Windows XP Firewall

[Daeghrefn]

Good evening,

I went to fire up my FG game for the evening and found that none of my clients could connect. So, I ran the usual test gambit to find out what the problems was:

A) Checked Windows Firewall, and the FG exception was present.
B) Checked the Router forwarding rules, they were correct.
C) Checked my PC's IP address, it was also correct.
D) Had my wife (inside my LAN) try to connect and BAM, F*$*er wouldn't connect.

So, I'm like WTH? I turned off the Anti-virus, still couldn't connect. Turned off Windows Firewall, and BAM! She can connect now. I turn on the firewall again, and connection is lost.

Turn the AV program on, the firewall off, everyone's running smoothly.

TY Microsoft for another WONDERFUL hot fix. Apparently they broke the firewall again.

So the question is this, before I spend hours wasting my life and testing... anyone know which hotfix it was that broke it? I'd been having problems with KB977165 all week (causing PC's to blue screen on bootup), but haven't seen anything like this yet.

I even manually added a SECOND port exception for FG on 1802, but no dice.

Anyway, just thought I would ask, since it's been working normally for weeks, then now, all of the sudden the windows firewall seems to hate FG for some reason.

Cheers!

-D

[Griogre]

It's not uncommon for hotfixes to cause problems with the Windows firewall. The first thing they usually do it turn it on. This is bad if you are using another firewall and turned it off because you never want two software firewalls running at the same time.

If you do use the Windows firewall and don't use a Security Suite that includes a firewall then I would suggest you delete all the FG settings and then let the firewall prompt you to re-open everything. If you do run a Security Suite with a firewall included then just cut the Windows Firewall back off because you don't want both running at the same time.

Edit: Forgot to add. Reboot after you remove the FG settings before adding them back in.

[Daeghrefn]

I too, have seen that happen. Like I said, I've seen KB977165 really mess stuff up the past week.

I will give that idea a shot, since I do use only the Windows Firewall, but I'm thinking I'll have to hunt for the hotfix that broke it. I'll let you know what I find.

[ddavison]

Please make sure you don't have a hidden version of Fantasy Grounds still running. Do a "netstat -a" with FG closed and see if anything is actively listening on port 1802. If it is, try to kill that and then try again.

[Daeghrefn]

Followed the above recommendations. Cannot connect to FG with the Windows Firewall turned on... but if I turn it off, clients connect no problem.

Strange. I even rebuilt the passthrough rules...

[Griogre]

Hmm. That is a strange one. First I would double check you don't really have more than one software firewall. Assuming that is fine, it sounds like you might have conflicting "passthrough" or port forwarding rules.

Cutting off a firewall doesn't usually effect ports being opened or closed - it just freezes the configuration. I would double check you are forwarding to the correct local IP and the correct computer has the right local IP address.

[ddavison]

Maybe instead of adding the program in as the exception, make sure TCP traffic is also allowed on your firewall on port 1802.

[Daeghrefn]

Only running the Windows Firewall, not running any other firewall application.

I also added the specific port to the Windows Firewall configuration, but every time I have it enabled, FG clients can't connect. I turn off the windows firewall, and I'm in immediately.

Oh well, I don't really care that much, just wasn't sure if anyone else was having the same issue.

[Oberoten]

It sounds as if you have some other rule with higher priority set that overrides the port-opening for FG, try moving the rule to allow 1802 to the top of the list.

- Obe