Setting up DCOM for Windows XP Research
1- Setting up DCOM for Windows XP This document has been produced as a guide to configuring DCOM settings on machines with Windows XP SP2 installed. You must make sure that the DCOM settings of machines on your network are correct to ensure that Pi Workshop will communicate successfully with Pi Server. It is important that the DCOM configuration is carried out on both Pi Server and Pi Workshop machines. 29P-071538-2E 1
Introduction Introduction The Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM), is a protocol that enables software components to communicate over a network in a reliable, secure and efficient manner. If the DCOM settings for your machine are incorrect, you could experience a variety of problems, including difficulty when you try to connect to the Pi Server machine. You may be able to establish a connection across the network but it drops out after a few seconds. Ensure that the person checking and configuring the DCOM configuration has Administrator privileges. This document assumes that you are running Windows XP SP2 and that the Windows firewall is disabled (see Setting up the firewall for Windows XP and Service pack 2 on page 10). This document assumes that Pi Workshop is already installed. You must restart your computer after performing this procedure, in order for the changes to take effect. 2 29P-071538-2E
Setting up DCOM for Windows XP 1 Select Run... from the Windows Start menu and type DCOMCNFG in the Run dialog. The Component Services dialog is displayed. 2 Expand the Component Services node in the tree view. The Computers node is revealed. Expand this node and locate My Computer. 29P-071538-2E 3
3 Right-click on My Computer to display the shortcut menu and select Properties. The My Computer Properties dialog is displayed. Select the Default Properties tab. 4 Make sure that the Enable Distributed COM on this computer option is selected. 5 In the Default Distributed COM Communications Properties field, make sure that the Default Authentication Level is set to None and the Default Impersonation Level is set to Identify. 4 29P-071538-2E
6 Select the COM Security tab. 7 In the Access Permissions field, click Edit Limits... The Access Permission Security Limits dialog is displayed. 29P-071538-2E 5
8 Make sure that the following users are listed in the dialog: ANONYMOUS LOGON Everyone Set the permissions for both Local Access and Remote Access to Allow for both users. 9 If any of the required users do not appear on the list, click Add... to display the Select Users, Computers or Groups dialog and type the missing user names in the Enter the object name to select box, then click OK. 6 29P-071538-2E
10 Click OK. 11 In the Access Permissions field, click Edit Defaults... The Access Permissions Default Security dialog is displayed. 12 Repeat steps 8-10 above in this dialog. 13 In the Launch and Activation Permissions field, click Edit Limits... The Launch Permission Security Limits dialog is displayed. 29P-071538-2E 7
14 Once again, ensure that both ANONYMOUS LOGON and Everyone are listed. Set the permissions for Local Launch, Remote Launch, Local Activation and Remote Activation to Allow for both users. 15 Click OK. 16 In the Launch and Activation Permissions field, click Edit Defaults... The Launch Permission Default Security dialog is displayed. 17 Repeat steps 14-15 above in this dialog. 18 Select the Default Protocols tab. 19 Ensure that Connection-orientated TCP/IP is the first protocol listed. 20 Click OK. 21 Expand the My Computer node on the Component Services dialog and select DCOM Config. If any DCOM Configuration warnings are displayed, click Yes to take the default action. 8 29P-071538-2E
22 Select View > List from the menu bar. 23 Identify all of the Pi applications in the list, these will all be prefixed by Pi, e.g. PiArchiveServer Class. 24 Right-click on the first Pi application to display the shortcut menu and select Properties. 25 On the General tab, ensure that the Authentication level is set to None. 26 Click OK. 27 Repeat steps 24-26 for each Pi application listed. 28 Close the Component services dialog. 29 Restart your computer. 29P-071538-2E 9
Setting up the firewall for Windows XP and Service pack 2 Setting up the firewall for Windows XP and Service pack 2 For ease of setup, Pi recommends that you disable the Windows firewall. You should only disable the Windows firewall if your computer is on a secure network or it is not connected to the internet. If you are in any doubt about whether your computer is protected, contact Pi before disabling the Windows firewall. 1 Select Control Panel from the Windows Start menu and double-click on Security Center. 2 Select Windows Firewall. The Windows Firewall dialog is displayed. 3 Check Off and click OK. 10 29P-071538-2E