.NET Questions and Solutions

Symptoms
This article describes critical update 886185. This update helps narrow the definition of the My network (subnet) only, or local subnet, scope option in Windows Firewall. This is helpful in situations where Windows Firewall would consider a large network to be on the local subnet because of how the dial-up software configured the route tables. After you install critical update 886185, you may have to restart your computer.
Resolution
After you set up Windows Firewall in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), you may discover that anyone on the Internet can access resources on your computer when you use a dial-up connection to connect to the Internet. For example, after creating an exception in Windows Firewall for File and Printer Sharing, you may discover that anyone can access shared files and printers.
Note Windows Firewall automatically selects the My network (subnet) only scope option when you create an exception for File and Printer Sharing.

Symptoms
After you upgrade to Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), connections are slower, and you cannot browse the local network directory for contacts in Groove.
Resolution
This issue occurs because Windows XP SP2 adds the Windows Firewall feature. This feature can affect Groove and any other application that accepts incoming connections. By default, applications cannot accept connections after youinstall the service pack. Some software can be harmful to your computer. Windows Firewall enables only software that is from publishers that you trust to accept online connections.

Symptoms
If you create an exception by modifying the registry on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) or Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1), the exception may not show up in the Windows Firewall graphical user interface.
Resolution
This behavioroccurs if you do not specify a name when you add an exception by modifying the registry key. For example,this behavior occurs if you add a port to the registry andthen set the registry value to 12345:TCP:*:Enabled. This value opens the TCP port 12345.However, the Windows Firewall graphical user interface does not show this port because the registry value does not contain a name. The following value is the correct value:
12345:TCP:*:Enabled:exception name