I will be honest: I am a bit of a luddite. The other day, I was so happy to plug in a network switch and it worked. There was a distinct possibility it wouldn't because the cable from the switch to my device is a bit ratty and I don't know anything about switches so I was worried I was connecting it with the wrong cable. So I was so happy that at first I succeeded. I didn't hide my astonishment.

However, this post is about another type of technology. When I first heard of Apple Remote, I asked myself, why? Then, I realised that my house is all wired up with sound (not that we have figured that out yet, but how hard can that be?) and that I could connect my computer to it, and sit anywhere in the house, and control the playlist. Even in the toilet. That would be kewl. Perhaps even guests to my house could be given access and have voting rights. So I figured I needed to play with it. So I downloaded the app but couldn't make it work.

I am running Windows XP SP3 with Norton's Internet Security 2008.

First I tried to configure Norton's Smart Firewall by allowing anything that looked like iTunes or Remote might need (iTunes, Remote, Bonjour) by changing from 'Auto' to 'Allow'. No change.
Then I tried to turn off the firewall. No change.

Then I tried to change the configurations of Windows Firewall, checking that everything that this process might need is checked under 'Exceptions'. No change.
Then I also turned off this Firewall. No change.

Then I got frustrated. No change.

Then I started sneaking around in the settings and found a sneaky setting that needed to be changed:


Control Panel > Security Center > Windows Firewall > Advanced > Network Connection Settings > (checked and selected) Local Area Connection > Settings > (checked) Remote Desktop

Bingo!

(checked) means make sure it is checked
(selected) means make sure it has been selected/highlighted
(checked and selected) means make sure it has been checked and is selected/highlighted.




Turning Windows Firewall back on - no problem.

Turning Norton's Internet Security Firewall back on - no problem. Unfortunately I am unable to go back from 'Allow' to 'Auto' to test if the Smart Firewall changes had any effect.


So now I have my firewalls back on, I am controlling my iTunes desktop software with my iPod Touch :)

I do wonder though, is this a possible future security risk? Could devices posing as as iPod start doing things they shouldn't?