Zixar - I am interested in what you said. I enjoy killing services that are not needed. Here is a quote from a site about services regarding UPnP:
Used in conjunction with SSDP Discovery Service, it detects and configures UPnP devices on your home network. For security reasons and for the fact that I doubt that you have any of these devices, disable this service. If any EXTERNAL device does not function because of this service being disabled, place it back in to automatic. MSN Messenger uses this service in conjunction with supported UPnP devices, to provide support for networks behind a NAT firewall or router. Also, if you are experiencing difficulty connecting to multiplayer games that use DirectX(7,8,9), place this service to automatic and ensure you download all security updates. Furthermore, if you use Internet Connection Sharing and wish to make use of the ?allow others to modify this connection? feature, enable UPnP. Take note: UPnP is NOT PnP. UPnP is for connectivity on networks via TCP/IP to devices, such as scanners or printers. Your sound card is PnP. Do NOT disable Plug and Play service.
Can you put it in plain English for us? It was the last sentence that made me think is should not be on disabled:
UPnP is for connectivity on networks via TCP/IP to devices, such as scanners or printers.
In fact many people use shared printers today.
Can you explain further.
Currently my UPnP Service is set to Automatic, although it is not Started. I will gladly set it to manual pending further enlightenment. :)-->
Are you talking about me. Rafael? If so, I am far from brilliant. I didn't even finish college. This is just my middle age hobby I think. I really enjoy computers.
But sometimes I have thought of doing like a computer geek friend of mine recently did. Something revolutionary and quite different. He gave it all up! Yes he turned off his computers and email, put them in the closet, and even got rid of his fax machine and does not even discuss technology. He said he likes a more simple life now.
Personally, I think I would physically die. But it is an interesting concept.
And I'm not scary. Sometimes I scare my cats but really I am a nice guy, trust me.
The two really don't have much to do with each other except in name only. (Sort of like "Java" and "JavaScript")
PnP is how your computer gets all the different pieces to talk nice to each other and not step on each other's lawns. This is a very good thing, which, if you'd been playing around with computers ten years ago, you would have prayed for.
UPnP, on the other hand, is part of Bill Gates' idealistic plan to Windows-up your stereo, and your fridge, and your dog. The idea is that all these devices should be able to automatically talk to each other and scan each other's properties without user intervention so they can work better together.
Anyone who can't see why that is a REALLY BAD IDEA, please shut off your computer and throw it out the window. Then, go rent the Terminator movies and "Colossus: The Forbin Project" to see why it only takes one maliciously-programmed machine to screw up the entire planet... :)-->
Don't think it's so bad? What if that Blaster virus could have infected your printer, your DVD player, your fax machine, and your goldfish because all of them were busy happily sharing their Universal Plug-n-Play channels with each other in the background? And you just KNOW some zit-faced German teenager would do it just for the bragging rights amongst his Goth-dweeb friends.
The fool hath said in his heart, "PFAL is the Word of God..."
has more to say on UPnP and other security things. He was probably the first to publicize the problems with spyware and Real Player and such.
When playing with services, it is usually best to set unneeded ones to manual and let the computer figure out when they're needed but for some reason a couple of the more troublesome or memory-hogging ones will start running when they're not needed anyway. UPnP is one of them - hence totally disabling it and a few otheres.
You may run into a service that looks like it's safe to shut down only later to find you can't connect to the internet or something. That's why I suggest having an expert around if you're unsure. Or go with the "manual" option until you sort it out.
The automatic updates option will use a lot of resources and choke your machine now and then but if you shut that one down be sure to check in once a week or so to see if any new critical updates are needed. People who got hit with MSBlaster could tell you about that one. Turning this one off perked my old beater machine up a lot but then I spend a lot of time at http://www.slashdot.org and http://www.cnet.com so I know pretty quickly if I need a serious update. Your needs may vary and you may rather be safe than get back a few megs of RAM.
If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it
Recommended Posts
igotout
Zixar - I am interested in what you said. I enjoy killing services that are not needed. Here is a quote from a site about services regarding UPnP:
Used in conjunction with SSDP Discovery Service, it detects and configures UPnP devices on your home network. For security reasons and for the fact that I doubt that you have any of these devices, disable this service. If any EXTERNAL device does not function because of this service being disabled, place it back in to automatic. MSN Messenger uses this service in conjunction with supported UPnP devices, to provide support for networks behind a NAT firewall or router. Also, if you are experiencing difficulty connecting to multiplayer games that use DirectX(7,8,9), place this service to automatic and ensure you download all security updates. Furthermore, if you use Internet Connection Sharing and wish to make use of the ?allow others to modify this connection? feature, enable UPnP. Take note: UPnP is NOT PnP. UPnP is for connectivity on networks via TCP/IP to devices, such as scanners or printers. Your sound card is PnP. Do NOT disable Plug and Play service.
Can you put it in plain English for us? It was the last sentence that made me think is should not be on disabled:
UPnP is for connectivity on networks via TCP/IP to devices, such as scanners or printers.
In fact many people use shared printers today.
Can you explain further.
Currently my UPnP Service is set to Automatic, although it is not Started. I will gladly set it to manual pending further enlightenment.
:)-->
Thanks
John R.
(See what you started Rafael?
:D-->)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raf
"You're scary sometimes. You know that, don't you? Brilliant. But scary."
Link to comment
Share on other sites
igotout
Are you talking about me. Rafael? If so, I am far from brilliant. I didn't even finish college. This is just my middle age hobby I think. I really enjoy computers.
But sometimes I have thought of doing like a computer geek friend of mine recently did. Something revolutionary and quite different. He gave it all up! Yes he turned off his computers and email, put them in the closet, and even got rid of his fax machine and does not even discuss technology. He said he likes a more simple life now.
Personally, I think I would physically die. But it is an interesting concept.
And I'm not scary. Sometimes I scare my cats but really I am a nice guy, trust me.
JR
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Zixar
Plug N Play = absolutely necessary.
UPnP = big f*cking security hole.
The two really don't have much to do with each other except in name only. (Sort of like "Java" and "JavaScript")
PnP is how your computer gets all the different pieces to talk nice to each other and not step on each other's lawns. This is a very good thing, which, if you'd been playing around with computers ten years ago, you would have prayed for.
UPnP, on the other hand, is part of Bill Gates' idealistic plan to Windows-up your stereo, and your fridge, and your dog. The idea is that all these devices should be able to automatically talk to each other and scan each other's properties without user intervention so they can work better together.
Anyone who can't see why that is a REALLY BAD IDEA, please shut off your computer and throw it out the window. Then, go rent the Terminator movies and "Colossus: The Forbin Project" to see why it only takes one maliciously-programmed machine to screw up the entire planet...
:)-->
Don't think it's so bad? What if that Blaster virus could have infected your printer, your DVD player, your fax machine, and your goldfish because all of them were busy happily sharing their Universal Plug-n-Play channels with each other in the background? And you just KNOW some zit-faced German teenager would do it just for the bragging rights amongst his Goth-dweeb friends.
The fool hath said in his heart, "PFAL is the Word of God..."
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raf
Friggin aliens.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
igotout
Zixar - I devoted another thread to this. Comment there too please.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Flay Minion
The guy here:
http://grc.com/intro.htm
has more to say on UPnP and other security things. He was probably the first to publicize the problems with spyware and Real Player and such.
When playing with services, it is usually best to set unneeded ones to manual and let the computer figure out when they're needed but for some reason a couple of the more troublesome or memory-hogging ones will start running when they're not needed anyway. UPnP is one of them - hence totally disabling it and a few otheres.
You may run into a service that looks like it's safe to shut down only later to find you can't connect to the internet or something. That's why I suggest having an expert around if you're unsure. Or go with the "manual" option until you sort it out.
The automatic updates option will use a lot of resources and choke your machine now and then but if you shut that one down be sure to check in once a week or so to see if any new critical updates are needed. People who got hit with MSBlaster could tell you about that one. Turning this one off perked my old beater machine up a lot but then I spend a lot of time at http://www.slashdot.org and http://www.cnet.com so I know pretty quickly if I need a serious update. Your needs may vary and you may rather be safe than get back a few megs of RAM.
If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.