External connections...

[Rob Outman]

Hi all...

I am having a problem with my work computer that I really hope someone can
help me with. Last week I had to re-install the windows OS due to an office
issue I was having. Prior to re-installing Windows 2000 pro, I was able to
get on the internet, run MSN messenger, connect to newsgroups through
Outlook express, download application updates through the application itself
(i.e. ad-aware, spybot, etc...). Now since the re-install, I have
configured internet explorer to use the proxy server. The internet now
works fine, but none of the other above apps work. All I get is "unable to
connect" errors when ever trying to connect through any of the other apps.

I thought it may be a firewall issue, but I know very little about
firewalls... not to mention the fact that everyone else in the office is
able to connect with the same apps with no problems. I have more or less
ruled out a firewall issue because every other person is able to connect and
I was able to connect prior to the OS re-install.

Could there possibly be something else that I have missed? Are there
firewall settings on my client machine that need to be set? Does anyone
have any idea what I need to do to get these apps connecting again?

TIA for any help you may be able to offer!

Rob

 

[Martin Neumann]

Are you on an office network? Most likely there are then some proxy or
firewall settings to consider. Look into the control panel/Internet
Settings, and check out the Lan Settings there. Just I read now you have
configured the proxy on Internet Explorer. Have a look though on a
different system if there is a proxy script they have. If you dont get
anything going that way, you probably need some help from your system
administrator.

 

[Eugene Byelyakov]

Probably you'll need to speak with your admin guys. It is quite
dependent of firewall you use -- for example, if you use ISA Server it
can be configured to allow only clients with installed FW client
software to access other proocols.

There are (if I'm not wrong -- ISA good (IMHO) for small business but
not for enterprises, so I have not played with it for a long time) 3
types of ISA clients:

1. Web-proxy -- users who use proxy settings in their IE pointing to
ISA
2. SecureNAT - users who use FW as their default GW. These clients are
given access by their IP
3. Fierewall Client - requires FW client to be run on PC. This
software send user identity data to firewal based on which it makes
desigion on granting or restricting access.