Windows Firewall

Win XP Prof, SP3

Windows Firewall, General tab.

ON is checked. Others are not.

Exceptions checked:
File and Printer
Skype
Skype Extras Manager
UPnP Framework

I want nothing connected to my computer except my wife's
portable so that she can print. How can I have an exception
for Printer but not for File? I do not want someone to be
able to break into my computer and get at my files.

Do I need the Skype exceptions checked?

What is UPnP all about? The only things we have are flash
drives. They should not be shared.

I have a scanner attached to a USB port. Can this be run as
a shared drive? What we do now is take the cable from one
computer and plug it into another computer. This works.

Thanks.

Sanford Aranoff wrote:
> Win XP Prof, SP3
>
> Windows Firewall, General tab.
>
> ON is checked. Others are not.
>
> Exceptions checked:
> File and Printer
> Skype
> Skype Extras Manager
> UPnP Framework
>
> I want nothing connected to my computer except my wife's
> portable so that she can print. How can I have an exception
> for Printer but not for File? I do not want someone to be
> able to break into my computer and get at my files.
>
> Do I need the Skype exceptions checked?
>
> What is UPnP all about? The only things we have are flash
> drives. They should not be shared.
>
> I have a scanner attached to a USB port. Can this be run as
> a shared drive? What we do now is take the cable from one
> computer and plug it into another computer. This works.
>
> Thanks.

1. You don't need UPnP. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upnp
Some might consider Steve Gibson a bit paranoid, but see
http://www.grc.com/unpnp/unpnp.htm

2. You don't need Skype Extras. You DO need the exception for Skype
*if* you want to use Skype. You could always permit the exception
before you begin a Skype call and then remove the exception after you're
done. This is a bit cumbersome and you won't be able to receive any
incoming Skype calls (unless you know they're coming and allow the
exception).

3. AFAIK, there is no way to separate "file sharing" from "printer
sharing" in Windows XP. If you don't create any shares (and perhaps
also disable administrative shares - see http://tinyurl.com/yktvwsw) you
should be reasonably secure. Alternatively, purchase a network-ready
printer or a print server. Either of these will permit the printer to
connect directly to your router. It can then be accessed by any computer
on the network, completely independent of any other computer.

--
Lem

Apollo 11 - 40 years ago:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ap...0th/index.html

Lem wrote:
>
> Sanford Aranoff wrote:
> > Win XP Prof, SP3
> >
> > Windows Firewall, General tab.
> >
> > ON is checked. Others are not.
> >
> > Exceptions checked:
> > File and Printer
> > Skype
> > Skype Extras Manager
> > UPnP Framework
> >
> > I want nothing connected to my computer except my wife's
> > portable so that she can print. How can I have an exception
> > for Printer but not for File? I do not want someone to be
> > able to break into my computer and get at my files.
> >
> > Do I need the Skype exceptions checked?
> >
> > What is UPnP all about? The only things we have are flash
> > drives. They should not be shared.
> >
> > I have a scanner attached to a USB port. Can this be run as
> > a shared drive? What we do now is take the cable from one
> > computer and plug it into another computer. This works.
> >
> > Thanks.
>
> 1. You don't need UPnP. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upnp
> Some might consider Steve Gibson a bit paranoid, but see
> http://www.grc.com/unpnp/unpnp.htm
>
> 2. You don't need Skype Extras. You DO need the exception for Skype
> *if* you want to use Skype. You could always permit the exception
> before you begin a Skype call and then remove the exception after you're
> done. This is a bit cumbersome and you won't be able to receive any
> incoming Skype calls (unless you know they're coming and allow the
> exception).
>
> 3. AFAIK, there is no way to separate "file sharing" from "printer
> sharing" in Windows XP. If you don't create any shares (and perhaps
> also disable administrative shares - see http://tinyurl.com/yktvwsw) you
> should be reasonably secure. Alternatively, purchase a network-ready
> printer or a print server. Either of these will permit the printer to
> connect directly to your router. It can then be accessed by any computer
> on the network, completely independent of any other computer.
>
> --
> Lem
>
> Apollo 11 - 40 years ago:
> http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ap...0th/index.html

Thank you very much.

Question: Is there any way to permit the exception for Skype
in code using a Win API function?

Lem wrote:
>
> Sanford Aranoff wrote:
> > Win XP Prof, SP3
> >
> > Windows Firewall, General tab.
> >
> > ON is checked. Others are not.
> >
> > Exceptions checked:
> > File and Printer
> > Skype
> > Skype Extras Manager
> > UPnP Framework
> >
> > I want nothing connected to my computer except my wife's
> > portable so that she can print. How can I have an exception
> > for Printer but not for File? I do not want someone to be
> > able to break into my computer and get at my files.
> >
> > Do I need the Skype exceptions checked?
> >
> > What is UPnP all about? The only things we have are flash
> > drives. They should not be shared.
> >
> > I have a scanner attached to a USB port. Can this be run as
> > a shared drive? What we do now is take the cable from one
> > computer and plug it into another computer. This works.
> >
> > Thanks.
>
> 1. You don't need UPnP. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upnp
> Some might consider Steve Gibson a bit paranoid, but see
> http://www.grc.com/unpnp/unpnp.htm
>
> 2. You don't need Skype Extras. You DO need the exception for Skype
> *if* you want to use Skype. You could always permit the exception
> before you begin a Skype call and then remove the exception after you're
> done. This is a bit cumbersome and you won't be able to receive any
> incoming Skype calls (unless you know they're coming and allow the
> exception).
>
> 3. AFAIK, there is no way to separate "file sharing" from "printer
> sharing" in Windows XP. If you don't create any shares (and perhaps
> also disable administrative shares - see http://tinyurl.com/yktvwsw) you
> should be reasonably secure. Alternatively, purchase a network-ready
> printer or a print server. Either of these will permit the printer to
> connect directly to your router. It can then be accessed by any computer
> on the network, completely independent of any other computer.
>
> --
> Lem
>
> Apollo 11 - 40 years ago:
> http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ap...0th/index.html

Thank you very much.

Question: Is there any way to permit the exception for Skype
in code using a Win API function?

Sanford Aranoff wrote:
> Lem wrote:
>> Sanford Aranoff wrote:
>>> Win XP Prof, SP3
>>>
>>> Windows Firewall, General tab.
>>>
>>> ON is checked. Others are not.
>>>
>>> Exceptions checked:
>>> File and Printer
>>> Skype
>>> Skype Extras Manager
>>> UPnP Framework
>>>
>>> I want nothing connected to my computer except my wife's
>>> portable so that she can print. How can I have an exception
>>> for Printer but not for File? I do not want someone to be
>>> able to break into my computer and get at my files.
>>>
>>> Do I need the Skype exceptions checked?
>>>
>>> What is UPnP all about? The only things we have are flash
>>> drives. They should not be shared.
>>>
>>> I have a scanner attached to a USB port. Can this be run as
>>> a shared drive? What we do now is take the cable from one
>>> computer and plug it into another computer. This works.
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>> 1. You don't need UPnP. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upnp
>> Some might consider Steve Gibson a bit paranoid, but see
>> http://www.grc.com/unpnp/unpnp.htm
>>
>> 2. You don't need Skype Extras. You DO need the exception for Skype
>> *if* you want to use Skype. You could always permit the exception
>> before you begin a Skype call and then remove the exception after you're
>> done. This is a bit cumbersome and you won't be able to receive any
>> incoming Skype calls (unless you know they're coming and allow the
>> exception).
>>
>> 3. AFAIK, there is no way to separate "file sharing" from "printer
>> sharing" in Windows XP. If you don't create any shares (and perhaps
>> also disable administrative shares - see http://tinyurl.com/yktvwsw) you
>> should be reasonably secure. Alternatively, purchase a network-ready
>> printer or a print server. Either of these will permit the printer to
>> connect directly to your router. It can then be accessed by any computer
>> on the network, completely independent of any other computer.
>>
>> --
>> Lem
>>
>> Apollo 11 - 40 years ago:
>> http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ap...0th/index.html
>
> Thank you very much.
>
> Question: Is there any way to permit the exception for Skype
> in code using a Win API function?

I'm sure there is, but I've never done it.
Start here:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...8VS.85%29.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...8VS.85%29.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...8VS.85%29.aspx


--
Lem

Apollo 11 - 40 years ago:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ap...0th/index.html

Hi
USB Scanners are Not considered Network devices and thus can not be shared.
However if you buy an AlO Network ready printer/scanner they provide
software that allows sharing of the printer and scanning through the Network
from all networked computers, and you do not need to configure any sharing
on the computer themselves.
http://www.ezlan.net/prtserver.html
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).


"Sanford Aranoff" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Win XP Prof, SP3
>
> Windows Firewall, General tab.
>
> ON is checked. Others are not.
>
> Exceptions checked:
> File and Printer
> Skype
> Skype Extras Manager
> UPnP Framework
>
> I want nothing connected to my computer except my wife's
> portable so that she can print. How can I have an exception
> for Printer but not for File? I do not want someone to be
> able to break into my computer and get at my files.
>
> Do I need the Skype exceptions checked?
>
> What is UPnP all about? The only things we have are flash
> drives. They should not be shared.
>
> I have a scanner attached to a USB port. Can this be run as
> a shared drive? What we do now is take the cable from one
> computer and plug it into another computer. This works.
>
> Thanks.