PC Tools Firewall Plus Question!

I've used this before, had some issues with it working, staying grey at startup and not loading at all, but this time around I disabled my NOD32 4 while installing it and now it seems to function. Simple question, to be able to see other computers on my home network I have to goto the Home profile and uncheck All other TCP and UDP packets that way its not being blocked, is this a typical thing to do to make it work?

 

I do not have PC tools installed, so can't give detailed info on setting the correct rules for NetBIOS and Discovery, someone will popup eventually. Just a comment.

If I understand this correctly, by doing this, you are basically allowing all packets into your system and defeating the purpose of a firewall. So no, that is definitely not a typical thing to do.
Look into your logs for blocked packets, for start.

 

I thought I was allowing all packets into my system ONLY on my network?

 

when I re-enable All other TCP and UDP packets back to Block, I can't seem to see any other computers on the network. The history/log in PC Tools keeps showing In and Out Blocks, for Outbound source is 192.168.1.101 and destination is 192.168.1.255 UDP protocol and thats being blocked. For inbound its TCP protocol, my external IP as source, destination as 192.168.1.101 and its being blocked.

 

ah okay, I went to Trusted IP's tab, and added my network IP range for my computer and others in the house, and now it works. Is that okay to do?

 

Well yeah.. It should do it automatically and if you change your router IP address it should also change in PCTFWP as well. If it doesn't you have to do it manually.

 

Thats what I thought too, because I see Local Area Network in the Trusted IP's tab... but i don't see any computers in my Network Places... weird.

 

What version do you have?