Microsoft firewall fault.

[Agile]

Later tonight a posting got stuck and my AOL crashed.

I found that what is shown as Microsoft Firewall preventing broadband access is really windows firewall.

All the settings LOOK correct with AOL is listed as an exception but I can only access the connection if the firewall is turned off which is not recommended!!!

Any suggestions?

Tony

 

[Softus]

Agile, AOL is the Potterton Puma of the Internet world - it's seriously time you subscribed to a proper ISP.

In the meantime, which type of ADSL modem do you have?

 

[Agile]

Netgear834G ! But currently hardwired!

I reselected the Firewall but added broadband connection as an exception together with AOL and its now working with the Firewall activated. So my internet access is back to more or less normal.

I still dont see how getting stuck on a forum posting should have upset the Firewall but then computers are even more idiosyncratic than boilers!

Tony

 

[Doc Lenny]

That model has firewall features built-it. You can disable your windows firewall if the router has this feature enabled.

 

[TheOriginalTonkaToy]

If you want to keep a software firewall on your PC in addition to the hardware one on the router (not a bad idea, really) I'd recommend disabling the XP one and installing either the Comodo personal firewall or the Kerio personal firewall in its place. Both are free to use.

The XP firewall is truly awful!

 

[dave.m]

Agile,
As Tonka says the Windows firewall is . . . well, not so good! It only blocks incoming traffic so if you do have a virus already on you computer it could be sending out info and Windows firewall could not stop it.

Free Software Firewalls. Take your pick from any of these:
Only have one software firewall operating and
remember to turn off Windows firewall if using another.
*
Zone Alarm Firewall
Or Here
*
Comodo Firewall
Or Here
*
Sunbelt Kerio
*
Ashampoo Firewall
Ashampoo Firewall

*
PC Tools Firewall

 

[Igorian]

I wouldn't bother with any software firewalls at all. Just configure your hardware one correctly and you will be fine.

 

[TheOriginalTonkaToy]

The netgear firewall handles stateful packet inspection, but it isn't application aware whereas the software firewalls are. Good security is all about layers. I'd seriously recommend a decent software firewall as well as the perimeter hardware firewall.

 

[Igorian]

IMHO, software firewalls produce a lot of false positives, presumably to make it look like they are doing something all the time. They can also mask things that would be best removed. Also, being software, they are more prone to error and interference.

Software firewalls operate in the same way as their hardware cousins, by opening, closing or monitoring ports. Software firewalls are only Application aware because they can interact with the O/S. This in itself is in conflict with the security you are trying to provide.

 

[TheOriginalTonkaToy]

Why would a free software firewall bother doing that? I use Comodo and it's never produced a false positive. As for being prone to error and interference, no, not particularly they aren't.

Yes they work in the same way as a dedicated firewall does, and guess what a dedicated firewall uses to manage ports and packets statefully? Software. By the way, the better dedicated hardware firewalls are also application aware and don't need to interact with the OS of the systems they protect.

The best way of providing good system security is to layer it, professional systems may use more than one firewall, for example, and under that use VPNs and VLANs to manage and segregate traffic.

 

[Igorian]

Why would a free software firewall bother doing that? I use Comodo and it's never produced a false positive. As for being prone to error and interference, no, not particularly they aren't.

For the same reason free software exists, to encourage upgrading to a pro version. I can't Coment on Comodo, as I have not used it.
I was speaking generally of software in a Windows environment.

Yes they work in the same way as a dedicated firewall does, and guess what a dedicated firewall uses to manage ports and packets statefully? Software. By the way, the better dedicated hardware firewalls are also application aware and don't need to interact with the OS of the systems they protect.

But not software that has direct interaction with the host O/S, as in my post. We are not talking about the pro versions which are outside the scope of this thread.

The best way of providing good system security is to layer it, professional systems may use more than one firewall, for example, and under that use VPNs and VLANs to manage and segregate traffic.

Ditto

 

[TheOriginalTonkaToy]

For the same reason free software exists, to encourage upgrading to a pro version. I can't Coment on Comodo, as I have not used it.
I was speaking generally of software in a Windows environment.

The free firewall I recommended doesn't push the paid version either through nag screens or popups. It's intended to be free for non-commercial use and the supplier is happy with that. It doesn't produce false positives, when it does pop up an alert or request for confirmation it doesn't attempt to sell anything, it merely asks for an answer. I really don't see your point.

But not software that has direct interaction with the host O/S, as in my post. We are not talking about the pro versions which are outside the scope of this thread.

The software firewalls are application aware by the same method as the more expensive dedicated appliances - by packet inspection. The fact that they interact with the OS is neither here nor there especially if they are used as a second layer of network security. Your anti-virus program interacts with the OS. So does your anti-spyware application - do you think you should not use one as a result of that?

Ditto

Ditto what exactly? Professional setups often use software firewalls on workstations In addition to perimeter and partitioning firewalls, and for many good reasons. They also use perimeter anti virus (on mail handling appliances, proxies, file servers, etc.) but also have workstation anti-virus software - in the better setups, AV software from a different supplier. Why? In one word: Layering. In much the way that single factor authentication (username and password) is enhanced by dual factor authentication (username, password, and token) when higher security is needed. This is nothing new and it's common and good practice in the professional world. Layering of security makes absolute sense in a domestic environment as well - especially when one of the key components can be obtained and used free of charge.