Firewalls

Both aren't firewalls, but host-based packet filters. Running 2 of them is not just pointless, but even dangerous, as it increases complexity.

Windows Firewall is better. Outpost has a lot of known vulnerabilities, totally unnecessary complexity (f.e. useless trials of application control) and a pretty lousy quality.

You should try to supplement the XP FW as I have seen a few posts in other NG(s) as it's been disabled and taken out, since I know you're running on the Internet with Admin rights.

Duane :)

This is different from any other host-based packet filter in exactly which way?

I suggest supplementing them all. And since it's XP, I would use IPSEC. IPSEC is the key and it's there too.

IPSEC! It's a supplemental solution and it works for me. ;-)

Duane :)

You know a good tutorial site to set up IPSEC? Will it interfere with multiplayer games? Thx.

IPSec for packet filtering suffers two problems:

1. no stateful filtering
2. default exemptions, which can only be fully disabled on NT 5.2 (Srv03, XP 64)

But what about IPFilter and RAS Firewall?

I am not looking for stateful filtering. I think I have told you this once before. IPSEC does the job I needed to do in a supplemental role with the rules I created to supplement the PFW solution. Or I was using it to supplement the NAT router that couldn't stop outbound.

I will say this to you one more time *supplement*. Do you understand the meaning of the word *supplement*?

With the rules I have set or created to supplement in case the PFW solution is taken out, the machine is not setting there wide open. If I need to block all SMTP traffic, POP3 etc, etc, etc, I can easily do it with the AnalogX rules that are provided by AnalogX to use and simply enable them.

I have no use for IPfliters or a RAS FW on this laptop. And when I have my network setup again, everything is behind the WatchGuard.

Duane :)

If you're running XP pro or better, then there is the IPSEC UI.

I can set rules to stop all inbound or outbound traffic in reserve in case I need that. It's a simple rule Block all TCP traffic, which you can use behind the XP FW as it's not stopping anything outbound.

Duane :)

Ok, thx for the info. This one above should do me as I'm on XP Home and not Pro.

This link that I gave you talks about the tools at the DOS Command Prompt that can be used to create new IPsec rules, modif existing rules, and trun a IPsec policy on or off. You may have to install somethings off the XP CD.

Duane :)

Will do, thx.