Firewall blocking internet connection

[bryanhenderson2]

Since just recently the avast firewall has started to be unable to identify the network connection I use on my main PC and refers to an unidentified network. Eventually it does seem to identify it and then connects but it varies as to how long it takes to do this and this is very annoying obviously. It seems to take about five minutes to identify the network connection whereas previously this happened instantly.

Eventually I phoned my ISP (PlusNet) who said as far as they were concerned everything was working properly and to contact Avast which I did. I spoke to a lady who established a direct connection to my PC and she searched around and seemed to change something in the BIOS or Registry or something but said she couldn't find anything wrong and said it wouldn't happen again but it still does most of the time. I also have a laptop PC with Avast on it and recently that hasn't been having a problem. The main difference is that every day I turn the laptop off when finished but my PC I leave on and put to sleep. I did notice on days when I didn't put it to sleep but let it put itself to sleep when waking up it didn't tend to have the problem identifying the network every time.

When I phoned Avast at the end of the call the lady offered me various packages of support costing more than I felt like paying over and above the cost of Avast Premium so at the time I declined but got the feeling that this is a standard procedure when you phone them for help. As these problems all seemed to start after a recent update to the software I didn't feel like rewarding them for introducing a bug that wasn't there before or at least that's how I saw it.

[bryanhenderson2]

I was hoping that someone else was experiencing what is happening to me however it doesn't seem like it is. I am now wondering if I should use the Windows Defender firewall rather than the Avast firewall?

My laptop which isn't having the problem is using Windows 11 but my PC which is having this problem is Windows 10 so I was wondering if this might explain the difference between the two?

[DavidR]

I have been using Avast Free for a little over 20 years, long before it had a firewall.  At that time I used a paid firewall solution until it was bought out (I had a lifetime license).  By that point I used the standard Windows Firewall, I just stuck with this when Avast Free introduced a firewall component.

So it is entirely feasible to uninstall the avast firewall component and use the windows but seems a shame given you are using the Avast Premium product.

The Avast has two main network settings Private and Public.  I don't know which you are using, possibly Public, which is much more strict.  If so try changing the setting to Private/Home and see if that resolves this.

I'm sorry I can't be of more practical help as I'm not using Avast Premium or the Avast Firewall component.

[bryanhenderson2]

Thanks I think it is set for private network but can't see where to check this or change it if it needs changed. It offers me two choices either I trust this network or I don't trust this network.

[DavidR]

Check out this FAQ - https://support.avast.com/en-gb/article/48/#pc