Author Topic: Avast Free and Internet Speed  (Read 6022 times)

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Longlegs

  • Guest
Avast Free and Internet Speed
« on: July 02, 2010, 08:53:54 AM »
My internet speed is somewhere between 500-700kbs,i read in another forum that Avast slows your internet speed down.So i disabled Avast and tried another speed test,and sure enought my speed went up to 1.8MBs.but when i enabled Avast again my speed dropped to 650KBs.I have had Avast for about 5yrs now but never thought it might be the reason why my internet is slow.Any Ideas.Longlegs

Dch48

  • Guest
Re: Avast Free and Internet Speed
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2010, 08:56:52 AM »
It has no effect on my speed whatsoever and I don't see how it could. I get the same numbers with all the shields off as I do with them on and it's always the maximum I can expect for my connection.

SafeSurf

  • Guest
Re: Avast Free and Internet Speed
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2010, 09:40:55 AM »
@ Longlegs, What is your firewall?  This can cause slowing of your Internet speed.

Longlegs

  • Guest
Re: Avast Free and Internet Speed
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2010, 11:43:45 AM »
SafeSurf running Windows XP Home,so i have the Windows firewall,i also have a Belkin Wireless N Router,i assume that has some kind of firewall.If i run my Wireless Laptop Windows 7 64bit,also with Avast free it runs at 1.8 MGBs with Avast on or off.so its making no difference there.Maybe Avast is not to blame and i should look somewhere else.Thanks Longlegs

YoKenny

  • Guest
Re: Avast Free and Internet Speed
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2010, 01:53:57 PM »
How much RAM does the XP Home system have? 

I have no speed problem on my XP Pro system.

twl845

  • Guest
Re: Avast Free and Internet Speed
« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2010, 03:31:23 PM »
I have always had cold start times like 20 seconds on FF, 13 seconds on Chrome, and 9 seconds on IE8. I have 1GB of RAM, about half of which is being used, and it hasn't mattered what AV or what firewall I'm using. I have never been able to correct it either. So, you might have to look to other reasons for your slow down.

Longlegs

  • Guest
Re: Avast Free and Internet Speed
« Reply #6 on: July 02, 2010, 04:46:57 PM »
Yokenny i have 3gbt RAM.I have switched the Windows Firewall off and my internet speed goes up to 1.8mbs which is about has much has i can expect,this is with Avast on,so it is not Avast causing my slow speed,when i put the Windows firewall back on my speed drops again.Is it safe to leave the Windows firewall off,my router has a built in firewall.Cheers Longlegs

EntitY

  • Guest
Re: Avast Free and Internet Speed
« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2010, 09:07:18 PM »
Not Yokenny, but wanted to butt in here anyway with an answer from AskLeo.


"Every computer should be behind a firewall of some sort.

In general, hardware firewalls, typically provided by NAT routers, keep malicious network traffic from ever reaching your computer, whereas software firewalls, such as the Windows Firewall, discard malicious traffic after it has actually arrived at your computer.

But you don't need both.

If you have a router with network address translation, or NAT, enabled (most consumer grade routers do, by default) then there's no need to enable the Windows firewall. In fact, you can tell the new Windows Security Center that you'll manage your firewall yourself.

If you're not behind a router or other firewall, you'll at least want to turn on the Windows firewall. This is what I do when I take my laptop with me on the road - not being sure of exactly what I'm connecting to, the firewall protects me from network based threats.

Now, one word in the original question is worth a comment: "outbound".

Consumer grade routers will keep you safe from threats that are incoming from the network, but will not filter or warn you of any malware already on your machine attempting to connect out. The Windows firewall has a limited amount of outbound traffic alerts, and other software firewalls that you can install separately to use instead of the Windows Firewall can be configured with a wide array of outgoing protection.

There's a wide variety of opinion on this, but personally, I'm quite happy simply behind a router and with no outgoing threat monitoring.

But regardless, you do need a firewall; be it an external router, a software package that you install, or at a minimum simply enabling the Windows Firewall already present on your machine."
http://ask-leo.com/so_do_i_need_the_windows_firewall_or_not.html

cadremis

  • Guest
Re: Avast Free and Internet Speed
« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2010, 09:10:51 PM »
I use Avast 5 with PC Tools Personal Firewall Plus and it never slows down my computer....

Dch48

  • Guest
Re: Avast Free and Internet Speed
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2010, 11:43:52 PM »
While it is true that a router will block most incoming connection attempts, the fact is that it only blocks the unsolicited ones. If there is something on your computer that needs an incoming connection to function (be it a safe application or a piece of undetected malware)and attempts to make one, the router firewall will allow it through. In those cases, only a software firewall, like the Windows one or any of the third party ones available will do it's part and alert you. The router only blocks people trying to connect without your computer requesting it.