Home > Articles > Home & Office Computing > Microsoft Windows Desktop

Enabling the Firewall Included in Windows XP

📄 Contents

  1. Administering Firewalls and Touring Its Advanced Options
  2. Tracking What's Going On with Your Firewall
Given the fact that virtually everyone running Windows XP Professional will be connected to the Internet, the need for protecting systems from unwanted access is critical. Louis Columbus discusses the software-configurable firewalls included with XP Professional and Home Editions.
Like this article? We recommend

Like this article? We recommend

WARNING!

This article is aimed at the first-time Windows XP user who needs to get started with configuring a firewall, but first needs to learn what one is. For the first-time user, this article is written to be a tutorial article. So if you're an advanced user, this article does not go into great depth—sorry! Instead, it's meant to be a tutorial for beginning XP users.

Given the fact that Microsoft projects that virtually everyone running Windows XP Professional will be connected to the Internet—either through dial-up connection, cable connection, ISDN, or LAN—the need for protecting systems from unwanted access over the Internet is critical. For the first time, Microsoft has included a software firewall in an operating system. Both Windows XP Professional and Home have software-configurable firewalls. Called an Internet Connection Firewall (ICF), this is a software application that blocks others from accessing your system while you are on the Internet. The firewall actually foils attempts by hackers to gain access to your system and then logs their efforts.

Firewalls have been around quite a while, and can be either in hardware or software form. Most companies use both approaches to make sure their data and accounts are kept safe. Keep in mind that there are degrees of security in any operating system; no one operating system can be considered completely safe from hackers or intrusion. It's more of a matter of making your system impenetrable to the majority of hackers out on the Internet.

Microsoft has created the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) so that it can be enabled regardless of the type of network connection to the Internet. All connections share common properties, and the ICF is one of them. It's very easy to toggle on the ICF for virtually any connection. For example, presented here are the steps to enable the ICF for modem-based connections:

  1. Click once on Network Connections in the Communications Menu.

  2. Right-click on the icon that represents your Internet connection, and choose Properties. The Local Area Connection Properties dialog box appears.

  3. Click once on the Advanced tab that is shown in Figure 1, specifically on the tab labeled Advanced in the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box.

    Figure 1 Configuring the ICF through the Connection Properties dialog box.

  4. Click once on the top entry on the Advanced page: Protect my computer and network by limiting or preventing access to this computer from the Internet. This enables the ICF.

  5. Click once on OK, and the ICF is now in place. You will have to reboot to have the ICF enabled.

Administering Firewalls and Touring Its Advanced Options

There are several points to keep in mind when you are working with an Internet Connection Firewall. These are key points specifically for those of you who will be administering them in organizations. Keep these tips in mind to troubleshoot ICF functions as well.

  • If your company or organization currently runs a VPN, there's a good chance that the server that is hosting the connection already has a firewall. If so, the ICF on Windows XP systems and the firewall(s) on the VPN hosting servers may conflict. If you have XP-based systems suddenly not capable of running, check to make sure there isn't a conflict at the ICF level.

  • Don't enable ICF in Windows XP systems if the existing network uses Windows 2000 or XP domain controllers, DHCP servers, gateways, or static IP addresses.

  • Keep in mind that if your network uses a remote exchange server to handle e-mail, the firewall will prevent the server from sending e-mail notifications to MS Outlook 2000 users. That is because the remote procedure call (RPC) that sends the notification has been initiated outside the firewall. Outlook 2000 users can still send and receive e-mail messages normally. However, they need to manually check for new messages from their own systems so the process begins within the firewall.

  • Do not enable the firewall in Network Connections icons on any local area connections, virtual private networking (VPN) connections, or any other non-Internet connections.

There's also a series of options for configuring the ICF that makes the most sense if you're an administrator because many users will not specifically deal with these configuration issues. As advanced functions of the Windows XP ICF, they are meant more to define how servers will communicate to clients; so these are not functions you have to change weekly or even monthly. They will reflect the security policies your company has in place. If you are working on a system that is part of a VPN, don't modify these settings because the VPN is specifically configured to work with Windows XP in a predetermined protocol set. Here are the steps to view the advanced ICF functions:

  1. Right-click on the network connection of interest. Select the Properties dialog box.

  2. Click once on Advanced.

  3. Click once on the Settings button located at the bottom of the Advanced page. The Advanced Settings page appears, as shown in Figure 2.

    Figure 2 Defining the advanced functions of the ICF.

  4. It's a good idea to check with your system administrator before changing any of these elements because each permits access from the Internet to your system and servers. If you are a system administrator, you can toggle the specific levels of support you want to provide to allowing others to get through your firewall for specific purposes.

  5. Click once on OK to close the dialog box.

  6. Click once on OK again to close the Properties dialog box.

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020