WEB Work Hindered with Avast – Need Help

[Pampas2]

For the last five years I’ve run TrendMicro as my antivirus software through my work.  Recently I’ve decided to switch to Avast at the recommendation of various people in my family.  The first few weeks I had a few odd things, but I did not link them to Avast – However, I now realize they are directly caused by my installation of Avast – and my ignorance of how to work around them.

Issues:
1) “localhost” does not work.
I spent days and days trying to figure out why “localhost” was not working and why I had to use 127.0.0.1 in all my site set ups in Dreamweaver CS5.  Then I looked up Avast problems with localhost and I found dozens of links. 
Apparently I’m supposed to be able to allow “localhost” on my own computer but when I put it in the exceptions it does not work.  So now I run with Web Shield OFF.

QUESTION:  Can you point me to the HOW TO to set this up and avoid having this problem going forward?

2) http://www.powweb.com blocked.
How in god’s green earth can a hosting company be blocked from my Avast – right after I upgraded and rebooted as it said I needed to.  I thought they were having a problem.  Well, I used my phone and reached them.  I used my iPad and reached them.  But my computer and my wife’s computer could not reach it – the two running Avast and just updated.

QUESTION:  Can you direct me to a link where I could figure out how to overcome this issue – and help me understand why a hosting company is WEBPAGE NON-GRATA?

The next is the strangest of all:

3) Wireless Card
I’m running D-Link DWA-552 Xtreme N Desktop Adapter to connect to the internet.  It works great, till I reboot the computer for any reason.  This started after I installed Avast.  The funny thing is; if I remove Avast from my computer, I don’t have this problem.  I install it, and the D-Link quits working.

QUESTION:  Can you point me to the solution of this problem?

All in all Avast seemed like a great product.  It now seems like I come in at the end of the “good life” and Avast is causing me huge problems.

HELP, please… thanks.

[olddog]

Since hxxp://www.powweb.com can be accessed here with all shields up and running, perhaps you can provide some additional details.

What exact version of Avast are you using.
i.e. is it the free version, or one of the paid for versions
What exact version number is it
i.e. 2014.?.?.?   (The current version is 2014.9.0.2011)
How did you remove the previous antivirus system - did you use the recommended removal tool specific to the old AV system?.

[olddog]

3) Wireless Card
I install it, and the D-Link quits working.

Have you tried excluding the driver/s for the PCI wireless card in Avast?

[Pampas2]

@ olddog
What exact version of Avast am I running: Free Version
Program version: 2014.9.0.2011
Virus definitions version: 140106-1
Number of definitions: 2,603,084

I ran the TrendMicro tool for fully uninstalling - but since you ask, I'm going to have to make sure it is all gone; good point.

Have I tried excluding the driver/s for the PCI wireless card in Avast? 
To be honest, it never crossed my mind to list the PCI card any more than it would cross my mind to list the CDplayer driver on it - Does Avast require you to list drivers to "NOT" mess with?

I truly appreciate your help!!!

[olddog]

Have I tried excluding the driver/s for the PCI wireless card in Avast? 
To be honest, it never crossed my mind to list the PCI card any more than it would cross my mind to list the CDplayer driver on it - Does Avast require you to list drivers to "NOT" mess with?

Under normal circumstances I would have said No. I actually have very few entered exclusions, the majority of them being automatically added deepscreen exceptions relating to portable apps programs.

I interpreted your "... I install it, and the D-Link quits working" as the card physically stops working if avast is present, and for example you can't ping a remote address, rather than say it being just a web browser related issue. 

Since the hardware itself is obviously not the issue (it works if avast is not present), then my thought was that maybe Avast is having some effect on one or more of the specific driver files for this particular add on card - for example, perhaps the file shield is scanning one of the driver files for some reason when it is called, and creating a timing issue.

The exclusion query was just an idea to try.  On reflection, perhaps it would have been better to suggest you try disabling any browser AOS addons/extensions, and then temporarily turn off each of the shields in turn to see if the issue can be narrowed down.

[cooby]

Re point 1 in the first post - I hope I understand the question, and if yes, here's what I can add, and I hope it really is related.

TCPview might help you see what Avast is doing..
I don't know if avast v9 aka 2014 still uses local host proxy ports, but if it does, this is my v8 list in the firewall
by TCP to Remote IP = 121.0.0.1 (localhost) on these ports:
12025 avast mail 25 proxy
12080 avast http 80 proxy
12110 avast mail 110 proxy
12119 avast mail(?) 119 proxy
12143 avast mail 143 proxy
12465 avast SSL mail 465 proxy
12563 avast SSL mail 563 proxy
12993 avast SSL mail 993 proxy
12995 avast SSL mail 995 proxy
27275 avast games(?) proxy

Allow internet facing programs to use the http proxy for webshield, block all other programs.
Allow mail programs to the mail proxy ports, block all other programs.
Avast service will be listening to those proxy ports and it, not the application, will make connections.

If that's not what you're after, my apologies