Avast Internet Security broke my wireless adapter! Help!

[dreamsepilogue]

Okay, so here's the deal.

I've been using avast free antivirus for around two or so years now. Last night, avast updated and offered the 20-day free trial of Internet Security. Thinking nothing of it, I allowed it. However, after it upgraded, I lost wireless internet; troubleshooting didn't fix the problem and indicated that Leaf Network Adapter/Local Area Network Adapter 1/Local Area Network Adapter 2/Wireless Network Adapter had all encountered problems, and administrator repairs could not resolve any of these problems.

I uninstalled AIS, and lo and beold, the adapters began working again (I noted that it happens as "registry" comes up on the uninstall window, so perhaps it has something to do with the registry or whatever is removed just before that.) HOWEVER, when Avast requested I reboot to finalize the uninstall, after doing so, my adapters were broken again, only this time avast was gone.

I system restored and tried using the uninstall utility, but it didn't make a difference. On reboot, still no internet access.

I contacted the number on the avast support page and got a third party that tried to sell me their maintenance package, which obviously i turned down. (I couldn't afford it anyway.)

I'm currently on my second restore and am working in the period between uninstalling and rebooting, but it's harrowing knowing if i ever shut my laptop down I'll lose my internet access.

I know there are problems with Internet Security stopping internet access, as well as problems for doing so after being uninstalled, but no information for both at once, and neither of the individual problems' fixes have helped.

I'm running Windows 7, and the only other AV program I have installed is MalwareBytes free, which has never interfered with avast free av in the past. I can still see wireless networks, and can connect to them, but only with "Limited Access" and I have nothing avaliable that I wouldn't without connecting.

The details of the troubleshooting indicates for all four adapters that "Windows couldn't automatically bind the IP protocol stack to the network adapter."

Is there ANYTHING I can do? I have a very fixed income, and I can't afford to have this laptop professionally repaired, much less replace it; on top of that, it's absolutely essential for college, and I have a lot of important paperwork and information stored that I can't really afford to lose.

[Alievitan]

I the only time I have gotten "limited access" was b/c of drivers problems.  However, I doubt AIS changed your drivers, so it must be something must have happened with your settings or wireless services.  At this point there are way too many variables to troubleshoot through the internet so best thing you could do is google your problem and you will get answer from other forum with people having similar problems and just try to troubleshoot it yourself. 

Just to make sure you chose a restore point BEFORE AIS was installed correctly right?  System restore point should roll back all driver and settings provided it was created before the changes took place.   

[REDACTED]

So I bought a Verizon wireless hotspot so I could take my laptop on the train and work. I have AIS. All my other devices are able to access high speed internet, but my laptop which has the Avast! Internet Security would not until I disabled AIS. I was then able to VPN to my office and get some work done. But I hate disabling my antivirus protection.

So the operative question here is - what is AIS doing to irritate the wireless devices? What do we need to do to fix it? My boss is encouraging me to jump ship and go to the Symantec Endpoint Protection.

What to do?

[lejmorro]

I am having the same problems with Limited Access (ie no Internet) after problems with AIS and their Miniport drivers. Uninstalling AIS and re-installing has not helped. System restore has retrieved Internet access but AIS is not working at all (also Repair Avast in Control Panel fails) which started the whole fiasco.

It seems to me Avast engineers have completely dropped the ball with the AIS product as when I used the free or basic releases, there were no problems.

Hey Avast! what is happening with you guys??

[dreamsepilogue]

Hey, OP again, sorry for the late reply, been trying different things.

I went back to the restore point before i uninstalled AIS, and while it was still installed and the trial still active, i went into Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections, right-clicked my various network connections, and un-checked the Avast filter options in the properties for each, under "This connection uses etc etc". It worked, and my net was restored...but AIS was borked up by whatever I did and the shields stopped working, so I've reverted to Avast Free Antivirus (the antivirus itself still works just fine, it was the firewall and the Web Shield that stopped working).

This is currently where I'm sitting now. I just checked and the Avast tabs are not present in the aforementioned connection properties anymore, but I haven't lost my net access again yet. I have YET TO RESTART, however. So...we'll see what happens when I do.