GUIDE: Deploying Windows Firewall Settings for WinXP SP2

Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) includes the Windows Firewall, a replacement for the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) in previous versions of Windows XP. Windows Firewall is a stateful host-based firewall that discards unsolicited incoming traffic, providing a level of protection for computers against malicious users or programs. To provide better protection for computers connected to any kind of network (such as the Internet, a home network, or an organization network), Windows XP SP2 enables Windows Firewall on all network connections by default.

This new behavior can impair some types of communications. This article describes how to deploy the appropriate configuration settings for Windows Firewall on an organization network so that it is enabled and providing protection, and so that communications are not impaired.

Download: Deploying Windows Firewall Settings for Windows XP with SP2
News source: Microsoft

here's how I deploy windows firewall in a corporate enviroment and I haven't had one issue with it since I started doing it this way.



on the base ghost image I have the following items set via local group policy

computer configuration\administrative templates\network\network connections\windows firewall\domain profile\Windows Firewall:Protect all Network Connections Disabled

computer configuration\administrative templates\network\network connections\windows firewall\Standard Profile\Windows Firewall:Protect all Network Connections Disabled

Like I said I haven't had one problem since I implemented this group policy on the image. no remote desktop problems, no application issues, no telnet / ping problems.

the hardware appliance we have in place is all we need or want.