xp firewall?

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G

Guest

Could someone please tell me how to find out (a) if I have one, if so, (b)
exactly what route do I take to get to it.

I have xp home edition and have not yet installed service pack 2.

I have suddenly got problems with my EZ anti virus updates which have been
fine for months and as far as I know I haven't changed anything apart from
recently going onto broadband via a router, but the dates do not seem to
suggest that it is anything to do with this.

EZ message says to check firewall, BUT I CAN'T FIND IT.

Help Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Windows XP has a built-in firewall, so if you have XP, you have a firewall.
Until SP 2, it was called Internet Connection Firewall. SP 2 replaced that
with the new, improved Windows Firewall. You can read about it in the Help
and Support Center; see the article entitled Internet Connection Firewall
Overview.

Windows' own firewall is a good firewall, as firewalls go. (The version in
SP 2 is considerably improved.) However, third party firewalls include
additional features that many people find useful and important.

Modem Ani
 
Windows firewall options are available in Control panel. Click the Start
button and then click Control panel. When the control panel window opens
look for an icon marked Windows Firewall (it looks like a wall with a globe
behind it) Click on this to open the firewall properties window.
Personally i would rather use the free version of zone alarm
(www.zonelabs.com) than i would the windows firewall. Zonelarm gives you far
better control over what comes in and what goes out of your pc. If you do
decide to install Zone alarm make sure you disable the windows firewall. It
is no use having two firewalls running at the same time because they may
conflict.
You disable the windows firewall by clicking on the windows firewall icon
and on the general tab clicking the radio button next to the Off (not
recommended) option. A little green dot should appear to the left of the
option when you click on it to say that the firewall is Off. Finally click
OK to exit.
 
John said:
Windows firewall options are available in Control panel. Click the Start
button and then click Control panel. When the control panel window opens
look for an icon marked Windows Firewall (it looks like a wall with a globe
behind it) Click on this to open the firewall properties window.
Personally i would rather use the free version of zone alarm
(www.zonelabs.com) than i would the windows firewall. Zonelarm gives you far
better control over what comes in and what goes out of your pc. If you do
decide to install Zone alarm make sure you disable the windows firewall. It
is no use having two firewalls running at the same time because they may
conflict.
You disable the windows firewall by clicking on the windows firewall icon
and on the general tab clicking the radio button next to the Off (not
recommended) option. A little green dot should appear to the left of the
option when you click on it to say that the firewall is Off. Finally click
OK to exit.
Click to expand...

The original poster hasn't installed SP2, so there won't be a dedicated
firewall icon in Control Panel.

To the OP: double-click Network Connections in Control Panel,
right-click the icon corresponding to your LAN connection, click
Properties, then click on the Advanced tab.
 
Thanks JS, I did that earlier, but all it shows is a tick box to either
Enable or Disable. What I really want to try and do is check what the
firewall is allowing or not allowing, i.e. my anti virus updates. Any ideas?
Thanks for your help.
 
wilbyhilbly said:
Thanks JS, I did that earlier, but all it shows is a tick box to either
Enable or Disable. What I really want to try and do is check what the
firewall is allowing or not allowing, i.e. my anti virus updates. Any ideas?
Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...

The firewall isn't preventing your virus program from contacting the update
server to retrieve updates because, well, it can't. Your problem is
something other than the firewall.

Ken
 
I may be way off base here, but isn't the router a firewall in and of itself?
It seems I have read something to that effect.
 
A topic of much confusion: A router can perform many firewall functions, but
you still want a software firewall for the additional features it offers.
For example, a router won't alert you when an application is requesting
internet access.

Modem Ani
 
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