Advanced Settings...

[plato]

Control Panel -> Network Connections -> Right click on my connection and choose 'properties' -> Advanced -> Settings -> Services

The two things checked in the attachment... is that right?

Should all the boxes be unchecked?

[ronin_asano]

you should disable the xp firewall and get a hw router/firewall.

the one in xp is not a good one.

if the box is checked, that traffic is allowed. to disable it, uncheck the box.

[plato]

Yeah but I don't know what kind of traffic that is.

Can someone explain those two checked boxes?

(List some firewall programs too)

[saber41]

You could always try unchecking the boxes and see if you notice anything different.

For a software firewall check out Zone Alarm,
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/home.jsp

Hardware firewalls are built in to home routers like the ones made by Linksys and NetGear.

[gudel]

that looks like upnp port automatically opened by msn messenger. you can uncheck it.

[berniew]

Originally posted by gudel
that looks like upnp port automatically opened by msn messenger. you can uncheck it.

Yep. Get sysgate if you are going to run a software firewall. http://soho.sygate.com/default.htm

And you may want to disable upnp
http://grc.com/UnPnP/UnPnP.htm

[ronin_asano]

Originally posted by plato
Yeah but I don't know what kind of traffic that is.

Can someone explain those two checked boxes?

(List some firewall programs too)

it's the ports for msn messenger. if you don't use it, disallow it.

firewall programs are not nearly as a effective as a hw firewall. you really should get one.

that said, i second the vote for sygate as a sw firewall. i never cared for zonealarm.