Thinkpads Forum

I have Zonealarm 4.5 free installed on both my desktops and they are connected in a LAN via a D-Link 704p ethernet router. I'm going to get a wireless g router (recommendations?), but for now I want to set up my new T60 in my current LAN. BTW, is wireless g what I want in a wireless router? I have the ThinkPad a/b/g wireless LAN, so I assume wireless g is what I want.

Plugging the T60 into the ethernet router via Cat5 has me connected to the Internet but I am so far unable to communicate between the machines. I figure I may be able to fix that by installing Zonealarm on the T60 and establishing the IP's of the other machines as in the Trusted Zone.

Is that a viable strategy? To do that, do I need to (or should I) uninstall the Symantec Client Security application? I saw posts by people saying uninstalling that helped with speeding up their system, and I figure I will do that. Is there any function being served by not uninstalling it off that bat? Right now, everything is pretty default except that I did uninstall Google Desktop. Google Desktop really slowed down my desktop system, so I uninstalled that on it long ago. Thanks for any help.

Networking is not my expertise, but I do not see how installing ZoneAlarm on your T60 will "help" you establish a connection. If anything, ZoneAlarm on the other computers could be a problem if it is improperly configured.

Regarding Symantec Client Security, I believe you should have a copy of the installation program already on your hard drive should you decide to uninstall it, then later want to put it back. On my T42, the Norton AV installation program is in: C:\IBMTOOLS\APPS\NORTONAV\. (This should basically apply to all the applications installed.)

It looks like your bad email address problem got fixed.
[At least I don't see the error by your ID.]

GomJabbar wrote: (This should basically apply to all the applications installed.)

It looks like your bad email address problem got fixed.
[At least I don't see the error by your ID.]

Yes, I think I understand what you are saying. The installation programs for the installed applications are right there and accessible on the HD. At first I thought you were referring to the R&R thing, but evidently not.

Yes, the email snafu has disappeared. I don't know what that was about, frankly. Evidently, Bill tried sending me an email or two that were rejected for some reason, or so I was told. Anyway, I went into everything I have that could possibly initiate a rejection and made sure the bill@ addresses are all flagged as friends.

My 2nd desktop is little used, and I haven't turned it on in about 2 months, probably. My primary desktop (which I'm typing this message on), I went into and added the TP to the trusted zone of Zonealarm, so I think it should be seen as long as the TP wants to be seen! I'm thinking that it may not want to participate in the network unless I configure the TP for a network. I started the configuration utility but backed out because I haven't installed the Jetdirect card in my printer yet. Maybe I should just leave that for later. Indeed, printing from the TP is not something I'm going to need to do very soon, I figure, anyway.

Thanks for your help!

Muse wrote:I went into and added the TP to the trusted zone of Zonealarm, so I think it should be seen as long as the TP wants to be seen! I'm thinking that it may not want to participate in the network unless I configure the TP for a network.

Personally I would shutdown ZoneAlarm and/or any other firewall on both computers until I had the computers talking to each other. Just don't get on the internet until you turn the firewalls back on.

Open Control Panel and open up the Network Setup Wizard. Follow the instructions for setting up a new network. You must do this on all computers that are connected within your network if you want them to communicate with each other. Make sure that the Workgroup name is the same on all computers in your network (it is one of the questions asked by the Setup Wizard).
Setting up a network can be just that simple or it can get a bit sticky. Once you get the computers communicating THEN turn your firewalls (Windows or ZoneAlarm) back on.

By default Symantec Client Security blocks a lot of stuff. If properly configured it will allow your wireless connection. If Zonealarm is more familiar for you by all means use it.
Just make sure one is uninstalled before installing the other. Having both firewalls running may make it tough to get any connection.
As a test temporarily disable Symantec and see if the problem goes away.

Thanks. When you say, don't go on the Internet, do you just mean don't open a browser window or should I disconnect my DSL modem from the router (or turn off the modem)?

I think that the Thinkpad has some kind of firewall already installed, right? I saw something in there this evening about a firewall. I think it's Symantec Firewall! I think many if not most people uninstall the Symantec stuff, so I wonder if I should install Zonealarm instead. It's the only firewall I've ever installed on my machines, and I'm somewhat familiar with it and reasonably comfortable with it. The reason I'm running a pretty old version (4.5) is that I had a job a year or two ago and the VPN I used (I telecommuted) stopped functioning when I "upgraded" to version 5. So, I've stuck with 4.5 and ignored all of Zonealarms imprecations to "upgrade!"

Thanks for the hints and tips. I'm too tired to mess with it tonight, but should have time tomorrow and will hopefully get things up and running so I can copy data over the network. Otherwise, I'll be writing some DVD's because I would like to take the TP with me for a 4 day trip starting Friday.

carbon_unit wrote:By default Symantec Client Security blocks a lot of stuff. If properly configured it will allow your wireless connection. If Zonealarm is more familiar for you by all means use it.
Just make sure one is uninstalled before installing the other. Having both firewalls running may make it tough to get any connection.
As a test temporarily disable Symantec and see if the problem goes away.

OK, so what you are saying in part is that Symantec Client Security is a firewall. I wasn't clear on that, but I suspected it. How do I disable it?

I won't be going wireless until I get a wireless router. Will any wireless g router do? I've only done ethernet until now. For the time being (until I get a wireless router), I'll be going ethernet only.

Thanks!

Muse wrote:Thanks. When you say, don't go on the Internet, do you just mean don't open a browser window or should I disconnect my DSL modem from the router (or turn off the modem)?

Any of those choices. Turning off the modem while you are performing the work would do the trick. Shutdown any software that contains a firewall until you have the network working. You don't have to uninstall it just shut it down. I know in ZoneAlarm you just right click on the Icon in the sys tray and command it to shut down.

I don't know how familiar you are with networks but during the Network Setup process you will "Turn on File and Printing Sharing" within the setup wizard. Although you turn it on during the setup process you will still need to share the folders on each computer you want to work with.

To share a folder, you right click on it, chose properties, sharing tab, then check Share this folder on the network, and if you want to write to this folder also Check allow Network Users to Change my Files.

Setting up a network can be easy or most fustrating and probably should be addressed in another area of this forum. Lets hope the above gets you going.

Thanks Don.

I did set up (3 or so years ago) my two desktop machine LAN on ethernet using Windows 2000 on both machines, and the D-Link router described. I must admit it took me a while and some threads to get things working.

I'd never used XP before firing up my T60 a few days ago but it seems to me that it's very similar to Windows 2000 in most respects. I know some things have been moved around and I'm sure there are some new wrinkles, but mostly things look the same. I do know about sharing folders and files and drives and have set that up before. I've also done drive mapping. It sounds from your description, though, like some things might be a little different in XP.

I'll leave setting up the printer on the network until at least next week as I'll be OOT for several days. Unless I can get a Cat5 splitter I may even leave the printer on my desktop's // port, since I'd like to have alternate Cat5 cables to plug the T60 into. I figure I can find one (or I might even have one - will look around for it). Maybe I can buy one at Radio Shack.