Software conflicts.

[Wraith]

I am running W98SE, IE.6., AVG 7.0 and Zonealarm.

I was on a dial-up connection until a couple of weeks ago and had no connection problems. When I upgraded to broadband (Telewest) I couldn't connect to the internet. After much testing and re-installing I still couldn't gain access, so re-formatted my PC and started from scratch.

That worked and I was instantly able to log on. I re-installed all of my software and everything seemed to work fine. However, I now have an intermittent problem logging on. I can go several days with no problem and then it just won't connect and IE keeps coming up with 'Page cannot be displayed'. When this happens I reboot and reset my modem. Most of the time this has no effect and I leave it, only to come back later or the next day and connect without any problems.

I got the Telwest engineer to check my connections and modem today and he said they were working fine. He clicked on IE and it wouldn't connect. When he shut down AVG and Zonealarm it would connect.

Are there any known conflict issues?

[Gandy]

I think the problem lies with ZA.  Have you got your modem enabled in ZA? It should list the (normally Motorola SurfBoard) in your allowed list.

[slimfandango]

Don't know.
I do know that I had a near identical problem, had ZoneAlarm and PCCillin (urgh) with the same problem, maybe ZA conflict with a memory protector. Took of ZA, solved problem, then got the trojan to end all trojans...

[Mattk]

i had to uninstall za from my pc too.

i now use another free firewall from sygate

[Wraith]

Gandy, ZA has a program control setting but I can't find an allowed list for the Motorola Surfboard. Where is this list?

Mattk, how does the sygate firewall compare to ZA?

[Gandy]

Wraith, I can't remember where it is.  I had a brief spell of using ZA recently and then gave up and went back to a subscription base Mcaffe Firewall.  ZA was soooo annoying.  It never stopped me connecting though, I'm on Telewest Broadband.

[Wraith]

Cheers Gandy. I think I may have found the setting you refer too. It's set ok. I've been on-line for over an hour now with no problems. It's just when I try to log on later I may not be able to.

[Mattk]

wraith to answer your question - the sygate firewall works absolutely fine and if anything,it is slightly better than ZA

[Wraith]

Mattk thanks for the tip. I've just downloaded Sygate and it allowed me access to the net at first, but then kept blocking the connection.

I checked the allowed list and everything was set ok.

I'm wondering if the modem has conflicts.