pacific disconnects--is this good technical advice?

[mosta]

[reposting now that I see this new forum. I got one reply which I don't disbelieve. but I figure a little more input could be educational.]




I've posted before and other people have commiserated about being sat out on one's blind with auto-post checked, being timed out after having acted, being given zero time to repost a blind and unable to do it automatically, etc etc. after one particularly egregious time out I fire off an obscene email to pacific support. I get a polite message with the following advice back, for dealing with my connectivity issues (I have no tech competence to determine whether this should help or whether it is bad for my security):

[uninstall completely.] then: The software is now uninstalled.

If you are connected behind a firewall, please open the following ports:
701, 4095, 4096, 8500 and 8520. I would advise that you contact your
internet service provider (ISP) or the provider of your firewall
software for directions on opening these ports.

Then simply visit

http://setupspcp1.888.com/setups/2.1...pokersetup.exe

and you will be asked to download the new software. Simply click on "ok"
and the download process will begin.

--------------------------

I don't know how to open ports, whether it could help, or whether it's a good idea overall. (and maybe this download is different??)

[BluffTHIS!]

If you are running Norton's firewall or another one you bought or downloaded, usually when you install new software that attempts to connect to the net it will ask you if you want to block or allow on all ports, so you don't actually monkey around with the specific ports, just giving permission for that application in general on all ports. If you are running behind an ISP firewall, then you would have to contact them for intructions on how to do so. Since you are just allowing that specific application, i.e. pacific poker, to access these ports, there should be no security side-effects from other dangers. You do not mention your system's configuration, and if you are still running 98/ME on an older system that could have something to do with your problems. But I would see no problem in implementing what they have suggested, since you have to allow a site to access your ports to play anyway.