UPnP Safe to use these days???

[n00bi3]

Hi -

I have been experiencing painfully slow file transfers and
super low framerates with video conferencing using the new
MSN 6. This used to be faster w/ previous version.

Microsoft's solution is to enable UPnP. I remember a while
back that this feature had to come disabled by default
because of major security risks. Does anyone know if these
holes are fixed via the service packs and security updates?
I am running XP Pro and have all the updates installed.

Also, if it is safe to use now, I think XP has an option to
enable it, and I know my gateway/NAT does. They are both
currently disabled. Would I need to enable just the NAT,
Just XP, or both????

Thanks!!!!!

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings,

Actually the "UPnP security risk" you're referring to was actually in the UPnP software in
Windows XP, which was fixed a month after Windows XP was released (over two years ago!) and
was included in the first Windows XP service pack. There are some legitimate "concerns" over
UPnP (since it does allow a software programs to open ports within a firewall/NAT device
without any user intervention), especially in the business sector (hence why UPnP is mainly a
residential technology at this point).

Depending on what Gateway/NAT you have, all you need to do is switch on UPnP in the
Gateway/NAT configuration, close Messenger down (right-click its icon, choose Exit) and then
restart it. After this, you should have full file transfer and video capabilities (since
your contacts will be able to then connect to you, thanks to UPnP). If you happen to be
using a Linksys router/NAT, you may need to turn on the Windows XP UPnP support, but it is
actually optional. So yes, you could've had it on all this time, with no real security risk,
as the only "risk" was in the Windows XP UPnP software which isn't required (in most cases)
for Messenger's UPnP capabilities to work.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

 

[n00bi3]

Thanks Jonathan for all the info. Very helpful. One last
little question. Does the person I am communicating with
thru Messenger need to have UPnP enabled as well on thier
NAT? I think they do not based on your last response but I
just want to be sure. And enabling this "should" speed up
video and file transfer? We are currently able to connect
to one another but as I mentioned video is choppy and file
transfer slow, and neither of us have UPnP enabled...

I have Netgear WSG614 router actually... I dont believe
there to be any special issues with that one. Please
correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks again!

-----Original Message-----
Greetings,

Actually the "UPnP security risk" you're referring to was

actually in the UPnP software in

Windows XP, which was fixed a month after Windows XP was

released (over two years ago!) and

was included in the first Windows XP service pack. There

are some legitimate "concerns" over

UPnP (since it does allow a software programs to open

ports within a firewall/NAT device

without any user intervention), especially in the business

sector (hence why UPnP is mainly a

residential technology at this point).

Depending on what Gateway/NAT you have, all you need to do is switch on UPnP in the
Gateway/NAT configuration, close Messenger down

(right-click its icon, choose Exit) and then

restart it. After this, you should have full file

transfer and video capabilities (since

your contacts will be able to then connect to you, thanks to UPnP). If you happen to be
using a Linksys router/NAT, you may need to turn on the

Windows XP UPnP support, but it is

actually optional. So yes, you could've had it on all

this time, with no real security risk,

as the only "risk" was in the Windows XP UPnP software

which isn't required (in most cases)