to
the www directly via modem and doesn't support LANs.

 

[Mark Swift [MSFT]]

ICF definitely supports LANs.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

ICF definitely supports LANs.

Would you please explain your statement, Mark?

In my experience, ICF blocks file and printer sharing, making it
unsuitable for use on most LANs. I advise people to enable ICF only
on a direct modem (dial-up, DSL, cable) connection to the Internet,
where it's needed to block Internet hackers.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Mark Swift [MSFT]]

ICF works and is supported on LAN connections. If you need file and printer
sharing ports opened, that is doable. If that doesn't work, then it sounds
like a bug. Using ICF and configuring it correctly isn't the easiest thing
in the world, so I understand why you advise people to only use it for their
modem connections. Hopefully SP2 will fix that.