I run XP Pro SP3 on a Dell laptop. My internet connection is through a wireless USB adapter at the local WiFi hotspots.Often I will boot up at home (adapter not inserted; no WiFi available), and my ZoneAlarm (free) icon will show something trying to send traffic. Unfortunately, the ZA logs don't show up until after they're saved (when I log in on a day after the date ZA logged the traffic).Is there a log file somewhere - or another method - that I can use to find out what's trying to access the internet automatically with no netework connection available to detect?Ed

Ed_from_AZ,Do the logs from ZoneAlarm have any info on what was triggering them?I have an older Insperon running XP SP3 and use a Linksys (or D-Link) PCMCIA wireless adapter. They both have programs that are loaded on startup to assist in detecting wireless hotspots to connect to. I use AVG Internet Security for AntiVirus and Firewall. The firewall detects network state on startup and sets permissions based on that state. It could be software for your wireless adapter causing this trigger for ZoneAlarm.You might consider contacting the vendor for your adapter and ZoneAlarm for assistance as well as this site, as they should know their products specific characteristics.The other possibility would be that malware may be loading during startup and attempting to access the internet. The nice thing about the firewall from AVG is that a message box appears when something tries to access the internet that it doesn't have permissions for yet. I'm not trying to plug for AVG, but I found it to be easier to use than ZoneAlarm (which I used for several years). You can get the free verson of AVG AntiVirus from their website and try the firewall for 30 days. It might help just to find out what is causing your symptoms. Install and Uninstall work well.

WinXP Pro SP3; Dell Latitude D600; NetGear WNA1100 USB adapter I connect to WiFi at one of two local coffee shops. At either place, I get about one hour of connection, and then it drops. I'm using both IE7 and FFox.At one shop, I just lose the connection with error message: "This problem occurred because the network did not assign a network address to the computer." At the other, I actually get a Blue Screen with the error caused by the .sys associated with my NetGear app (forget the actual name until I see the BSOD - athuw.sys or something like that??).To reconnect, I must do a full shutdown and power up; REPAIR doesn't reconnect - "Could not renew IP address". Even RESTART will not let me reconnect - it's got to be a full shutdown and repower.Windows Firewall is turned off; I'm using ZoneAlarm free instead. Could there be a conflict there? I know ZA never remembers the profiles I set up, although the NetGear app does.As per a sticky in the NetGear forum, WZC service is deactivated. (http://forum1.netgear.com/showthread.php?t=1133) (Yes, I did post this question directly to the NetGear forum - no one's picked up on it.)If anyone has ideas I can try (may need some detailed instructions as I'm not very system-savvy), I would be most grateful!Ed1 person needs an answerI do too

Please answer all of the following diagnostic questions by number in your very next reply (no need to quote this post):1. Is it the same computer as in this earlier thread of yours? => What program is trying to access the internet?2. What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?3. Has a(nother) Norton application or a McAfee application ever been installed on this computer?4. Did a Norton free-trial or a McAfee free-trial come preinstalled on the computer when you bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)5. Is the computer currently fully-patched at Windows Update?~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) ~ MS MVP (IE, Mail, Security, Windows & Update Services) since 2002 ~ Disclaimer: MS MVPs neither represent nor work for Microsoft

cf. http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/xpnetwork/thread/7c7243bf-b307-4ed0-9455-0b29bcc759a5/ ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) ~ MS MVP (IE, Mail, Security, Windows & Update Services) since 2002 ~ Disclaimer: MS MVPs neither represent nor work for Microsoft

Thanks for your reply. 1. Yes, same computer. (No, I never did find out what that program was, other than the generic syshost.)(Also same machine as: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general) 2. My current configuration is:-- Windows firewall off-- ZoneAlarm (free) firewall on-- Avira AntiVir (free) on-- Spyware Terminator on-- All these applications up to date 3 & 4. AFAIK, Norton and McAfee have never touched this computer. FileSearch for both Norton and McAfee come up blank.5. Last patches installed from Windows update on last Saturday. Ed

I remain more than a little concerned about your earlier, unresolved thread, Ed. That being said...1. You told us that this happens at "two local coffee shops." Are they both the same franchise (e.g., Starbucks; Borders)? Have you spoken with the staff at either shop (e.g., perhaps customers are only allowed 60-minutes of free WiFi access)?2. If you uninstall ZA Free, reboot & make CERTAIN that the Windows Firewall is enabled, does this behavior persist? [No, it's not enough to just temporarily disable ZA Free: I want you to uninstall it for this test.]PS: Sorry about "abandoning" your thread in WinXP General earlier this year. WinXP General was dropped from the MS newsserver on 12 Sept-10. [As you know, MS dropped all newsgroups & it's NNTP server by early October.] Did you end up doing a clean install?~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) ~ MS MVP (IE, Mail, Security, Windows & Update Services) since 2002 ~ Disclaimer: MS MVPs neither represent nor work for Microsoft

1. One is Starbucks, which uses ATTwifi. There, I simply lose the connection. The other is Hastings - not sure what sservice they use. That's the one that gives me the BSOD.2. I haven't tried uninstalling ZA. I won't have time to get to that until Thursday; I'll give that a shot and post back with results.The internet access request doesn't happen consistently or persistently. If ZA shows me a specific request, I deal with it (usually "NO and don;t ask again!!"). Looking at the log for today (I am not connected to the inteernet), I see "GoogleUpdate" a zillion times. I just installed the Google toolbar over the weekend. Prior to that, the biggest culprits are AcroRd32 and svchost. I can perrmanently deny Google and Acrobat, but I don't think I can lock out the svchost - correct?Ed PS - yah - a shame about the NG. Yes, I did a clean install of SP2, patched to SP3, did all the patches and updates, then reinstalled my programs. Went pretty smooth - except for using Starbucks and having my patching iterrupted!Come to think of it - I was using the internal modem at the time to do that, and I still kept getting cut off. It wasn't every hour on the hour - more like every two or so. And I don't think I had ZA installed yet - I was just going to the MS site after all.

Please answer all of the following diagnostic questions by number in your very next reply (no need to quote this post):1. What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?2. Did a Norton free-trial or a McAfee free-trial come preinstalled on the computer when you bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)3. Is the computer currently fully-patched at Windows Update?===================================I still want you to test with ZA Free uninstalled & the Windows Firewall enabled, Ed. The Windows Firewall provides more than adequate protection for home users like yourself, especially when use in conjunction with a router.Google Toolbar & Adobe Acrobat/Reader (and a lot of other stuff you prolly have installed; e.g., Sun Java) include auto-updating functionality. You don't want to deny access to these auto-updaters.And don't go messing around with SVCHOST either, please. ;)~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) ~ MS MVP (IE, Mail, Security, Windows & Update Services) since 2002 ~ Disclaimer: MS MVPs neither represent nor work for Microsoft

Top half answered perviously:2. My current configuration is:-- Windows firewall off-- ZoneAlarm (free) firewall on-- Avira AntiVir (free) on-- Spyware Terminator on-- All these applications up to date===========================Okay - ZA uninstalled, Windows Firewall on.Looks like the disconnect problem is resolved!!Three things I liked about ZA: -- the visible indication of traffic in the status bar, -- the ability to lock out all internet activity through the status bar icon,-- and the ability to accept or deny any connection on a one-time or permanent basis.Is there any way to duplicate these with the Windows Firewall?Ed

Everything you need to know about the Windows Firewall in WinXP SP2/SP3 can be found in these related resources:Windows XP: Using Windows Firewall http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/security/winfirewall.mspxTroubleshooting Windows Firewall settings in WinXP SP2/SP3 for advanced usershttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/875357But to answer your specific question, no, those 3 functionalities are not available with the Windows Firewall.~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) ~ MS MVP (IE, Mail, Security, Windows & Update Services) since 2002 ~ Disclaimer: MS MVPs neither represent nor work for Microsoft

Thank you so much for all your help! Once again, you've provided valuable assistance.Regarding those three functions (indicator of traffic, locking out internet activity, and individually permitting or denying internet connections): can you recommend any additional utility that might provide that?(In the meantime, I might see if the ZA user's forum has any clues as to why this is happening. If the firewalls are equal, but I get the extra functions with ZA, AND I can resolve this problem, it might be worth it to switch back.)Ed

You're welcome & thanks for your feedback.Lest we drift even further off-topic here, let me encourage you to begin a new thread in WinXP Security forum to discuss the pros & cons of third-party firewalls (e.g., ZA; Comodo; Sunbelt): http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/xpsecurity/threads~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) ~ MS MVP (IE, Mail, Security, Windows & Update Services) since 2002 ~ Disclaimer: MS MVPs neither represent nor work for Microsoft

New thread started: http://tinyurl.com/4bf8w2o Ed

FWIW, a colleague mentioned the following "Firewall Manager" elsewhere today & I thought of you:Windows Firewall Ports & Applications Manager (WFWPAM)http://www.gtdelphicomponents.gr/?p=26 ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) ~ MS MVP (IE, Mail, Security, Windows & Update Services) since 2002 ~ Disclaimer: MS MVPs neither represent nor work for Microsoft