Firewall settings?

[Susan]

I have Windows XP Pro and am dial-up user. I tried to
turn on the firewall by using the Network Wizard. For
dial-up the details now show Disconnected, Shared,
Firewalled. However, when I test the firewall using the
HackerWatch.org/probe, I have many ports that are Closed
but Unsecure, and Open and Unsecure. How can I fix this?
Is the XP firewall adequate for home user?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Please visit the Firewall experts in the Firewall newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.networking.firewall

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


|I have Windows XP Pro and am dial-up user. I tried to
| turn on the firewall by using the Network Wizard. For
| dial-up the details now show Disconnected, Shared,
| Firewalled. However, when I test the firewall using the
| HackerWatch.org/probe, I have many ports that are Closed
| but Unsecure, and Open and Unsecure. How can I fix this?
| Is the XP firewall adequate for home user?

 

[Bob Harris]

You might prefer the free version of the Zone Alarm firewall. It was fairly
easy to configure, except for Norton Updates and Windows Updates, which
required a little thinking and reading the associated user forums. I tested
my PC at a free site called shields up. Before ZA, the PC was mostly
closed, a few ports open, but very visible. After ZA, I was in what they
call stealth mode, meaning that if I had not contacted them to run a test
for me, they would have not found me.

 

[Susan]

Thanks, I use Sygate on desktop PC with Windows ME after
getting Blue Screen of Death with ZA and KB article said
to remove Zone Alarm. I know many people like Zone Alarm
but guess I was one of the few unlucky ones that it
caused problems. I have XP and will find out about it
from other group. Maybe I will end up uses Sygate on this
PC.

Thanks everyone!
Susan