XP NETWORKING WIZARD TCP IP FILE SHARING ?? SECURITY

[PETE]

Hello,

I am setting up a home network between 2 computers running XP with a crossover cable.

File/printer sharing will be enabled naturally.

I want to use Internet connection sharing

My main computer is connected to the net via a usb modem. i.e. no hardware fiewall.

How safe is it using TCP IP as the networking protocol as the XP networking wizard does, especially with file sharing enabled??

Thanks,

Pete.

[DVNT1]

It is reasonably safe since you should be able to remove the MS File & Print Sharing from the WAN interface.

[PETE]

Hi DVNT1


I am at my knowledge limits here.
I know very little about networking.
Can you explain what the WAN interface is

Thanks

Pete

[PETE]

Oh & while I'm at it, when the network wizard asks which is my internet connection,

is it .......... the PPPOE thingy (is that like your dialer?)
or is it .......... the SMC EZ connect USB/Ethernet converter thingy?? (this is the physical connection to the USB modem)

Thanks again..

Pete

[sixf00t4]

WAN = Wide Area Network (the internet)
LAN = Local Area Network (your 2 computers)

pppoe = Point to Point Over Ethernet (you dont need it)

what kind of internet do you have? cable? dsl?

the 'SMC EZ connect USB/Ethernet converter' is a USB ethernet adapter? so how are you hooking up the computers? another NIC?

[i c roYal]

if you want both computers to share the internet without using a home router, you need 2 network cards in the computer that's receiving internet. After you have both nics installed with correct drivers, on the internet computer, goto start > run > type netsetup and hit ok. Go through the process, and it'll ask you which nic receives the internet. It'll most likely choose the correct one. The last step of netsetup is to create a disk for the other computer to setup the connection to share the internet connection. Choose to create the disk and run it on the secondary computer with the single nic installed. After you run the disk on the 2nd computer, you should have internet. By default, after installing ics, the hardware firewall that's built into windows xp will default to on, so you'll be protected somewhat from outside intrusions. The only problem with xp firewall, is that you're not able to configure it. The best bet would be, is to download a software firewall such as zone alarm, or sygate, sygate recommended. After installing the software firewall, to be able to share files, make sure you add the ip address of the secondary computer to the firewall allowing 192.168.0.2 most likely.

[Shawn711]

He doesn't need 2 nic's in the computer connected to the internet, because he's using a usb modem..........only would need one.

Shawn

[PETE]

I have the computers connected via a crossover cable. The main computer is connected to the internet via an ADSL USB modem.

So, when the network wizard asks which is my internet connection(for internet sharing)

is it 1........... the PPPOE thingy (is that like your dialer for ADSL?)
or is it 2.......... the SMC EZ connect USB/Ethernet converter thingy?? (this is the physical connection to the USB modem)

The first calls itself WAN PPP OE driver
& the second is my actual physical connection to the internet through my usb ADSL modem.

Thanks,

Pete.

[i c roYal]

well, to figure it out, choose the recommended one, and run the disk on the 2nd computer and see if it has internet. If it doesn't, it's the other nic. Even if you have to re-do the netsetup for the 2nd nic, you can still leave the 2nd computer alone.