SP2 and Firewall

Ok, I have downloaded and installed XP SP2 and my firewall is enabled. I
can no longer use remote desktop to connect to another machine nor connect
into my machine. I have looked at the exceptions list and remote desktop is
checked for my local connection so it should allow it through. Is there
something else I am missing? If I turn off the firewall then I can use
remote desktop like before.

Thanks

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Scott Micale
Director of IT
330-877-3631

Scott Micale wrote:

Ok, I have downloaded and installed XP SP2 and my firewall is enabled. I
can no longer use remote desktop to connect to another machine nor connect
into my machine. I have looked at the exceptions list and remote desktop is
checked for my local connection so it should allow it through. Is there
something else I am missing? If I turn off the firewall then I can use
remote desktop like before.
Hi

You could set "Allow remote administration exception" for the firewall
and see if that helps.

Using netsh.exe, you can configure this from command line, like this:

netsh.exe firewall set service type=remoteadmin mode=enable scope=subnet
profile=domain

If not a domain computer, you need to change to 'profile=standard'
(or 'profile=all'). Scope can also be set to 'custom' and then you
can add ip ranges to the command line as well, or 'all' (not
recommended for security reasons).

The netsh.exe syntax is documented in WF_XPSP2.doc.

WF_XPSP2.doc "Deploying Windows Firewall Settings for Microsoft
Windows XP with Service Pack 2" is downloadable from
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...d-499f73a637d1


An alternative to netsh.exe:

This can be done with gpedit.msc for a local computer, or push it
out with a AD GPO if possible.


From PolicySettings.xls available he

Group Policy Settings Reference for Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

quote
Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections\Windows Firewall
\some Profile
Windows Firewall: Allow remote administration exception

Allows remote administration of this computer using administrative
tools such as the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) and Windows
Management Instrumentation (WMI). To do this, Windows Firewall opens
TCP ports 135 and 445. Services typically use these ports to
communicate using remote procedure calls (RPC) and Distributed
Component Object Model (DCOM). This policy setting also allows
SVCHOST.EXE and LSASS.EXE to receive unsolicited incoming messages
and allows hosted services to open additional dynamically-assigned
ports, typically in the range of 1024 to 1034. If you enable this
policy setting, Windows Firewall allows the computer to receive the
unsolicited incoming messages associated with remote administration.
You must specify the IP addresses or subnets from which these
incoming messages are allowed. If you disable or do not configure
this policy setting, Windows Firewall does not open TCP port 135 or
445. Also, Windows Firewall prevents SVCHOST.EXE and LSASS.EXE from
receiving unsolicited incoming messages, and prevents hosted
services from opening additional dynamically-assigned ports. Because
disabling this policy setting does not block TCP port 445, it does
not conflict with the Windows Firewall: Allow file and printer
sharing exception policy setting. Note: Malicious users often
attempt to attack networks and computers using RPC and DCOM. We
recommend that you contact the manufacturers of your critical
programs to determine if they are hosted by SVCHOST.exe or LSASS.exe
or if they require RPC and DCOM communication. If they do not, then
do not enable this policy setting. Note: If any policy setting
opens TCP port 445, Windows Firewall allows inbound ICMP echo
request messages (the message sent by the Ping utility), even if the
Windows Firewall: Allow ICMP exceptions policy setting would block
them. Policy settings that can open TCP port 445 include Windows
Firewall: Allow file and printer sharing exception, Windows Firewall:
Allow remote administration exception, and Windows Firewall: Define
port exceptions.

/quote


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--
torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scr...r/default.mspx