Default open ports on Windows XP Home?

[Porthound]

HI!

What are the default open ports on XP Home? Why does XP sometimes open UDP 1029 (Openports says Explorer.exe is listening on that port)?

[Phant0m]

Hey Porthound

Depending on Windows configurations, Explorer.exe can be reason for listening ports.

For instance: Is Active Desktop Disabled?

[Phant0m]

In anycase you should do Scans using properly configured&updated Anti-Virus, Anti-Trojan and Anti-Spyware Systems...

[Porthound]

Hi Phantom,

yes, Active Dekstop is disabled, I don't need it. I've scanned with Kaspersky AV and I'm also pretty sure I don't have any spyware on the machine. I've never seen Explorer.exe listening on 1029 before on this machine, so that's why I asked.

[Phant0m]

Hey Porthound

I think this is simply that of Internet Explorer, use TCPView on re-boot and then launch Internet Explorer. ;)

[gkweb]

Hi PortHound,

it can be the DNS cache service under XP which takes a free port upper 1024 at first DNS request and keep it for all the session, unlike windows 2000 or each DNS request is assigned to a different socket.
This behaviour can be disabled but it is not a danger.

regards,

gkweb.

[Phant0m]

When reproducing the anomaly with Explorer.exe, I noticed it only happens with Internet Explorer and I don’t have DNS Client Service Enabled. ;)

[the Tester]

With XP Home you may find that port 5000 (Unplug&Play)is open by default.
A scan at Shields Up! should tell you if it is open.
There is a small,free utility available at that site which can open or close the port for you.It's called "Unplug&Pray".
Unplug&Pray is available at the link below.

http://grc.com/freepopular.htm

[Shunned]

As PhantOM stated:

explore exe= UDP datagram

[Porthound]

WTH is a UDP datagram? ;D

I don't use IE, but the Opera browser... The UPNP service I've disabled. Strange stuff.

[Shunned]

UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a communications protocol that offers a limited amount of service when messages are exchanged between computers in a network that uses the Internet Protocol (IP). UDP is an alternative to the Transmission Control Protocol

*note: very simple explanation posted above.