Avast! WEB SHIELD blocking web access?

[LandToSea]

I know this has been posted and resolved for many here http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=65054.0using the Winsock XP fix, but it is not helping me as it did not others?

I am on XP SP3, just reformatted using the Dell disk so not too much installed yet as Avast was my first manual install. The Dell disk did force a McAfee install which I uninstalled in Add/Remove and then used their removal tool linked here http://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?id=TS100507 afterwards to clean up any possible loose ends. I have also disabled Windows firewall. The only way to open websites is to disable Web Shield.

1. Can someone direct me as to what and where to look in the registry for items which may be causing an issue? The other thread mentioned the TEMP and TMP values needing editing?

2. What are the correct proxy settings in the browsers? i am using IE and Google Chrome and both are producing an error upon opening if Web Shield is on.

This is the Chrome error

This webpage is not available
The webpage at http://www.google.com/ might be temporarily down or it may have moved permanently to a new web address.
Here are some suggestions:
Reload this web page later.
Error 102 (net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED): The server refused the connection.

I have been using Avast Pro on 3 machines including this one for a couple years with no issues. once I reformatted and completed a fresh Avast install this started.

PLEASE someone help!!!

[DavidR]

Is this the one you are talking about, cause for apparent Web Shield blocking internet connection, http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=57443.0. That should show you what to check/set the registry key values, etc.

However even if they weren't set that is a strange error if that is correct "Error 102 (net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED): The server refused the connection." To presumably get that answer I would assume the connection would have to have been established.

See http://www.suggestafix.com/index.php?showtopic=33551, this one also mentions Chrome, but it seems to relate to a old zone alarm bug and you aren't using that.

[LandToSea]

This is what IE gives me

"Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage"

when I click "Diagnose connection problems" it returns

"Windows did not detect any problems with your internet connection over HTTP and HTTPS, but was not able to make a successful connection over FTP. The most likely cause of this problem is that a firewall client running on your machine is blocking the necessary FTP ports."

Hopefully that offers more insight. I will read through and test the other suggestions in the posts you listed. Thank you!!!

[DavidR]

Unfortunately not, it is just that, that error message "Error 102 (net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED): The server refused the connection." isn't one I have seen too often. So I haven't got a ready solution to offer.

Did you check out that link I gave 'cause for apparent Web Shield blocking internet connection' ?

[LandToSea]

Yes, registry lines and Temp folder is all there.

I am so pissed about this since it seems to be directly related to Avast. I call their lame ass iyogi tech line and get India of course so I couldn't understand half of what the guy said. I reluctantly gave him remote access to try and help and then he pitches that I need some "Optimization" which Dell would charge me $400 for, but iyogi will only charge me like $150. I immediately hung up and disconnected the remote connection. If I was using the free version I could certainly not complain but I paid for this software and expect competent support to be included. How lame!!! 

Thanks for trying David! Anyone else?

[marc-d-l]

Google this might help.(Troubleshoot Internet connection problems)

[LandToSea]

Google this might help.(Troubleshoot Internet connection problems)

Thanks for the input, but you are kind of vague in what I should be looking for among the 1.7 million results for those keywords. This IS directly correlated to Avast! so it seems I need to be looking in Avast! related forums, no?

[DavidR]

If you have tried to set the proxy in your browser (which shouldn't bee needed with XP and later), if you got that wrong it could stuff your connection as it would be redirecting it into a void.

It should be for localhost and port 12080, so you could try that.

I have passed your experience with iYogi on to Adam, riley (at) avast (dot) com Avast Third-party Support Manager, has requested info about iYogi, so if you have time to recount your experience (copy and paste your post, etc.), give the link to this topic.

[LandToSea]

I have it set to Automatically detect now. I tried manually entering proxy server info to localhost and 12080 and I got the below error in Chrome with Web Shield off so that just made things worse.

Unable to connect to the proxy server
A proxy server is a server that acts as an intermediary between your computer and other servers. Right now, your system is configured to use a proxy, but Google Chrome can't connect to it.
Here are some suggestions:
If you use a proxy server, check your proxy settings or check with your network administrator to make sure the proxy server is working.
If you don't believe you should be using a proxy server, try the following steps: Go to Wrench menu > Options > Under the Hood > Change proxy settings > LAN Settings and deselect "Use a proxy server for your LAN."
Error 130 (net::ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED): Proxy server connection failed.

IE gave me
Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage

I don't mind emailing Adam about my disappointment in the tech support available for paying Avast! customers. They should drop them and pay you guys with that budget! Thanks!

[DavidR]

Well the automatically detect proxy setting relates to the auto update checks only and not for the Web Shield.

[scythe944]

doh, I was going to suggest the winsock fix too, but a MS one, not majorgeeks. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299357

If you don't have a proxy, you should have your internet connection settings (Windows Control Panel > Internet Options > Connections Tab > LAN Settings Button) set to "Automatically detect settings".

There should be no proxy address.

Can you access other network resources (Windows shares, ping to gateway (router) or website like www.yahoo.com)?

Does internet access work from other machines on your network?

[LandToSea]

I am referring to the settings in Internet Properties - Connections - LAN Settings. I was just saying this is all I have selected in that tab, everything else is unselected due to reasons explained below. Is there anywhere else I should be checking proxy settings?

Connection works fine when Web Shield is turned off and email etc along with other network PCs using Avast are all operating fine. i will try the MS winsock fix for S&G. Thanks fro the additional input!

[LandToSea]

I tried the "Fix It" option at the MS link Scythe gave above and no change upon reboot. Should I bother with the manual process? I do have an HP printer, I will uninstall that and see what happens but I have had the printer working along with Avast for a couple years now with no issues.

[LandToSea]

I uninstalled all 8 HP related software items, Yahoo toolbar and Real Player then used CCleaner to clean up any loose ends and no change once again.  

[scythe944]

Can you ping any other machine on your network or if you don't have any other machines, your router?

You can find out your router's address (most likely 192.168.1.1) by opening a command prompt and type: ipconfig
Then hit enter.

The gateway address is your router.  Try pinging it and then ping www.yahoo.com and see if you get responses back.