Firewall & File Sharing - XP Pro

[Barb]

I have two XP Pro machines that are hubbed together and
then to RR ISP through a cable modem. Each has pleant of
CPU power and memory.

I have been working on File Sharing bewtween the systems
with the firewall enabled. If I disable the firewall, I
can see the Workgroup and Shared files quickly, but I
wanted to be able to enable the firewall.

I did get this to work by assigning file and print
sharing ports in the Properties on "View Network
Connections", Advanced Tab, Enable Firewall, Setting
Button. But the Workgroup and connections display way too
slow. I wonder if I have things configured properly.

This is what ports I assigned to the Services GUI...

File Sharing TCP Ports 138 & 445 (external & internal)
File Sharing UDP Ports 137, 138 & 445 (external &
internal). I am not sure if all of these ports should
have been assigned.

I also installed the Client for MS Network & Netware and
the File Sharing & Service Advertising Protocol modules
that show up on the General Tab of Local Area.


Ilke I said, I can file share now, but it is so very slow
to bring up these shared connections that I think I may
have something incorrect.

Any ideas? And thanks in advance for your time.

BJ

 

[Guest]

What firewall?
If it's windows firewall get rid of that and get a thrid
party firewall like nortons internet security or
zonealarm. On nortons there is a network wizard u run
that sets the firewall up to allow network communication.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I have two XP Pro machines that are hubbed together and
then to RR ISP through a cable modem. Each has pleant of
CPU power and memory.

I have been working on File Sharing bewtween the systems
with the firewall enabled. If I disable the firewall, I
can see the Workgroup and Shared files quickly, but I
wanted to be able to enable the firewall.

I did get this to work by assigning file and print
sharing ports in the Properties on "View Network
Connections", Advanced Tab, Enable Firewall, Setting
Button. But the Workgroup and connections display way too
slow. I wonder if I have things configured properly.

This is what ports I assigned to the Services GUI...

File Sharing TCP Ports 138 & 445 (external & internal)
File Sharing UDP Ports 137, 138 & 445 (external &
internal). I am not sure if all of these ports should
have been assigned.

I also installed the Client for MS Network & Netware and
the File Sharing & Service Advertising Protocol modules
that show up on the General Tab of Local Area.


Ilke I said, I can file share now, but it is so very slow
to bring up these shared connections that I think I may
have something incorrect.

Any ideas? And thanks in advance for your time.

BJ

Since your computers are connected to the cable modem through a hub,
not through a broadband router, it isn't safe to use TCP/IP for file
and printer sharing between them. Any ports that you open in the
firewall will be accessible by everyone on the Internet. If you share
files between your computers, you're also sharing them with everyone
on the Internet.

Here are two possible solutions:

1. Replace the hub with a broadband router, which will act as a
firewall between your computers and the Internet. If you're now
paying extra for two IP addresses from your ISP, you could cancel one
of them and save money each month.

2. Run the Windows XP Help and Support program, search for the topic
"Network configurations overview", and look at the section labeled
"Individual Internet connections". The solution given there is to
install the IPX/SPX protocol for file sharing and to disable file
sharing on TCP/IP. I've written a web page showing how to do it:

Windows XP Network Protocols
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/network_protocols.htm
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
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