Windows SP2

Call me crazy but is the new SP2 from Microsoft not all its cracked up to be?

The firewall has left me worse than unprotected in my opinion, the ZoneAlarm one is better

Well, if you guys have any views Id like to hear them!!

JuanCarlos

I agree JuanCarlos, ZoneAlarm is a better firewall than the one that comes bundled with SP2. It does offer some protection (only blocks incoming traffic) to those that are not computer savvy. Microsoft is heading in the right direction, just not fast enough in my opinion. Now that Microsoft has aquired the Giant AntiSpware software, maybe we'll get some real protection from the big guns If only they include it as an (optional) Windows Update rather than selling it to their customers, it would be great

Tom

Giant Antispyware? Sounds cool!!

While we're on the subject, ZoneAlarm has been acting funny lately. Its refusing access to my home network, which I have to use to connect to the internet, use the printers etc.

I've cleared 4 IP addresses used by the network but its still blocking.

Any ideas?

JuanCarlos

The beta of their spyware program is now available here:

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/sec...re/default.mspx

You might want to give Sygate a try:

http://www.sygate.com/

It's not as easy to use as ZA, but you might find you have a little more control with it.

Also, if you have XP Service Pack 2 installed, make sure that the Windows firewall is disabled.

Tom

Whoops, I forgot to press "Apply" when I typed in the IP addresses!!!! I re-entered them, pressed Apply (:P) and its all fine now

But Il definitely give Sygate a go, I get the feeling that ZoneAlarm can't really tell what I want and what I don't now

Thanks

JuanCarlos

The Windows Firewall is just about the most unpredictable Firewall you can get (this hasn't improved with SP2). With SP2 I'm doing VPN connections using ipsecmcd. When the VPN is started and connected to the remote network you can't ping any of the remote network's computers, though you can 'net use' them, i.e. Windows Netbios stuff works and you can open shares etc. Pinging to the Internet also works. I have found no option that would change this behaviour. In the Pre Sp2 era I used to install Zone Alarm, however I find it very clumsy for the configuration part and there is no possibility to easily transfer the settings from one computer to the other, i.e. you have to go through the configuration of Zone Alarm every time which is very clumsy.

I would be happy with something like the linux "iptables" in Windows so you could configure your own Firewall as you wish and would have something that is also portable.

Does anyone know such a product, or am I asking too much?

Leone