Configure the Firewall After Installing Windows XP SP2

After installing Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), you will see some changes to the firewall system;and depending on the system, you may have to adjust the firewall's configuration to make it more stable.

Although the Microsoft Windows XP firewall feature is part of the operating system, it is always set to off by default.This default mode only changes in Windows XP SP2.The goal of this change is to increase the security level of the operating system (OS) by turning off security holes, fixing errors, and enforcing safer security protocols.Of course, activating the firewall feature with the new default installation mode will prevent some programs from working on the system after installing SP2.To solve this problem, you need to make some changes. Adjust firewall configuration If you feel it is necessary to change the XP firewall configuration before installing SP2, you should note that Microsoft has made some new changes to the firewall interface. To change the firewall configuration, you first need to access the Network Connections section in Control Panel . You will then see a list of connections. Right-click Local Area Connection and select Properties . Click the Advanced tab in the Properties box to access the firewall interface (Figure A).

Figure A: Connection properties

Please note that after installing SP2, the interface of the above box will vary slightly (Figure B). To advance configuration changes, click the Settings button .

Figure B: Turn on / off function of the firewall

Figure B is the new interface of the firewall when installing SP2.You will have several options, or turn off the active firewall feature and tighten the computer protection mode by selecting the " Don't allow exceptions " box.Selecting "Exceptions" when you need to connect to public networks, such as airports and cafes. This mode will increase the level of protection for your computer.When you click on the Exceptions tab, you will be forwarded to a box similar to the following Figure C:

Figure C: Exceptions

The configuration in the "Exception" tag will allow you to specify which specific programs and services are allowed to run (exceptions) in the total number of connections blocked by the firewall. You can also specify which port to open or which port to close from. All of these configurations require a certain amount of user knowledge. The last part of the firewall configuration is the Advanced tab (Figure D).In this section, you can set exceptions for each connection allowed on the system.

Figure D: Advanced tab

In the Advanced tab , you can adjust the security logon mode when troubleshooting and configuring the ICMP protocol (allowing sharing of network status). As with the Exceptions configuration, the changes in this section require a certain amount of knowledge. Improper changes will cause problems for the system.