XP & firewalls

[dissx]

Hi,
I want to share my internet connection with another computer. I have it all set up already on dial-up, but im upgrading to ADSL soon so I want to adjust my settings, currently with the set-up, if im connected the other comp would just share my connection, if I wasnt then they would dial-up. When I get ADSL it will be through a USB modem so just the one computer will be able to connect, so i was thinking that is no probem, cept when my computer isnt on the other computer owner will have to turn my computer on to establish a connection. No problem, but the computer will boot to the welcome screen (i know i can disable this, but id prefer to keep it if i can) But the problem is, Zone Alarm dosnt start until a user logs on. I have tried setting ZA up as a services but there is a problem with the icon in the task bar when a user does log on. So the time my computer is serving the other computer, it is unprotected. So the question is, will the built in firewall in XP be running at the welcome screen? or is there a component of ZA that will be running, i remember earler versions had something called "true vector" anyone know if this will be running at the welcome screen, or even if it works like a firewall, or even if its present in ZA pro 3. Thanks for your help, i hope i have made myself clear.

 

[Lactic.Acid]

I thought ZA ran part of itself as a service, but I can't recall. If you find no other solution, you can set windows to start ZA on startup via scheduled tasks in the control panel.

ICS will be pretty easy to switch over, you'll just create a new connection and in the properties you'll choose to share it. You may want to rerun the XP home network setup disk that it'll offer to make for you, but you should be fine either way.

And I'd recommend you splurge the $11 for a network card and use that instead of the USB.
/Lactic

 

[dissx]

Good idea about the network card insted of the modem. I remember earler versions of ZA had a service called true vector that ran if zapro.exe was shut down or failed to start, but i cant see that listed in the running services now. I have tried the idea of scheduling ZA to start at system start-up, it works and its running in the services when i log on, but it dosnt create the task bar shield, so there is no way of controling it.
btw how do i change it saying XP home under my name? i read in another post where it says its in the user options, but i cant see it. thanx for helping mate.