Have you heard, the future refrigerator can not only freeze food, but can I connect to the Internet? Or, can you use a microwave to read an email when heating POP-TART? what? Isn't you attractive?
Ok, then let a alarm with a network function remind you not to forget the scheduled date, check the traffic and weather information, and calculate when you should wake you, or cause the information of the travel destination and when Should you start, is these attractive? On the way to the airport, you have the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) with UPnP Features to help you find the best parking space. On the journey, your PDA tracks your dating arrangement, book a restaurant and hotel, confirmed a flight and ordered some food, allowing them to send it in your hand on the day. As I said above, these novelty and devices do not exist now, but due to the emergence of UPNP, they will become a reality in the near future.
What is UPNP?
UPNP technology extension is extended by plug and play, which simplifies the networking process of smart devices in a family or enterprise. After a device that combines UPNP technology is connected to the network in a physical form, they can be connected to each other through the network, and the connection procedure does not require user participation and using a central server.
The UPnP specification is based on TCP / IP protocols and other Internet protocols that are developed between the devices. This is why it is called "universal". - UPNP technology does not rely on a specific device driver, but the use of standard protocols. The UPnP device can automatically configure network addresses to present their existence of a network subnet, as well as a description of devices and services to each other. Windows XP-based computers can act as a UPNP control point, and discovery and control through the programming interface.
This technique does not seem to have any revolutionary meaning than the previous plug-and-play. Increasing plug-and-play techniques in the operating system make it easier to install, configure, and add peripherals on a single computer. But UPNP is a more delicious "big meal" for a family user or a small office environment, and they can use UPnP to play multi-player games, conduct real-time communication (Internet Phone, Telephone Conference) and the use of similar Windows XP Remote Assistance This other technique. So far, several large companies equipped with a complete IT team can easily do these (although I suspect that multiplayer games and refrigerators that can surf the Internet will be the focus of their emphasis).
Network address conversion
In the Internet, the addressing system on the Internet has been developed for a long time in millions and the number of home networks that continue to grow. In fact, this addressing system developed during the Internet is still in the young age, it can still be a miracle so far.
Because Internet address resources are rapidly depleted, most home networks have established a gateway using Network Address Translation (NAT) technology. NAT is a standard developed by the Internet Engineering Task Group (IETF), which allows multiple PCs or devices in private networks to share a global unique public address (the private address used is 10.0.xx, 192.168.xx and 172 .xxx). As a temporary remedy for the shortage of IP addresses, NAT can do a lot of work well - such as Windows XP Internet connection sharing, using NAT, just like many gateway devices (such as DSL and cable modems). .
But the problem is: NAT hopes that all network applications communicate in a standard mode (ie, using IP addresses in the data clamp,, but some network programs are expected to the presence of NAT. They used NAT unconverted embedded IP addresses. NAT crossing technology
NAT Traveler allows the network application to detect if they are in a NAT device with UPnP capabilities. These programs will then get shared global routing IP addresses, and configure port mapping to forward packets from the NAT external port to the internal port used by the application - all this is automatically completed, users don't need manual Map ports or other work. NAT traversal technology allows network devices or point-to-point applications through the NAT gateway to communicate with external communication through dynamically turning and closing communication ports between external services.
Enable UPnP user interface
In some cases, Windows XP can discover the UPnP device and provide its own user interface to control these devices. A good example is a user interface (UI) of the UPnP residential gateway device in the Network Connection folder. The popular LINKSYS BEFSR41W wireless router is automatically displayed in the Network Connection folder after installation, because Windows XP has built a related application.
In addition, you can install an optional UI component using the following steps. The UI component will display a "balloon" notification after the new device is found, and an icon is prevented for each device in the "online neighbor" folder. To enable UPnp UI, follow these steps:
Click "Start", click "Control Panel", then click "Add or Remove Programs". In the Add or Remove Programs dialog box, click Add / Remove Windows Components. In the Windows Component Wizard, click on "Network Services", click "Details", then select the General Plug and Play check box. Click "OK" and click "Next" in the Windows Component Wizard dialog. You may need to provide your Windows XP installation CD.
If you are ready to purchase or rent an Internet Gateway device, consider whether these devices can support UPNP to implement NAT crosses because it has a great impact on your home network.
Now, if there is a UPNP device in your system, you should be able to see them after opening "Network Neighbors". If there is a UPnP device in your LAN, they will appear in "Network Neighbors" based on a general purpose icon according to the device type. In the future, when you install a UPNP device in the network, a notification icon will briefly appear in the system tray area. If you see this icon, you can find a new device in the "Network Neighbor".
Support for UPNP technology and NAT crosses is an important feature that needs to be considered when looking for gateway devices. If you are ready to purchase or rent an Internet Gateway device, consider whether these devices can support UPNP to implement NAT crosses because it has a great impact on your home network.
If you want to get more information about UPNP and NAT through, please visit the UPNP Forum, which is currently composed of 488 manufacturers, and Microsoft is one of its founding members.
UPnP security
Due to the simplicity of UPNP technology and adherence to open standards, UPNP technology has been adopted by many equipment manufacturers. Windows XP took the lead in achieving support for UPnP technology, but it still has some security vulnerabilities, and attackers can use these vulnerabilities to slow down your PC's running speed, or in a very small number of cases, attackers can be against him Promote the permissions in your system. However, if you have a firewall installed in Windows XP, these issues will not be their problem. In fact, Windows XP itself comes with an Internet connection firewall. By default, the firewall is installed on your Internet connection, so you can protect you from an Internet attacker attack. This security vulnerability in the UPnP has been patch. Microsoft Security Announcement MS01-059
The problem is discussed and provides more resource links with this, you can view the Knowledge Base article through these links to learn more, or download the appropriate security patches.
Please note: If you use Windows Update, I believe that you have already got notifications for this security vulnerability and have downloaded the relevant security patches.
If you use Windows XP in your home or in a small office environment, and I hope that we will discuss a topic in the future column, welcome to write the letter: Sharoncrawford@mvps.org. I am very happy to know your ideas and suggestions.
Sharon Crawford was once edited, and now mainly engaged in book work and writing articles for magazines. Since 1993, she worked independently or wrote a large number of books in computer with others. Her works include: Windows 2000 Pro: Lost manual; Windows 98: Newbieves and Windows 2000 Professional Foolbook (with Andy Rathbone).
