Author Topic: Problems with Web Shield  (Read 9934 times)

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HeeHaw5130

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Problems with Web Shield
« on: January 09, 2006, 06:48:29 PM »
I know that many problems regarding the new Web Shield resident feature have been answered here in the forums already because I have already scoured a good load of them. However, none of the answers I've read up on so far have given me any solutions with the trouble I am having with the Web Shield so far.

Thus far, I have done exactly what the instructions have given me in having the Web Shield work properly by having my IE 5.5 browser use a proxy server, IP address 127.0.0.1, port 12080. However, this only results me in getting a "This page can not be displayed." error page in IE.

Next I tried messing with my firewall (Mcafee Personal Firewall 3.03.1000) by giving Web Scanner full unfiltered access. When that didn't work, I then gave it outbound permissions to AND from TCP/IP on port 12080, and then went along to allow all traffic to and from the firewall when that did not work either.

The next thing I tried doing was messing with my router (a NetGear MR314 wireless router). I went into the port forwarding section and opened up port 12080 to my computer's DHCP-issued IP address. Unsurprisingly to me, this did not work. To supplement this, I then went into avast4.ini, looked at the WebScanner section and amended the following:

UpstreamProxyHost=192.168.0.1 (Note: this is my router's IP)
UpstreamProxyPort=12080

I made sure to terminate and reactivate the Web Scanner process, and when I opened my browser I still got the "This page can not be displayed" page. To be sure, I even replaced the router IP with 127.0.0.1 in "UpstreamProxyHost" to see if that would give it a go, but ended up with the same result.

Somewhere along the line I also tinkered with my TCP/IP protocol by going into "Network" in the Control Panel. I went into my TCP/IP properties, went into the "Gateway" tab and listed my router's IP address as a gateway, restarted, opened IE and kept getting the error. I kept getting the same result after replacing IPs with my local machine.

After screwing around with it all, trying various combinations I could think of and reading up on all I could, I'm seriously totally out of ideas. Web Shield is just sitting there running in the backround like an electronic paperweight on one of my Corsair RAM modules; it's doing absolutely nothing.

Is there anything I'm overlooking?

Offline Vlk

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2006, 06:53:07 PM »
Is this Win9x? I assume so.

Anyway, regarding the firewall configuration that needs to be done.

- The WebShield process needs to have "browser" access (i.e. outbound tcp/80)
- Your browser needs to have outbound tcp/12080 access.

Did you try disabling the firewall altogether to find out if the problem is related to it?


Thanks
Vlk
If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving's not for you.

HeeHaw5130

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2006, 07:52:11 PM »
Yes, I just tried disabling the firewall and gave it a go. Like always, I made sure to turn off and turn on the Web Scanner. Still getting "Page cannot be displayed" when I try it.

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2006, 08:49:20 PM »
Yes, I just tried disabling the firewall and gave it a go. Like always, I made sure to turn off and turn on the Web Scanner. Still getting "Page cannot be displayed" when I try it.
Are you really refreshing it (CTRL+F5) or just using the file cached in your computer?
What happens if you disable all avast providers?
If you delete ashWebSv.exe entry from McAfee firewall and try again (after allowing it to connect), will it work?
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HeeHaw5130

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2006, 09:11:08 PM »
Quote
Are you really refreshing it (CTRL+F5) or just using the file cached in your computer?
At first I did refresh, but after clearing my browser's cache & cookies, I tried it again. Still getting the same thing.

Quote
What happens if you disable all avast providers?
I still get the same error.

Quote
If you delete ashWebSv.exe entry from McAfee firewall and try again (after allowing it to connect), will it work?
I tried it just now. It did alert me that ashWebSv.exe was trying to access the internet and I gave it permission, but right after that IE still gave me the same result. I'm still getting it even after disabling all avast resident tasks + disabling firewall + clearing browser cache. Even if I tried doing all that but kept the Web Scanner on, nothing works.

Offline Vlk

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2006, 09:29:14 PM »
Do you still have the UpstreamProxy lines in avast4.ini? They make no sense - they are only relevant in case you had a proxy server set up in the browser.


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Offline Lisandro

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2006, 09:32:26 PM »
Quote
What happens if you disable all avast providers?
I still get the same error.

I'm still getting it even after disabling all avast resident tasks + disabling firewall + clearing browser cache. Even if I tried doing all that but kept the Web Scanner on, nothing works.

It's difficult to say but for what you're posting, seems that it's not avast fault...
Do you use an annonimizer or other local proxy?
Are you sure the site is available? Did you test in other computer?

Did you try what Vlk posted?
- The WebShield process needs to have "browser" access (i.e. outbound tcp/80)
- Your browser needs to have outbound tcp/12080 access.
The best things in life are free.

HeeHaw5130

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2006, 10:43:34 PM »
From Vlk:
Quote
Do you still have the UpstreamProxy lines in avast4.ini? They make no sense - they are only relevant in case you had a proxy server set up in the browser.
Nope, I deleted them.

From Tech:
Quote
It's difficult to say but for what you're posting, seems that it's not avast fault...
Do you use an annonimizer or other local proxy?
Are you sure the site is available? Did you test in other computer?
Yeah, I know. When I think of everything I've tried so far from a logical standpoint, you're most likely right. I don't use any anonimizers or any proxies, unless you count my router as one. I'm sure that the site is available since when I delete 127.0.0.1 and port 12080 from my LAN settings in my internet properties, everything seems to work fine as I'm then able to receive web content. I think that something is preventing my machine from interacting/communicating with the Web Scanner, or that something is preventing Web Scanner from communicating to the internet somehow.

And how else am I supposed to give Web Shield browser access and give my browser outbound access other than giving them firewall permissions or just disabling the firewall altogether? Maybe I have to do something with my TCP/IP settings...?

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2006, 01:57:23 AM »
I don't use any anonimizers or any proxies, unless you count my router as one.
No, router is ok, not a local proxy, just a gateway  ;)

I think that something is preventing my machine from interacting/communicating with the Web Scanner, or that something is preventing Web Scanner from communicating to the internet somehow.

Activate logging in WebShield:
1. Edit <avast>\data\avast4.ini file
2. Find the section [WebScanner]
3. Add the line:
    EnableLogging=1
4. Restart the whole PC in case of Win98 (or only WebShield if you have XP). Btw, which is your OS?  ::)
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 maybe you can send a link to this thread).

After that, disable the logging to avoid a big log file.

And how else am I supposed to give Web Shield browser access and give my browser outbound access other than giving them firewall permissions or just disabling the firewall altogether? Maybe I have to do something with my TCP/IP settings...?
Access is needed for ashWebSv.exe.
If you can connect, your TCP/IP settings are correct, no need to change them.
The best things in life are free.

HeeHaw5130

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2006, 03:32:15 AM »
Kinda strange, but when I try that and take a look at the files, the contents are empty, zero bytes and all. It didn't get anything, not even on the error.

By the way, I use Windows 98SE.

DizzyBlonde

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2006, 10:52:00 PM »

Hi HeeHaw

I also am having Web Shield problems  (See my thread: "NetGear Router will not work with web Shield)  For some reason NetGear will not work with the connection setting~~address 127.0.0.1 port 12080

With those Web Shield settings in, have you tried disconnecting NetGear and hard wiring through your DSL/cable to see if you can then connect to the Internet?  If you can connect to Internet without NetGear being hooked up, then I would think that NetGear just won't accept those settings, and that is the problem. 

Hope this helps!!

DizzyBlonde :)


HeeHaw5130

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2006, 10:06:23 PM »
This gets even stranger for every possible solution I'm given.

I just installed Avast on another Win98 machine that's hard-wired into my wireless router. When I got everything up and running, made sure Web Shield was on and plugged in 127.0.0.1 port 12080 in IE's internet properties, it actually worked! This means that actually switching that machine's cable from the router and directly into my cable modem is pretty much a moot point anyway, since it already works smoothly even with working through the router.

My machine here is the only machine that's not able to use Web Shield for some odd, mysterious reason, save for another computer (a laptop) that uses WinXP and a wireless card, and I'm still all out of ideas. Would there be anything else seemingly unrelated but still able to affect the functionality of Web Shield? Could it be my hosts file? I have Spybot S&D fill it with listings of suspect adware and spyware sites that, when reached, automatically redirect my machine to 127.0.0.1 so as to prevent that listed site from infecting me with adware (note: tried it again without the blacklisted adware sites this time, and still didn't work). Or maybe it could be configuration of my wireless antenna's settings and/or signal link to my router? I have a XteraSys XN-2523G PCI card which utilizes an antenna.
« Last Edit: January 12, 2006, 10:18:42 PM by HeeHaw5130 »

DizzyBlonde

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2006, 04:19:47 AM »
Hi Hew Haw~~

I am totally out of ideas for you!! Sorry I can't be more help!!

Since no one on this forum has been able to solve my Web Shield problem, I sent an email to Avast Support several days ago and have not received a reply~~kind of strange that Avast Support didn't at least acknowledge the receipt of my email.

Oh well!! I've tried everything I can think, except uninstalling Avast!.  That is my next move.

Good luck on solving your Web Shield problem.

DizzyBlonde :)




Roko

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2006, 11:38:59 AM »
Did you have ZoneAlarm installed at any time and uninstalled it?

I had problems like yours with Web Shield. I tried it all and all failed. Then I found that one file from ZoneAlarm was still on my PC after uninstalling it more than a year ago. So if you had ZoneAlarm and uninstalled it, try if the file "vsdatant.sys" is still on your PC. If so, boot XP in save mode and delete the sucker. It solved all my problems, no kidding.  :)




timcan

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Re: Problems with Web Shield
« Reply #14 on: January 13, 2006, 11:58:51 AM »
Quote
Or maybe it could be configuration of my wireless antenna's settings and/or signal link to my router? I have a XteraSys XN-2523G PCI card which utilizes an antenna
HeeHaw5130 have you logged into the router settings and checked to see if the laptop is shown as an attached device? Also in my netgear I can turn wireless on & off here also.Just tring to give suggestions.