Make SSH login go faster after installation of Service Pack 2 in Windows XP

The SP2 for Windows XP installs a firewall that by default blocks incoming connections. When loggin in on IT's unix servers, the SSH protocol tries to make a user identification by looking up the connecting host (your computer).
This lookup is prevented by the SP2 firewall (this is correct default behaviour and a sign of it actually working...). The consequence, however, is that SSH times out after 5 seconds and then proceeds with the login. As a user you notice this whole process by SSH logins taking about 5 seconds.

How to make the login fast again

You can make the SSH login fast by making an exception in the firewall.

• Open the firewall configuration. It is available in the Control Panel.

• Click Security Center.

• Click the firewall. Your firewall may look a bit different, depending on the exceptions you have defined.

• Add a port. We will allow TCP connection to our computer on port 113.

• Define a scope, so only UU machines may do this connection.

• It should look something like this when done.

• Done.