GRC Shields Up! Ping Reply Failed

Wammer

I have just scanned with Shields Up! Both pc's passed the File Sharing test. However with the Common Ports test I got the following result on both:-

Solicited TCP Packets: PASSED
Unsolicited Packets: PASSED
Ping Reply: RECEIVED (FAILED) — Your system REPLIED to our Ping (ICMP Echo) requests, making it visible on the Internet. Most personal firewalls can be configured to block, drop, and ignore such ping requests in order to better hide systems from hackers. This is highly recommended since "Ping" is among the oldest and most common methods used to locate systems prior to further exploitation.

One pc is Vista and the other Windows 7. I am using the Windows firewall as recommended by Closed in the "How to speed up your pc" thread.

I have changed the settings to block all incoming connections, but got the same result when I re-ran the test.

Any ideas?

Should I install a different firewall and if so, which one? I didn't get on with Comodo.

closed

If you have a router, don't worry, it's doing all the work and grc tests won't even hit the software firewall or the pc - you should get identical results testing without windows firewall switched on.

most routers have a Respond to Ping on Internet WAN Port

or similar setting, which may be ticked in your case, not that it's a big deal.

windows firewall is suggested in the speedup sticky because it's not bloated, and doesn't interfere or cause problems like many others

shields up is from the era before windows xp service pack 1/2, when most people didn't have routers, were still using dial up or usb modems, and many had no software firewall running, it's far less of an issue nowadays.

Wammer

Thanks for that. It's reassuring to know there's nothing to be concerned about.

It's many years since I last used it and that must have been pre-router days as I passed on all counts then.

I think I should delete the link from my favourites to I don't come across it in another few years!

Lum

I would treat everything Steve Gibson writes with a very large pinch of salt.

He is usually factually correct, but he blows everything out of proportion with huge amounts of hyperbole and big red bold italic text. I have no idea why he does this, presumably to justify his own existence and remain relevant.

By all means use his free tools, they can be useful, but do some research elsewhere as to what the results actually mean.

John_Gray

How well expressed!