gds_db (port 3050). What is it and why is an XP workstation sending UDP for it to my firewalll ?

[mboy]

NOw that I have a firewall up and running. I get this message in my logs:

07/29/2002 12:12:24.736 Denied UDP packet from LAN 1xx.199.210.xxx, 3050, LAN 1xx.199.210.xxx (gateway-firewall) , 1900, LAN

What is this UDP packet going from a computer on my LAN (XP) to the firewall?
Thanx.


PS. I know the subnet is an actual Public one and not a private one. One of the many things I have to clean up around here left over from the IDIOTS who set up the network originally.

 

[sml]

This is UPnP traffic - your XP machine is trying to discover other UPnP devices on the network; no need to worry, as you can see your firewall is blocking it for you so your upstream doesn't have to deal with it. Thanks for being a good internet neighbor

 

[mboy]

WHat UPnP stuff would it be looking for? Oh, my pleasure in blocking it. I am looking for new and exciting things to block . Like this damn weatherbug crap.
Oh, I also just noticed the same thing, but on port 1042 on the only other XP machine. Same thing?
Thanx for your help.

 

[sml]

It's a broadcast operating protocol like ARP or NETBIOS-NAME; it's looking for printers / scanners / fax machines / other UPnP-aware stuff on the network so it can learn about it and set it up for you automatically. Most people turn it off, since it's rarely used. There are long rants about how MSFT has some hidden agenda to use it for nefarious purposes at www.grc.com.

 

[mboy]

Now I have one broadcasting on 3024 and theother on 1631. WTF are they looking for now?
THANX SML