What is the meaning of ports being stealth? Is it the same as ports being closed?
I respond to ping. Does a software firewall prevent you from responding to ping and a hardware firewall doesn't?
What is the relation between ports being stealth/closed and responding to ping?
venus_n,
You are in what we commonly call "20 questions" mode, trying to learn a large amount of very basic information that is well known all over the Internet. Rather than bothering hundreds of people with redundant questions that are already well answered elsewhere, a thoughtful person learns first how to use the very simple search functions available to find that information by themselves. Then if after reading these they still have unanswered questions which they can't find in a search they only then ask these more specific questions in places like a forum.
An example of this for your question above could be searched for at 'Bing', a very safe and effective search engine with the following query:
http://www.bing.com/search?q=stealth+ports+and+ping
Just click on this link and you'll see several results that provide answers to exactly the questions you've asked and likely additional related questions that you haven't.
You appear willing to read a lot to learn, so expend just a bit more energy and also learn a more efficient and quick way to find the answers you seek.
bitman
Thankyou, i did go through some writeups.