XP firewall will not activate

[Joe]

I have a new Dell, Win XP home edition. Used CD to
install AOL 9.0 as primary ISP, and downloaded free
Netzero, as backup. Though I use dial up, I prefer to
use XP's firewall. It will activate for Netzero, but not
AOL. In "Network Connections" of Control Panel, the
properties screen disappears when clicked on AOL (did not
on Netzero). The Tasks bar, to the left, has a "Change
Settings" options, but does not work for the AOL icon.
When I sign on to AOL, the Network Connections icon shows
it is "disconnected", though I'm still signed on. Only
other protection is Norton AV. Thanks for any assistance.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

If you have AOL:

America Online installs its own connection settings that override
the ones that come with Windows XP. America Online's
connection settings don't include a way to turn on Windows XP's
built-in firewall.

Visit the following web site for instructions on downloading
a FREE firewall program for your computer.

Ref: http://www.updatexp.com/free.html

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

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

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


| I have a new Dell, Win XP home edition. Used CD to
| install AOL 9.0 as primary ISP, and downloaded free
| Netzero, as backup. Though I use dial up, I prefer to
| use XP's firewall. It will activate for Netzero, but not
| AOL. In "Network Connections" of Control Panel, the
| properties screen disappears when clicked on AOL (did not
| on Netzero). The Tasks bar, to the left, has a "Change
| Settings" options, but does not work for the AOL icon.
| When I sign on to AOL, the Network Connections icon shows
| it is "disconnected", though I'm still signed on. Only
| other protection is Norton AV. Thanks for any assistance.

 

[Robert Moir]

I have a new Dell, Win XP home edition. Used CD to
install AOL 9.0 as primary ISP, and downloaded free
Netzero, as backup. Though I use dial up, I prefer to
use XP's firewall. It will activate for Netzero, but not
AOL. In "Network Connections" of Control Panel, the
properties screen disappears when clicked on AOL (did not
on Netzero). The Tasks bar, to the left, has a "Change
Settings" options, but does not work for the AOL icon.
When I sign on to AOL, the Network Connections icon shows
it is "disconnected", though I'm still signed on. Only
other protection is Norton AV. Thanks for any assistance.

For reasons best known to themselves, AOL have fixed things so that the XP
firewall will not work with their connections. You can, however, use a 3rd
party firewall like zone alarm, as far as I know...

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

If you're using AOL, you'll either need to find a 3rd party
firewall that is compatible with AOL, or switch to a real ISP that is
compatible with the real Internet.

AOL is an on-line content provider that ignores international
Internetworking standards in favor of its own proprietary products,
and has deliberately made its connection software incompatible with
both WinXP's built-in firewall and WinXP's Internet Connection Sharing
feature. AOL's proprietary connection applet is deliberately designed
to preclude your setting/adjusting any of its properties, to include
enabling/disabling WinXP's ICF and ICS.


Bruce Chambers

--
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