Can't access web

[M.Hat]

With my Avast "On-Access" protection on, I can't access the web. 

I had the XP firewall but didn't matter whether the firewall was on or off, still couldn't access the web.  I shut down the xp firewall and installed the Sunbelt Kerio, but the result was the same.  Couldn't access the web no matter if firewall was on or off. 

The moment I shut down the "On Access" protection, the access returns. 

I've downloaded and reinstalled the Avast 4 twice, but it makes no difference. 

If anyone here has any ideas, I'd be very interested to know what might be causing this problem.     

Cheers,  Don.

[DavidR]

Confirm that kerio allows access for ashWebSv.exe the avast! web scanner.

What is your browser ?

[ivan884]

I have the same problem. I can't access www when my firewall (agnitum outopost) and avast! Web protection are both on. The most strange thing - is that the web can't be accessed randomly by some of my browsers, not all of them at a time, however. The Opera isn't working constantly, IE was ok, and Mozilla Firefox was down, and now after, reboot IE has no access, but Firefox has... I'm quite puzzled, thank you in advance for your help.

[DavidR]

Delete the entry for ashWebSv.exe and then connect again to the internet and you should be asked again, allow all access for ashWebSv.exe.

I've had this happen with outpost pro before and this is what I did to restore it.

[M.Hat]

   I went back to the Windows firewall this morning, with the exceptions mentioned above entered into it.  At first no improvement, but then, after a couple of reboots, I was able to access certain web sites but not others.  I couldn't reach Google, for example. 


    I simply can't figure this problem out and I'm beginning to think that it's very possible my installation of XP was corrupted by a Virus a little while ago, although I'm clean now.  (I caught a virus and removed it a few weeks ago, but perhaps not before it had done some damage.)  I had been using AVG back then, but it started removing the text from all my emails the other day, so I switched to AVAST.  And now this.

    Anyway even with all firewalls switched off, I can't always access the Net until I turn off the Avast "On Guard" system.   
 
   So this problem seems to be peculiar to my computer and I think I'm in line for a clean installl of XP.  (I might mention that I tried to install FSecure a while ago and it would not install and their experts could not figure it out. ) 

So I'm going to do a clean XP install next week and then we'll see what's what. 

Please disregard my problem and thanks for all the help.  It's generous  people like you who make the Web such a great place. 

Cheers Don.

[M.Hat]

A final note.  It's so close to working!  My email is now okay and I can access about half my usual web sites with the "On Guard" working.  For example, I can access my weather site  and my bank sites with "On Guard" working, but I can't access my Google or this web site until I turn it off.  Strange business, but I guess it's because my OS is corrupted in a particular way. 

Thanks again.  Don. 

[DavidR]

avast uses Web Shield, not on-guard which I believe is a part of ewido or something else ?

Web Shield monitors only http traffic so contact with your bank (which uses {or should} https which avast doesn't monitor) should get through. web shield should either work for all http sites or none, no in between. So it is likely to be a combination of thisng.

Do you have any cookie blocking software (some sites won't display without them) ?

Can you give some examples of sites/urls that don't work ?

[M.Hat]

   Yes, Web Shield is the name...a good one too. 
 
   I don't have any pop-up blockers.  I have one in my AShampoo, but it's turned off.   At the moment I have the Windows Firewall, Avast for protection, and the MS AntiSpyware. 

   The problem occurs when Avast is on by itself and whether or not the other things are turned off.  Whe I turn off the Web Shield, I can access everything.  With it on, I can access some things (very few).  For example. . .

   With my firewall turned off (or on) and with Web shield on, my email won't connect and I cannot reach my google search engine .  My Internet Explorer Search Engine Page won't come on and I can't reach hardly any Internet sites (news etc. from my desktop icons.  On the other hand, even with Web Shield on, my desktop icon for the Canadian Weather channel works and my Rhapsody (streaming)  music service works.  I'm listening to music from it right now.  So I can reach some sites with Web Shield on, but most are blocked.  What really mystifies me is that I.E. 6 won't come up, but it still reaches the Canadian weather web site.  I can reach all the banks, as I said before.
 
It's a mystery to me and I'm still thinking my OS must have a corruption of some kind.  What else could it be? 
 
Thanks for the help.
 
Don.

[DavidR]

Do you have another browser ?
If so try it or try firefox or Opera or any non-IE based browser and see if you have the same results. Any corruption of problem may well be in IE, after an update perhaps, what version of IE6 do you have SP2 plus recent security updates ?

Please give examples of some of the URLs ask asked for, if we can access them with web shield enabled then there is something esle.

I also don't think you should have gone back to the windows XP firewall, it is definately a backward step, it isn't as good as Kerio nor as configurable or flexible.

[CharleyO]

***

Yes, please give examples of actual websites that you cannot access with Web Shield on so that we can test the problem.   


***

[M.Hat]

My Avast shield is on right now:

Here's the Canadian Weather one. 

http://www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/city/pages/ab-51_metric_e.html

I can access Passport Canada at

http://www.pptc.gc.ca/passports/pass_applications_e.asp

I can get the BBC homepage at

http://www.bbcworld.com/content/template_home.asp?pageid=1

I can also stream music through my Rhapsody player.

But right now, with the shield on, I can't get Google or most of my other frequently used sites.

Cheers.  Don.

[M.Hat]

Yes, I've just heard that the Windows firewall isn't the best.  I'll go back to the other one.

Thanks again.  Don.

[M.Hat]

And here's some sites I can't access with the Web Shield on:

http://www.google.ca/

http://www.widescreenreview.com/news_current.php

http://www.physorg.com/

http://news.com.com/2001-1_3-0.html?tag=cnetfd.dir

http://www.mrqe.com/lookup

  Cheers. Don.

[CharleyO]

***

Hi Don,

I had no trouble at all accessing those 5 sites you gave with Web Shield on and set to normal. Is that the same you have ... set to normal?

I do not know if it will help this particular situation or not but it would not hurt to try a repair of Avast if you have not already tried it.


***

[M.Hat]

Yes, it's always been set on normal. 

 I'll try a repair tomorrow and let you know.

Thanks again.

Cheers,  Don.