Symptom

Installing Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 enables Windows Firewall by default. However Windows Security Center may show "CHECK STATUS" or "OFF" when ThinkVantage Access Connections is used to manage network location profiles. Even after Windows Firewall is enabled with Windows Security Center or Windows Firewall screen ThinkVantage Access Connections may turn it off on boot or on switching network location profiles.

Affected configuration

Any of the following ThinkVantage ThinkPad systems with Access Connections and Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 installed:

• ThinkPad A20m A20p A21e A21m A21p A22m A22p A22e
  
  
• ThinkPad A30 A30p A31 A31p
  
  
• ThinkPad G40
  
  
• ThinkPad R30 R31 R32
  
  
• ThinkPad R40 R40e
  
  
• ThinkPad R50 R50e R50p R51
  
  
• ThinkPad s31
  
  
• ThinkPad T20 T21 T22 T23
  
  
• ThinkPad T30
  
  
• ThinkPad T40 T40p T41 T41p T42 T42p
  
  
• ThinkPad X20 X21 X22 X23 X24
  
  
• ThinkPad X30 X31
  
  
• ThinkPad X40
  
  
• ThinkPad TransNote
  
  

Solution

Manually modify those network location profiles for which Windows Firewall should be enabled. Follow the steps shown below to modify the Windows Firewall setting in a network location profile of ThinkVantage Access Connections.

1. Open "ThinkVantage Access Connections" program from Start menu

A. Click the Start button
B. Select All programs (or Programs with the classic start menu)
C. Select Access IBM
D. Click ThinkVantage Access Connections

2. On the "Connection Status" screen click the Manage Location Profiles button

3. Choose and highlight a location profile you want to modify.

4. Click the Edit button

5. On the Modify profile: profile name screen click the Security tab
Where profile name indicates the name of location profile you chose at the step 3

6. On the Security tab check the checkbox for Protect my computer and network by limiting or preventing access to this computer from the Internet (Internet Connection Sharing).

7. Click the OK button to save the change

8. Click the Close button

9. Repeat from Step 2 to 8 above for all the network location profiles you want to enable Windows Firewall

Note: The above steps were written based on ThinkVantage Access Connections Version 3.10. With other versions of ThinkVantage Access Connections steps may vary.

Additional information

From the introduction of Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 Microsoft changes the default state of Windows Firewall to "Enabled". While ThinkVantage Access Connections disables Windows Firewall by default except for profiles connecting to a public wireless access point (e.g. hot-spot).