Allow IPX/SPX protocol driver (NWLink.vxd)?

[pcb]

Please can anyone tell me whether it is safe to allow (in my Personal Firewall rules) the Windows IPX/SPX protocol driver (NWLink.vxd).

I have 2 computers hooked up to an adsl router.

Thanks for any help.

K.

[CrazyM]

-{ Quote: "Please can anyone tell me whether it is safe to allow (in my Personal Firewall rules) the Windows IPX/SPX protocol driver (NWLink.vxd)." }-
Are you using it? If not, you should be fine in blocking it.

Regards,

CrazyM

[pcb]

Thnaks for your reply,CrazyM.

I'm not calling it up/using it-I have no idea why it is wanting to access the net. It is however trying to do so fairly often.
Do you know why it should be doing so?

I am new to broadband, and networking, and since I am not setting up the adsl router's firewall (the instructions advise not to unless in the know) I am still using the Sygate firewall.

Cheers,

K.

[pcb]

As soon as I pressed the submit button for the last post, NWLINK.vxd tried to access the net. I had it blocked, and it seemed to make no difference-the post was "processed".

K.

[trickyricky]

Those protocols are specific to Novell Netware, so unless you are running a Netware network at home (unlikely), you should remove the Netware protocol from the properties of your network card. Then it won't even be there to request connections via the firewall.

[pcb]

trickyricky,

Thanks for your reply.
Yes, I have "Client for Netware Networks" in my network configuration. I'm sure that I took it out a while ago, and my adsl connection was interrupted, as I recall.
I'll get rid of it again, & see what happens.


Thanks again,

K.

[pcb]

Well, I have removed the Client for Netware Networks and the 2 IPX/SPX compatible protocols (which appear to be Microsoft, rather than Novell) that were in the configuration panel.
Everything is running fine, touch wood.

Thanks for that, trickyricky.

K.