Manually Configure Windows XP firewall (Service Pack 2)

Microsoft Windows XP ships with a built-in firewall that protects your computer against unauthorized programs accessing the network or Internet. VeryTeaching is a program that uses your network to connect to other computers and hence will be blocked by the firewall.

To fix this, we need to alter the Firewall so that it specifically allows VeryTeaching's following programs to run through the firewall:

  • AVRecver.dll
  • NCClt.dll
  • NCTea.exe   (This file only exists on the teacher computer)

The following steps guide you through the process of allowing VeryTeaching to use the network and must be done on each student and teacher computer.

  1. Logon to the student or teacher workstation with Administrator access rights
  2. Click on the START button and click on Control Panel
  3. Find the icon Windows Firewall and double click it to open
  4. You should now see a window similar to the one below. This is the actual firewall setup window and contains 3 tabs: General, Exception and Advanced.
  5. Click the Exceptions tab. You should now see the following window. This window lists all programs that the firewall allows connection. You need to add VeryTeaching's programs (AVRecver.dll NCClt.dll NCTea.exe) to this list.
  6. Click the Add Program... button in above window.
  7. You should now see the following window. Click the Browser button.
  8. You should now see the following Browse window. By default, the VeryTeaching is installed in "C:\Program Files\VeryLabs\VeryTeaching". Browse to that folder and choose All Files from the Files Of Type pop-up menu. Select the AVRecver.dll file and click the Open button
  9. Press OK
  10. Now the AVRecver.dll program is added to the list.
  11. Now repeat steps 6 to 10 above but this time change AVRecver.dll for NCClt.dll, all other setting stay the same. Here's your final window for student computer.
  12. For teacher computer, repeat steps 6 to 10 above but change AVRecver.dll for NCTea.exe, all other setting stay the same. Here's your final window for teacher computer.
  13. Press OK to all open windows and finally close the Windows Control Panel
  14. This must be performed on all student and teacher machines.