Vista w/ Media Center + XBOX 360 + ESS = Problem. Possible fix?

I have a Vista Ultimate box which includes the Windows Media Center. I also have an XBOX 360 which can act as a Windows Media Center Extender. In this configuration, all of my CDs, MP3s, and pictures can be viewed and played on the XBOX 360 in the living room while the files sit on the Vista box across the house. It's pretty cool - I'm happy.

The network config. is Vista box and XBOX both hard wired through a router.


Up until this week I was simply running Windows firewall. Everything worked great. Now I have ESS for a firewall, and well, not so great at first. The XBOX couldn't see or access the pc on the network. (Might this be a similar bug to that other thread where the guy is having problems with his network printer and ESS?)

After giving things some thought, it crossed my mind that maybe the ESS bug is that it's "trusted zone" firewall rule might be "stuck." So let's see what happens if I go in and make a global firewall of my own (Git er done!)

So I create a firewall rule to Allow all inbound and outbound UDP and TCP traffic. Then in the next part of setting up the rule I chose "Trusted Zone" from the remote box. My appalachian logic being, I want all traffic to flow freely within the trusted zone.

Low and behold, everything works great on the network! XBOX 360 is most happy! All is well.

Just to confirm I didn't just write a rule that killed the firewall, I then put the Vista box in the routers DMZ, went to www.pcflank.com and I had it throw all it's exploit and trojan tests at my ESS firewall. Nothing got past ESS. I disabled ESS and re-ran the tests and sure enough it reported my computer was not protected. So it would seem the firewall is in good shape.

So, here's my question for you experts. While it seems I've solved the "trusted zone" issue, and the firewall is standing up to threat scans, can anyone think of a reason the firewall rule I wrote might in anyway make my PC unsafe? Am I possibly overlooking something or did I just find a good fix for my system?

 

ka-bump

 

Anything new here? I've just installed a networked HP 1022n printer and can't see it......

 

I got nuttin. Well, maybe a bit of bad news. The firewall rule I wrote made things better but didn't go all the way towards making ESS LAN friendly.

At best, there is some two way traffic within the "trusted zone." But after a few minutes ESS thinks it is under an ARP attack from the XBOX.

There just is no full trust within the trusted zone.

 

I solved my printer problem by shifting to Automatic mode, which I don't like. Seems no better than Windows built-in firewall, unless someone can elucidate me on any additional capabilities this mode might have.

I'd like Interactive Mode - I'd feel safer. Now I need a separate application that gives me the functionality of an outbound firewall.

 

Arrrrrrrrrrg!

I upgraded to ESS (3.0.521.0) from NOD32 2.70 + ZoneAlarm yesterday, and came across this exact problem I have just spent a few hours trying to solve this, thinking I had forgotten everything I ever knew about networks. Being in a wheelchair, with the towers on the floor, it meant me dangling over the side, checking all the leads (thanks Eset @:/).

Does anyone know a work-around for this, where you can actually see your network but also have the FIREWALL on interactive mode?

 

ESS 3.0.621.00*


cumps

 

I had this exact problem with AVG ISS.... when I put on NOD32 ESS, I immediately put the firewall in interactive mode so it would prompt me for everything. I went through all my apps first like Outlook 2007,reg mechanic, IE7,WMDC, WMP etc and then fired up WMC....during all of these actions I was asked about the traffic picked up by the Firewall and I allowed it as well as saved my choice.... next was the final test... firing up the xbox360.... a couple more allows with saves... everything is working...pretty impressive after testing Bitdefender, AVG and a few others....

Now I was talking with tech support today on some stability issues and if I understood correctly, Auto mode on the firewall blocks alot of traffic.. this is a program making your decesions...if doing something like sharing media with an xbox or syncing with a mobile via WMDC, interactive mode is what you should be using.

hope this helps.....

 

OK, FOR GODS SAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

F F F F F F F F i've spent hours screwing with this app and i found a workaround that doesn't seem to have any security consequences if you are operating from a home network that is closed and such.... using media devices such as XBOX 360.

here's what i did after making about 20 useless rules in the ESET app.

1. right click your connection (the one the device is using for internet or TCP/UDP)

2. Click PROPERTIES

3. Uncheck ESET PERSONAL FIREWALL under the "THIS CONNECTION USES THE FOLLOWING ITEMS" Menu

Now you should receive a notice from ESET FW that a connection has been made.

as far as i know this is safe, and will get your computer sharing with your damn xbox 360. however, i still have to enable all network connections to get on xbox live.

whatever, i just wanted to listen to some angelo badalamenti when i was playing oblivion... what a hassle.

P.S. VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IF YOU UNINSTALL ESET ONCE YOU HAVE CONFIG'D YOUR XBOX/MEDIA SHARING ANYTHING.... BE ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY SURE THAT YOU SAVE THE SETTINGS AS AN XML FILE IN ESET SO YOU CAN RE-LOAD THE SETTINGS WHEN YOU RE-INSTALL!!!! SAVE YOURSELF THE FREAKING TROUBLE I HAD TO GO THROUGH!!!!

 

Did I miss something? I did not see where you tried doing as I said do. This has worked for me EVERY time on at least 4 machines some with multiple rebuilds (me overclocking) so I am unsure why you are having so many issues. Do nothing but put the firewall in Interactive Mode and let it learn your traffic - it has worked for me on both 32bit and 64bit versions of ESS.

I should also say this has been working on those same machines through several versions of ESS starting before 650....

 

i figured out a way to get ESS to work with xbox360. all you gotta do is find out the IP address of your xbox and then put it as a rule for the firewall. it works great.

*edit* this is also in Interactive Mode.

 

Fixed this issue, I simply switched it to Interactive Mode, simply added local subnet and MAC address to my trusted zone.