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

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.

 

Are you using it? If not, you should be fine in blocking it.

Regards,

CrazyM

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.