Avast WEBforum

Other => General Topics => Topic started by: readtugwell on July 07, 2009, 11:04:19 PM

Title: Web Shield
Post by: readtugwell on July 07, 2009, 11:04:19 PM
Hi, I have had problems today accessing the internet. I spent all day trying to find out why! ??? I have found out that i have to turn off the Web Shield on Avast. once i did this the internet was working fine. I am using avast 4.8 home edition, and i am running Windows XP. I have had avast for over a year and have never had a problem untill now, i have even uninstalled and reinstalled but this has not worked. Do i really need the Web Shield on? if i do then is there a way for me to browse the web and have web shield active? Please can someone help.  Thanks
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: onlysomeone on July 07, 2009, 11:21:37 PM
Hi readtugwell!

Which other security software do you use? and which one did you use before avast!? (antivirus, antispyware, firewall,...)
which on is your firewall?

yours
onlysomeone
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: Lisandro on July 07, 2009, 11:23:27 PM
WebShield is a must have...
Something is blocking it and, as a consequence, your Internet activity.
Firewall? Old antivirus?
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: DavidR on July 07, 2009, 11:23:43 PM
I will deal with the important bit first, yes, you most certainly need the web shield, the proliferation of hacked sites presents a high risk and the web shield is very hot on detecting these and blocking the redirects to sites running malicious scripts.

What is your firewall ?
Does it allow ashWebSv.exe internet access ?
- If it does delete the entry for it and reconnect to the internet and browse, this should force the firewall to ask permission again.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: Sammo on July 10, 2009, 01:15:56 AM
I can confirm that Web Shield will slow down my internet access with Firefox. This is sometimes intermittent but always occurs when I open a group of tabs. Some of the tabs just wont load at all. Some time Google searches take forever and sometimes the Speakeasy speed test shows that Web Shield slows down speed by as much as 20%. I have Outpost 2009 free as the only other running security software. Outpost has given all of the avast services complete access to everything. My system is running XP SP3. When I disable Web Shield the above slowdowns do no occur. Just for a test I uninstalled avast and installed NOD32. The NOD32 web shield did not slow down Firefox at all doing the exact same stuff that avast web shield did. I have since uninstalled NOD32 and reinstalled avast and the same slowdowns occur again.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: Tarq57 on July 10, 2009, 01:39:52 AM
Anyone having these problems happen to notice if they started to occur after updating Firefox to 3.5?
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: Sammo on July 10, 2009, 01:41:16 AM
Anyone having these problems happen to notice if they started to occur after updating Firefox to 3.5?
I believe that this could be the case with me.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: Tarq57 on July 10, 2009, 02:10:51 AM
I'm having intermittent connection issues, that do not seem to be altered by changing any of the avat settings, nor suspending Threatfire, that's why I ask.
This only happened after updating Firefox.
Sorry to (possibly) stray off topic, but may be a factor.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: rdmaloyjr on July 10, 2009, 02:18:47 AM
Sammo,

I'm on high speed cable internet, internet speed with cable internet varies with the number of subscribers online.  At times it will vary greatly and at other times not much.

With ZA Free there was a definite slowdown with Web Shield running.  With Web Shield paused there was no slowdown. 

Now that I'm using OA fw, there is no noticeable slowdown with Web Shield on or off.  I do my internet speed checking with Speakeasy.  I did my speed tests with six tabs opened in Opera.

OP 6.5 Free greatly slowed my internet.  ZA Free didn't slowdown the 'net anywhere near as much as OP 2009 6.5 Free.

Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: Sammo on July 10, 2009, 04:05:04 AM
OP 6.5 Free greatly slowed my internet.  ZA Free didn't slowdown the 'net anywhere near as much as OP 2009 6.5 Free.
I just ran another test. I uninstalled Outpost 2009 free and installed Online Armor. I got the exact same results wit OA as OP - no improvement when using the web shield. I just can't use it, it slows down Firefox too much. At least I use OpenDNS with the Phish filter.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: roro on July 10, 2009, 01:54:52 PM
I am curious if Firefox 3.5 could be causing the problem?  I noticed that both Tarq57 and Sammo mentioned it.  Has anyone else upgraded and had the same problem.  I haven't upgraded from 3.0 yet and don't want to if it causes problems with Avast Webshield.
According to the Firefox website, it is supposed to be faster.
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/upgrade.html

RoRo
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: Sammo on July 10, 2009, 03:21:38 PM
I am curious if Firefox 3.5 could be causing the problem?  I noticed that both Tarq57 and Sammo mentioned it.  Has anyone else upgraded and had the same problem.  I haven't upgraded from 3.0 yet and don't want to if it causes problems with Avast Webshield.
According to the Firefox website, it is supposed to be faster.
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/upgrade.html

RoRo
There are known problems with Firefox 3.5's ScriptMonkey. I read that a patch is coming out any day. I hope this will help.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: rdmaloyjr on July 10, 2009, 11:13:08 PM
I just ran another test. I uninstalled Outpost 2009 free and installed Online Armor. I got the exact same results wit OA as OP - no improvement when using the web shield. I just can't use it, it slows down Firefox too much. At least I use OpenDNS with the Phish filter.

You can always use Opera. 8)  It's faster, more secure & more user friendly than other browser. ;)

Quote
Now that I'm using OA fw, there is no noticeable slowdown with Web Shield on or off.  I do my internet speed checking with Speakeasy.    I did my speed tests with six tabs opened in Opera.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: Sammo on July 11, 2009, 12:34:19 AM
Well, I just did a test by running Firefox 3.11 and while the multiple tab freezing problem was much less than in FF 3.5, I still get about 10% or more speed reduction at Speakeasy when Web Shield in enabled. Just not worth the bother running it. I have not experienced this slow down with any other AV's web shield, only avast's. They should look into this.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: readtugwell on July 11, 2009, 11:05:40 AM
Hi, thanks to the replys, i am still having to turn off web shield and the only firewall i have is windows. if i turn the web shield on then i cant use the internet. does anyone have any other ideas thanks. ???
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: .: L' arc :. on July 11, 2009, 01:03:21 PM
Hi, thanks to the replys, i am still having to turn off web shield and the only firewall i have is windows. if i turn the web shield on then i cant use the internet. does anyone have any other ideas thanks. ???

Do you have any previous antivirus(es) before/alongside avast..? Moreover, did this happen right after avast was installed or suddenly occured for sometime that avast is already installed for at least a day..?
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: readtugwell on July 11, 2009, 01:15:21 PM
hi, this has just happend, i cant understand why, the only thing i have done is update the Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection, it updated to 12.2.0.11 version (if this helps).  After i did this it all went wrong.i have taken off avast and reinstalled it but this has not helped.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: Tarq57 on July 11, 2009, 01:40:01 PM
It may be a good idea to address the question above. I've heard of weird things happening some time after an old AV was replaced with Avast.
So, what were you using a year (+) ago?
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: readtugwell on July 11, 2009, 03:09:51 PM
A year ago i had norton, it slowed down my Laptop so i changed to avast. Norton has been taken off my Laptop, so not really sure how this would effect things, this has only happened since i updated Intel(R) Pro/wireless. :-\
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: Lisandro on July 11, 2009, 03:11:33 PM
1) Remove NAV or Norton 360 through Add/Remove programs from Control Panel. Boot.
2) Use Norton Removal Tool for Windows 2000/XP/Vista (http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Norton_Removal_Tool_for_Windows_2000XPVista/1169144666/1) or Norton Removal Tool for Windows 98/Me (http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Norton_Removal_Tool_for_Windows_98Me/1169144666/2). Boot.
3) Install avast! (or repair the installation) and boot.

The Norton Removal Tool uninstalls all Norton 2008/2007/2006/2005/2004/2003 products and Norton 360 from your computer.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: readtugwell on July 11, 2009, 03:16:41 PM
Hi, this has already been done, I still cant use the web shield and have to have it turned off. i have tried reinstalling avast with no luck.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: .: L' arc :. on July 11, 2009, 03:25:26 PM
Hi, this has already been done, I still cant use the web shield and have to have it turned off. i have tried reinstalling avast with no luck.

 Do you have any firewall (s)..?
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: George Yves on July 11, 2009, 04:08:26 PM
One of Russian-speaking users experiences slowdown in Firefox 3.5 during Web Shield work. He installed Avast four years ago and his previous antivirus was NOD32. His firewall is ZoneAlarm. What could I suggest him to do?
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: .: L' arc :. on July 11, 2009, 04:45:43 PM
Quote
One of Russian-speaking users experiences slowdown in Firefox 3.5 during Web Shield work. He installed Avast four years ago and his previous antivirus was NOD32. His firewall is ZoneAlarm. What could I suggest him to do?

 Avast + Zone Alarm needs to be configured well before everything runs smoothly.

 avast!.com (http://www.avast.com/eng/webshield_issues.html)
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: readtugwell on July 11, 2009, 06:37:47 PM
the only fire wall i have is windows
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: George Yves on July 11, 2009, 07:10:35 PM
Quote
One of Russian-speaking users experiences slowdown in Firefox 3.5 during Web Shield work. He installed Avast four years ago and his previous antivirus was NOD32. His firewall is ZoneAlarm. What could I suggest him to do?

 Avast + Zone Alarm needs to be configured well before everything runs smoothly.

 avast!.com (http://www.avast.com/eng/webshield_issues.html)
The user's problem is solved. He turned WebShield off, updated the database and turned WebShield on. Now he has no problem with internet connections.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: readtugwell on July 11, 2009, 07:28:44 PM
Hi all, has anyone got any ideas to why i cant run web shield.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: Lisandro on July 11, 2009, 07:39:12 PM
Can you activate logging in WebShield?
0. (Disable avast self-defense module: Program settings > Troubleshooting tab of settings.)
1. Edit <avast>\data\avast4.ini file with Notepad (or use step 0 with other text editors).
2. Find the section [WebScanner]
3. Add the line:
    EnableLogging=1
4. Restart Web Shield in XP\Vista (terminate and start again) or whole PC in case of Win98
5. Browse (trying to access some webpages)

The log file are <avast>\data\log\ashwebsv.log and ashwebsv.ws.
They would be accessible when WebShield is terminated again.
Post them here or send by mail to rypacek (at) asw.cz
After that, disable the logging to avoid a big log file.

Oh, enable the self-defense module again after that if you have to follow step 0.
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: pato on July 11, 2009, 08:41:05 PM
I have lost the Avast icon in the systray.  I cannot find how to restore it for automatic t updates. Any ideas?
Title: Re: Web Shield
Post by: spg SCOTT on July 11, 2009, 09:09:12 PM
I have lost the Avast icon in the systray.  I cannot find how to restore it for automatic t updates. Any ideas?

Hello Pato,

Please could you start another topic as your problem is unrelated to the original poster's and this will cause confusion.


-Scott-