Home LAN & IPX/SPX Question

I have a question what are the Advantages and disadvantages of setting up a home LAN with IPX/SPX as opposed to IP/TCP.

As a guide:

I'll be using the LAN for file and printer sharing, LAN gaming and of course internet and my setup is as follows:

Router: D-Link DGL-4300

Desktop (Wired): XP-Pro, 1 ethernet card.

Laptop (wireless):XP-Pro, 1 Wireless PCMCIA card, 1 ethernet card.

 

I'd suggest not using IPX/SPX unless you specifically have a Novell server and want Netware protocols running around your LAN. You'll need TCP/IP if you're going to access the internet and you'll need Microsoft File & Print Sharing as well, but there's no advantage to having IPX/SPX at all.

Why were you considering IPX/SPX at all?

 

I just read somewhere (I think it was Tweakhounds) that having IPX/SPX was a secure way to set a home LAN. I.e. LAN will run IPX/SPX and the WAN will have IP/TCP. So was I just looking into it to try and find out more.

But if theres no need then I'll stick to IP/TCP. Thanks for the reply trickyricky

 

You're welcome. Just make sure that you don't permit File and Print Sharing through to the internet...

Your router (or software firewall if you have one) should block it by default, but best to get yourself to somewhere like http://www.grc.com and carry out a Shields Up test just to make sure, once you have it all set up and working.

 

Just so I know how would someone accidentaly enable file and print sharing to the internet?

I did the GRC test and passed everything except one of the tests in file sharing.

Attempting connection to your computer. . .
Shields UP! is now attempting to contact the Hidden Internet Server within your PC. It is likely that no one has told you that your own personal computer may now be functioning as an Internet Server with neither your knowledge nor your permission. And that it may be serving up all or many of your personal files for reading, writing, modification and even deletion by anyone, anywhere, on the Internet!

It appears even though I'm behind a hardware SPI firewall on my router my computer is still acting as a Internet Server!

 

I wouldn't worry about File and Print Sharing over the net if GRC said that it couldn't see any, since as I said above, most routers and firewalls block it by default.

What are the details of the internet server that GRC detected on your PC? Which port or ports?