Internet Connection Sharing Problems PS3

Version: 3.0.24.368
Computer Internet Connection is via PPOE, PS3 is connected through a switch, then through a second ethernet card on the host PC. Internet Connection Sharing is enabled.
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Home SP2
Logged In: As Admin
Other real-time security applications installed: AVG 7.5, Spybot S&D (TeaTimer)
Security related applications which have been removed/disabled before installing CFP: ZoneAlarm Firewall, Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Spyware Doctor, BitDefender
Security related application which have been removed/disabled after installing CFP: none

The Problem in Detail:
I currently connect to the internet via my main PC via PPOE and share this connection to other internet devices around the house. The internet is called “Wireless” broadband however it is basically satelite broadband. The order of connection: ISP - Dish (satelite) - Router (set-up as a bridge so not being used for any protection) - Injector (2-ethernet switch that also powers the router and satelite which are both outside on the side of the house) - Main PC (1st Ethernet Card) - 2nd Ethernet Vard - Ethernet Switch - PS3 / 2nd PC / 3rd PC.
The internet connects successfully on every PC and the PS3 but I have problems playing games on the PS3 (I can play games fine on all of the PC’s). If I try to play a game on the PS3 such as Euro 2008 (online), at the team select screen I can’t choose my team because I can’t connect with the other player; this is the same problem you would have if you hadn’t port-forwarded. If I set the firewall security level to “Disabled”, I can play games on the PS3 fine which means the problem is a setting somewhere in Comodo Firewall Pro. I have defined the Network Zones and used the stealth ports wizard to set them as trusted. I have also set a rule for svchost, which is the process that ICS and the PS3 uses, to allow IP in but that didn’t work; also athis rule would probably leave me vulnerable to attack so I wouldn’t want to leave the firewall like this anyway. Also a static I.P is set on the PS3 of 192.168.0.25.
Also see attached Screenshots-
Any help would be much appreciated because at the moment I have to play games online on the PS3 going from the injector straight into the PS3; obviously if someone else wants to use the internet on the PC at the same time they can’t.
Thanks, Ben
P.S. I am going to try training mode to see if that helps but as PS3 isn’t an application in the computer I doubt it will work.

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Basically I just want to put the PS3 into DMZ but as I am using ICS I can’t but I want to set the PS3 up in a way that is the same as DMZ. However if I have to forward ports in Comodo Firewall Pro manually the ports for the game I play mainly online (Euro 2008) are:
TCP} 21250-21259, 9980-9989, 443, 80
UDP} 3659, 6000 and possibly 3658

Training mode didn’t work; the only way it works is by disabling defense plus and the network security - I might try just disabling one of the 2 to see whether defense plus or the network security could be the problem (isolate each one) - it is probably both though.

Ok so I tested just disabling proactive defense and still had the problem so the problem is something to do with Network Security.
Some input would be great, thanks.

Hi Ben. Welcome to the forum. I’m not a networking expert, but I do know some basics like checking if there’s anything relevant that’s being blocked in the log: Firewall > Common Tasks > View Firewall Events > More…

Nothing is being blocked.

Hi M8,

Something you could try is Firewall/Advanced/Firewall Behavior Settings,put the firewall in “Custom” and then move the Alert Settings to very high(this should give you a pop up for each ip/port).Remove all previous rules relating to this and see if any alerts pop up.
Also is the ICS box checked.

Sorry i couldn`t be of more assistance

Matty

I’ll try that then. Also the ICS box is checked.

The problem with trying this is that the PS3 is upstairs and the PC is downstairs - i guess I’ll have to do a lot of running lol. So should I remove my global rules? (see attachment) Obviously I’ll remove the rules for svchost.
Thanks for the help so far guys; any more help would be much appreciated,
Cheers, Ben.

I put the firewall in “Custom” mode and moved the alert setting to “Very High” like you said - before that deleting the rules for svchost and Sytem. I then got loads of blocked attempts on System - not to do with the PS3 at all. So it looks as though alot of people were trying to IP in to my PC… So I’m going to make a rule for system - Comodo Forum
from this thread:
https://forums.comodo.com/empty-t21123.0.html
Before, system was set to Allow IP In for some reason which seems to be a very stupid rule to me; another thing I must do then is to tighten up the rules for most applications. I’ll now continue to test with the PS3.

Screenshot Relating to above post:

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I continued to test with defense plaus disabled and in “Custom” Mode (High Alerts also). I got a few warnings that I allowed but I had to re-define the PS3 as a trusted zone in order to connect. Once I had connected I proceeded to load up Euro 2008 and tried to connect with another player and play a game; rather than getting warnings Comodo Firewall Pro automatically blocked a few things as shown in the log. I have done lots of screen shots of what the rules were at the time and what the log showed etc. When the firewall blocked me from connecting with other players the application that was blocked was “Windows Operating System”; this is different to “System” and svchost as they are shown as System or svchost.exe in the Firewall Events (log). What process is “Windows Operating System”? There aren’t any rules about it in the Network Security Policy.
I think Comodo Firewall Pro is blocking the other people from connecting to me whilst on the PS3 because in the firewall events it shows that the other people tried to connect to me on my host PC’s I.P (technically my WAN IP) - not on 192.168.0.25. So any rule that we make must be for the host PC I think, leaving it vulnerable… Obviously other PC’s and the PS3 will be fine as they are protected by firewalls and the PS3 can’t be hacked.

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182 views and only 2 responses… :frowning:
I’m still getting lots of connection attempts on the Windows Operating System application but they are being blocked. I have had about 1880 in less than 2 hours. This is also the same application that blocks me access to the PS3 so if an allow rule for it would need to be strict as people seem to be trying to IP in to it all the time. It is always to the same port which is the same port I use for utorrent so maybe its just people trying to connect to me as peer but the tracker’s aren’t updated yet and they don’t know I have exited utorrent.

Actually, each time anyone, include ourselves access the thread, it adds to the “Read” count :slight_smile:

You’ve basically provided all your settings, so you’ve done your part :-TU
Let me yell at my fellow gurus to see if they can help (:WIN)

svchost,explorer.exe and system should all be outgoing only.Try rebooting your modem and see if that helps. There is a Windows thread here about system and svchost. What are your global rules?

https://forums.comodo.com/empty-t14948.0.html

Ben’s global ruleset already in the last zip, but I’ll upload the screenie:

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In reading thru the posts on this topic, it sounds like the PS3 wants to be in a network DMZ with pretty much direct access to and from the Internet. But you’re running behind a WinXP ICS host, which is providing NAT services (network address translation), which for some protocols can make connections impossible. For example, the old classic FTP protocol won’t work thru NAT, making it necessary to use PASV or the newer EPSV connection methods.

To make sense of what’s going on here, it may be necessary to Wireshark, or some other network monitor/capture program, on the WinXP ICS host to see what is coming in and going out.

Then, the CFP rules behind that need to be tailored to effectively form a tunnel to the PS3 box, while restricting the PS3 from being used as a springboard or a reflective target to attack other hosts on the LAN, including the ICS host. Something like that isn’t usually straightforward

I’m on the end of my day here, so my thinking is a little fuzzed. Am I understanding things mostly on the same planet?

The LAN as I understand it, looks like this:

Internet ---- bridge ---- ICS Host -----±------ PS3
±---------------- other PCs ??

I’m pretty sure you’re right grue155.

ICS simply doesn’t have sufficient flexibility to allow a DMZ’d connection on it’s interior. It’s a fairly dumb NAT’ing setup which simply can’t allow a direct port forward through itself.

As a rule, PS3, Xbox and Wii require a reasonably direct connection, preferably through a router.

Ewen :slight_smile:

Thanks :wink:

I started reading that thread yesturday but only got a few pages into it - i’ll continue reading it today. :). If I set those to outgoing only I can’t even connect to the PS3 network. I don’t have a modem… If you re-check the thread and the attachments you should have the right information, including all rules etc.

That’s basically it; my ISP refused to give me access to the router so they set it as a bridge for me instead. You’re definitely right this isn’t straightforward. Please can you explain to me about Wireshark as this isn’t something I’ve used before. Thanks.

Well for ages I just thought that it was Window’s ICS that was the problem because if I just exited Comodo Firewall Pro then games on the PS3 didn’t work. Recently I found out that if I left Comodo Firewall Pro running and just disabled the Network Security then games on the PS3 did work so that meant the problem was Comodo Firewall Pro. I have got another router that should work but it doesn’t; I tried PPOE and PPOE on it and also most of the advanced options to no avail. If I can’t get ICS to work I will give it another try but I figured getting ICS to work would be easier. To get the router to work I would need the help of my ISP and they aren’t very helpful normally.

In the advanced Internet Connection Sharing setings I did forward the ports for Euro 2008 - see attachment.

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Since being in Custom Mode (alerts set to very high), I have been getting a frequent warning. Should I allow this?
This is irrelevant to the PS3. > See attachment:

P.S. Thanks to everyone who has posted so far :smiley:

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