Port Explorer & Norton Personal Firewall 2003

Before I download and/or buy this utility, can anyone tell me if there are known issues or conflicts between PE and NPF2003?

I am an XP Home (SP1) user and I run NPF2003, along with other protection software, such as Ad-Aware V6.0, Spybot V1.3, SpywareGaurd & SpywareBlaster.

I have read in this forum that McAfee FW and PE conflict and also that PE interfers with internet connections, is any of this true?



MainUK

 

Hi MainUK, No conflicts with NPF2003 as far as I am aware. McFee is the only problem firewall reported.

Use the trial and make your own judgement, I think it will work just fine.

Pilli

 

Read http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/search?... and make up your own mind from information on articles posted

 

Could not find articles there about Port Explorer with Zone Alarm which articles are you referring to, can post special links? thanks.

 

Ah, maybe that counts for XP systems; i'm on win98se. After some initial problems after upgrading to ZAPro 5.0 the system stabilized and 5.0 runs fine with Port Explorer and all other software here. I'm not sure which settings i changed in ZAPro configuration to get this.
The main problem is VisualZone, the log analyser for ZA, which has some strange behavior like not responding more frequently then before.
Few times i saw in the Port Explorer log connections which were not visible in ZAPro at all, nowhere at the same time, while some were there really various times and some i even blocked with Port Explorer.
Will look for the ZA guru's remarks.
What i also really love with Port Explorer:
going through my inbox filled with unknown email and spam, i block the "send" for the email so i can see everything they want to show me, without me sending back any read confirmation or tracking code. I really LOVE that!

Another nice option: when you use CryptoSuite, the chant option, connect with others, you can see who connects (on your invitation anyway) and if necessary can kill that connection with Port Explorer while other chatters can stay connected.

etc etc etc

 

Hi Jooske,

I notice the answers going off topic regarding to NPF. So I wonder Jooske your inbox is filled with spam and unsollicited E-mails. But perhaps thats on purpose for testing your progs. Am I right?
If I have spam I throw it away on the server already and I sent only read confirmations if I like to. Thats standard option in my e-mail client.

 

Hi Jooske
Long tim no see!! This is Michael up in Sweden.. Hope all is well with you.

Could you explain a little mor in detail for me to understand your statemen quoted. Looks very interesting..

Thank you in advance
Michael

 

Hi there! too long no see Michael!
Yes, i get too much spam, it can be infections (lovely, sometimes i think to be among the first of a new version of some i-worm nasty thing!) so i can forward them to Gavin;
it can be emails with object data exploits which i analised the best i could to recognise the damage / analysis i saw in a few HijackThis logs posted here,
it can be ordinary spam from my address harvested or not always known where it comes from.
If i want to see the content but not want to bee seen:
for instance say you use Outlook Express:
in Port Explorer you see the icon with msimn.exe, on top most of time an UDP port and that one i rightclick, the process, and there i disable "send"
So i can still see but am much faster through the stuff (i never let images fully load etc).
So the read confirmations, tracking for validating your email address is never sent out.
Just delete and they never know.
Want to be really quick also disable receiving but then your emails are really rather blanc but you are fast and you have an impression still.
It's good to go that way through the junk folder/deleted emails to see if nothing valid was delivered in that one. and it's so annoying if you move that valid one back to the inbox you move in the preview automatically to the next message you might not want the sender to know about you sooooooo keep that "send" locked!
Ever tried to get through your inbox with some advertisements without that "sent" block? Look at the many and great many of sockets opened with that in Port Explorer, all those things calling home, sending you the images from the mails, advertisements; in the yahoo newsgroups those nasty advertisments all calling home and tracking you, URLs in forwarded articles, security information, block block block.
This is why i really love Port Explorer for added privacy!

I'm expecting more blockages should be possible with the firewall, but i like to see and be extra sure (layered protection from inside out too) and i don't want to lock it all that tight that i wouldn't be able to send out my emails


Hope to read from MainUK how it's all going on the system with the NPF 2003 in the meantime!

 

Jooskey, thank you for the interesting lesson...
I am using a program (MW Pro) where I can see my incoming mail at my IP server inbox. So I can allready there decide what to take home and what to not take home.
This has worked very nice for me and seems to me a somewhat easier way compared to the described by you. But still PE is a very useful program even if I am not competent to fully use it.

Once again thanks for your try to educate us out here in safety matters.

Michael

 

you're welcome! You still have that extra layer in privacy with Port Explorer for what you let come through.
Have a look in Port Explorer when you open wanted emails and see the extra icons and netstat sockets opening, so you see what i'm talking about.

Now i hope to see other people's experiences about the NPF 2003 2004 whatever versions together with Port Explorer, what this thread was about in the first place

 

None that I noticed the times I have run the two together.

An old thread on the topic:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=9562

Regards,

CrazyM