Firewalls and Ports

If you’re having trouble accessing the shares and accounts that have been created on your MSS, your firewall settings could be the problem. The firewalls job is to protect your network against intrusion from hackers by blocking and monitoring data ports. Ports are nothing more than lines that allow data to pass through to your computer, the internet, or computers on other networks. Your firewall, whether it be a software or hardware type, has the ability to enable/disable or set rules and conditions on the data lines coming into, and out of, your network.
When you install a router on your home network, the routers firewall should be enabled by default. (this is a hardware firewall) Windows Firewall (a software firewall) is enabled by default on most computers, especially laptops.
When you install anti-virus software it will generally install with all the options, so it’s very likely that your anti-virus software’s firewall is enabled.
It’s ok to turn off your Window’s firewall and, your anti-virus software’s firewall if your router’s firewall is enabled. If your internet service provider offers free anti-virus software, go get it, and load it on all your systems. Your internet service provider can help you with your anti-virus software settings.
The problem with enabling all virus software features is that it can cause slow performance or loss of communication between the devices, shares, and accounts on your network.
The reason we have software firewalls is because laptops can be moved outside of your routers hardware firewall, contract a virus from some other network, and then be re-connected to your homes network inside the firewall ultimately infecting the rest of the computers on your network.

                                                                    OK so what do I need to do?



If your system is being protected by your router's firewall you need to disable both Windows and your anti-virus software Firewall or set the rules in the exceptions pages.
The MSS software uses UDP ports 4301 or 4302. The MSS also has data ports Http 80, TCP, UDP/137, NetBIOS Name Service, TCP, UDP/139 NetBIOS Name Service, TCP/445 Microsoft DS Active Directory, and UDP/445 Microsoft DS SMB File Sharing.

Click on Start> go to Settings > and select> Network Connections.



When the Network Connections window opens click on the Change Windows Firewall settings Icon.

Currently the Firewall is On. Turn it off and run the Maxtor Manager to see if it discovers your MSS on the network. If the Maxtor Manager finds the MSS the Windows firewall is part of your problem and you need to add the MSS to the Windows firewall Exceptions list. If the Maxtor Manager was unable to find your MSS the Windows firewall may be only half of your problem. In either case, make sure the MSS is part of the Windows Firewall Exceptions list and leave the Windows firewall disabled for now, and continue reading.

In most cases the MSS software adds itself into the Exceptions list as Maxtor EasyManage.
If you don’t see it in the list click on the add program buttonWhen the add program window displays find the Maxtor EasyManage software highlight it and click OK, and it will add it to the exceptions list.

If you need to add TCP and UDP ports manually click on the Add Port button.
When the add port window displays you can start adding port exceptions one at a time. Add the port numbers exactly as they are displayed, and when you name them, give them a name you can identify with. (this makes it easier to uncheck them later if needed.)

Type in the name, port number, select the appropriate radio button, and click OK.
The MSS software uses UDP ports 4301 or 4302.
The MSS also has data ports Http 80, TCP, UDP/137, NetBIOS Name Service, TCP, UDP/139 NetBIOS Name Service, TCP/445 Microsoft DS Active Directory, and UDP/445 Microsoft DS SMB File Sharing.

Every time you add a port to the Windows Exceptions list, re-run the Maxtor Manager to discover your MSS. Once the MSS is discovered you can stop adding ports to the exceptions list.

These same operations and exceptions also apply to your anti-virus Software. This information is supplied only as a courtesy if you need help with exceptions contact your ISP or the anti-virus software manufacturer for help.

Currently the Firewall is On. Turn it off and run the Maxtor Manager to see if it discovers your MSS on the network.
Do not turn off any of your anti-virus, addware, or, malware detection options.
If the Maxtor Manager finds the MSS, your anti-virus Software’s firewall is part of your problem and you need to add the MSS to your anti-virus Software’s firewall exceptions list.
If the Maxtor Manager was unable to find your MSS you may have another anti-virus software and firewall enabled. (99% of the time your Router’s firewall is not the problem.)
Go to Windows Control Panel and open Add or Remove Programs. After the list builds check the names of all the programs that load at startup and un-install any anti-virus software or firewalls that you aren’t familiar with.

After you have verified that your system has only one anti-virus software installed, or removed any anti-virus software that isn’t part of your normal protection package, open your anti-virus software’s Administration page by clicking the icon in your system tray.
After the administration page opens, look for an option that allows you to change the security level, and select program permissions.

Select the program permissions option and look for the Maxtor EasyManager in the exceptions list. If you don’t see Maxtor EasyManager in the list click on the Add Blocked Program button.

Add the MaxUtilities.exe file to the exceptions list. The file can generally be found in the Windows program files folder named Maxtor.



If you need to add port exceptions click on System Services. Adding a check mark to the box will allow access to the ports

Your anti-virus software should offer the same port numbers as Windows. The MSS software uses UDP ports 4301 or 4302.
After you have entered your port exceptions and your MSS you can re-enable your Windows firewall and your anti-virus software’s firewall.

This concludes the Firewall and Ports tutorial. Select another topic by clicking on the appropriate Command Panel Tab at the top of the page.