Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of GOODRITE
GOODRITE

asked on

Firewall locking access to Internet

I have cable modem access to the Internet. Suddenly I was denied access to any website. The Cox cable technician traced the problem to my firewall. When I disable it everything works fine. I am using Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2005. I did not change any setting when this happened. I tried to change my firewall security from high to medium, but this didn't help. I have windows XP Professional, and run with XP firewall disabled.
Avatar of MCPJoe
MCPJoe
Flag of United States of America image

Did you try to add your site/IP to the firewall software exceptions list?  
Avatar of ElrondCT
If you still can get email with the firewall turned on, then I'd check to see if the program permissions are set correctly for Internet Explorer. I don't use PC-cillin, but most software firewalls maintain a list of programs that are or aren't permitted to access the Internet. Look for IE on that list. If the settings are obviously wrong, change them to allow Internet access for IE. If the program list says IE is permitted to access the Internet, delete the program from the list to force the firewall to recreate the setting. Close all your IE windows, then start IE again, and PC-cillin should ask you whether or not IE should be permitted to access the Internet. Tell it yes, and to remember that setting, and hopefully your problem will be resolved.

Since I don't use PC-cillin, I can't guarantee that this is exactly the right process, but I would expect something like this to be available. If it doesn't do anything, I'd suggest reinstalling PC-cillin.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of Shaun84
Shaun84

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of jaybest
jaybest

Hi there,

I don't mean to be a cynic here, but I work on an ISP helpdesk, and we have seen a lot of issues with PC-Cillen locking up random ports. I don't normally say bad things about other products, but we have had such a bad run with them, that I just am not really a big fan..

I know this might be a bit obvious, but what about disabling the PC-Cillen one, and using the Microsoft firewall. I am not normaly a massive MS fan, but I do think they have done a lot of things right of late, and I have been fairly impressed with their firewall - not heard of any major security issues with it, and from the helpdesk perspective I have not ever had an issue once where MS firewall caused problems. (And I have had some days where up to 3 issues with PC-Cillen....)

Just some random thoughts, hope it helps,
Jay Best
Or, rather than using the MS firewall, which only operates one way (doesn't block outbound Internet access by potentially unauthorized programs), get the free edition of ZoneAlarm, which I have found ultra-reliable.
MS firewall does block outgoing programs to the internet.  It pops up a window asking for input whether it should keep blocking, unblock or don't ask again.  
Doesn't look like it to me, MCPJoe. I just turned off ZoneAlarm, turned on the Windows Firewall with no exceptions, and tried a couple of programs that access the Internet (not MS products, so no issue of them being on an internal "approved" list). They made the connection with no problems. What the Windows Firewall allows you to block or accept is a program on your computer that accepts _incoming_ connections, but it never blocks _outgoing_ connections, like a virus that's phoning home. The SP2 firewall is consdierably more robust than what they provided before, but it's still considerably short of real security.
it is significantly more limited than third party software firewalls, but I think it depends on the type of activity, if you get prompted or not or if the MS firewall blocks the activity of a particular program.  Sorry for the confusion.
Just use MS firewall it does the job, and you probobally also have some kind of firewall in your modem, and it doesnt hog resources.