just spontaneously lost connection on one box only

A

AngryJim

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
234
I have several computers plus a laptop running on a Linksys G router running DD-WRT. This morning upon waking I find that my main computer (running XP) can no longer connect to the internet. Every page in Firefox gives me that "Network Timeout" message. All of my others (a mix of Ubuntu and XP) work just fine. The one that stopped working also informed me that it had received an automated XP update last night (it was the only one running all night).

To rule out hardware issues I popped in a Ubuntu live disk, which had no problem connecting to the internet immediately.

I ran every spyware/adware/virus check I have and got nothing.

Under "network connections" the connection still reads "Connected, firewalled". I tried "repair connection" and got nothing. Going to the DD-WRT info page shows that the computer is still connected.

I ran the "setup new connection" wizard and got nothing.\

running ping from the command line gives me "Destination net unreachable" for a wide array of websites. Attempting to reach my router from this computer also fails, although I can get there from any other computer on the network.

any ideas?
 
Well, turns out that the XP patch on Tuesday trashes ZoneAlarm, and that's what caused my problem.

I can't believe this hasn't been a bigger story.
 
Its long been accepted that ZoneAlarm causes far more problems than it fixes. Its right up there with Mcafee in my book. Thus, no one is surprised when it breaks something.
 
I came in here ready to post about the same problem, so thanks for the heads-up.
 
Nugget said:
I came in here ready to post about the same problem, so thanks for the heads-up.
Click to expand...

Same here. I didn't know why I couldn't browse with one of my computers. Now I do (though I was already starting to suspect ZoneAlarm before this thread).
 
GlobalFear said:
Its long been accepted that ZoneAlarm causes far more problems than it fixes. Its right up there with Mcafee in my book. Thus, no one is surprised when it breaks something.
Click to expand...

With all due respect, that sounds like total BS to me. I've used Zonealarm for years, and so has everyone I know that uses XP, and this is the first real 'problem' I've ever heard of.

In fact, the problem was because of a Microsoft patch, not anything that Zonealarm did.
 
Zonealarm bundles a fun little toolbar with every install, its a resource pig, it has a nasty habit of corrupting winsock, theres reports of it phoning home regardless of you unchecking that little box in the settings, it uninstalls about as gracefully as Norton, and now it fucks up with simple updates which break no other Software firewall. Lets not mention the fact that a software firewall is pretty much useless unless you are a mobile user or a single user connected directly to the internet without a router. In which case there's a host of better solutions, namely Comodo, Outpost, and Smart Security.

The only bullshit here is Zonealarm. But, if you are happy with your current solution who am I to say otherwise.
 
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