Firewall Slowing Internet Connection

[Barefoot_Tom]

My ISP is Bell South (ATT). I recently up-graded my DSL connection to U-Verse, having been assured that this would improve my Internet download speed. It didn't; I was getting about 5Mbs before the change, and after it. (The speed was checked with <Speedtest.net>) Since my cost didn't increase, I stayed with the up-grade. Recently I have seen the speed decrease until it was only 2Mbs.

My OS is Win2K, I am connected to the internet through a 2-wire router, which has a built-in firewall. My computer also had a firewall (ZoneAlarm) and an anti-virus program (Avast).I contacted U-Verse support about my problem, and, after the usual run-around, was told that the reason for the slow speed was a conflict between the router's firewall, and my installed programs. I disabled my programs, and the speed increased to about 10.5Mbs.

I am concerned about no longer being able to use my anti-virus program. I can't get enough info from BellSouth about their program to quiet my fears. They say they no longer support Win2k, and ca't provide any info on what I can do.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what Anti-Virus program might work with the setup I have?

[Broni]

I'd rather blame ZA, than Avast for your issue.
Uninstall ZA and see, if it helps.

[Barefoot_Tom]

I'd rather blame ZA, than Avast for your issue.
Uninstall ZA and see, if it helps.

I have uninstalled each of them and re-installed them one at a time. ZA has a greater effect on the speed than does Avast, but both of them slow the speed down significantly. I'm operating now without either of them. The speed is good, but I'm concerned about the lack of protection that Avast provides. I'm looking for a replacement for Avast that won't slow the speed

[Broni]

ZA is known for causing issues sometimes, so I'd leave it off of your computer.
Your router provides you with hardware firewall, so you should be OK in that department.
It's surely not good to be without any AV program.
Avast is rather light AV program, so I'm not sure why it's causing issues.
You may try Avira free antivirus: http://www.free-av.com/en/download/1/avira_antivir_personal__free_antivirus.html

[Barefoot_Tom]

ZA is known for causing issues sometimes, so I'd leave it off of your computer.
Your router provides you with hardware firewall, so you should be OK in that department.
It's surely not good to be without any AV program.
Avast is rather light AV program, so I'm not sure why it's causing issues.
You may try Avira free antivirus: http://www.free-av.com/en/download/1/avira_antivir_personal__free_antivirus.html

I downloaded the Avira, but it tells me that it can't be installed unless I have WIN2K (which I do), SP$ (which I do), and  Rollup 1 (No idea what that is) Since MS no longer
supports WIN2K, it seems to be a Catch-22 problem.

[Broni]

Update Rollup 1 for Windows 2000 SP4: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=B54730CF-8850-4531-B52B-BF28B324C662&displaylang=en

[Barefoot_Tom]

Update Rollup 1 for Windows 2000 SP4: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=B54730CF-8850-4531-B52B-BF28B324C662&displaylang=en

I did as you suggested, and downloaded the Rollup. I was then able to download Avira.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE TROUBLE STARTED! I no longer have any ability to access the Internet, except, as I'm doing now, from Safe Mode. I have no idea what went wrong.

I have removed Avira completely, but to no avail.

What do I do now?

[Broni]

Make sure, your computer is set to obtain IP address automatically.
1. Go Start>Settings>Control Panel (Vista/7 users: Start>Control Panel)
2. Double click Network Connections (Vista/7 users: Network and Sharing Center)
3. Vista/7 users - From the list of tasks on the left, click Manage network connections.
4. For a wired network connection, right-click Local Area Connection, and then select Properties.
For a wireless network connection, right-click Wireless Network Connection, and then select Properties.
5. From the General tab (Vista/7 users: Networking tab), click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), make sure it is checked, and then click Properties
6. Click Obtain an IP Address Automatically, and then click OK.

If that doesn't work...
Turn off computer. Disconnect router, and modem from power source for 1 minute. At the same time disconnect ethernet cable as well.
Reconnect everything.
Restart computer.

If that doesn't work, bypass router, and connect computer straight to the modem.

If that doesn't work...
Go Start>Run (Start search in Vista), type in:
cmd
Click OK (in Vista, while holding CTRL, and SHIFT, press Enter).

In Command Prompt window, type in following commands, and hit Enter after each one:
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
net stop "dns client"
net start "dns client"


Restart computer.

If that doesn't work...
Go Start>Run (Start search in Vista), type in:
cmd
Click OK (in Vista, while holding CTRL, and SHIFT, press Enter).

At Command Prompt, type in:
netsh int ip reset reset.log
Hit Enter.
Type in:
netsh winsock reset catalog
Hit Enter.

Restart computer.


If that doesn't work...
Download, install, and run WinSockFix: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Network-Tweak/WinSockFix.shtml (doesn't work in Vista)
Restart computer, and check again.

If that doesn't work...
Download Dial-A-Fix (DAF) (doesn't work in Vista):
http://wiki.lunarsoft.net/wiki/Dial-a-fix#Mirrors.2Fdownload_locations.2C_and_articles

Have XP CD available in case DAF needs a file. Likely not!

Check all boxes on the screen (clear any restrictions if it shows any)
Then click GO!

When the entire page is finished click the HammerHead at bottom to go to the second DAF page.

Here, one at a time, do the below:

Reinstall BITS
Reinstall Windows Firewall
Repair Permissions
Reset networking

Watch for any File not found or other errors and make note as this may lead to the fix!

Restart computer.

[Barefoot_Tom]

A lot of suggestions, but you seem to have lost track of the fact that I'm running WIN2kK, not Vista nor 7.
My question remains.

[Broni]

You didn't read carefully enough.
Disregard Vista related parenthesis.
All the rest is intended for XP, which should work on Win 2K.
The worst case scenario, something will say "no".

[Barefoot_Tom]

You didn't read carefully enough.
Disregard Vista related parenthesis.
All the rest is intended for XP, which should work on Win 2K.
The worst case scenario, something will say "no".

You're right, I didn't. I'll give it a try, and we'll see what happens.
Thanks

[Broni]

OK

[Barefoot_Tom]

Sorry it's taken me a while to get back to you. Some other stuff came up which demanded my attention.
I tried all the suggestions you made, without success. The only one which gave any result was "Dial-A-Fix' (your last suggestion. It told me that it was unable to find a module when calling a specific LoadLibrary The module should have been in <C:|Program Files\Common Files\System\OleDB\sqmlx.dll> and Dial-A-Fix suggested it was corrupt.

I have another computer also running WIN2K, and it's having no connection problems so I looked for the file in it, and found it. I also looked for the file in my computer and also found it, but it was a different size, and date.

Short of re-loading WIN2K (which I'm reluctant to do) is there anything you can suggest
to do? How about I copy all the files in the folder on the good computer, and put  them on the problem computer ? Remember, before I ran the Avira setup I had to download and install a patch on Windows Explorer. Perhaps re-installing Windows Explore might help.

Thanks for your help. I know the problem isn't solved yet, but we're closing in on it.

[Broni]

Go Start>Run ("Start Search" in Vista/7), type in:
sfc /scannow
Click OK (hold CTRL, and SHIFT, hit Enter in Vista/7).
Have Windows CD/DVD handy (with Vista/7, most likely, you won't need it).
If System File Checker (sfc) will find any errors, it may ask you for the CD/DVD (rarely in Vista/7 case).

[Barefoot_Tom]

Go Start>Run ("Start Search" in Vista/7), type in:
sfc /scannow
Click OK (hold CTRL, and SHIFT, hit Enter in Vista/7).
Have Windows CD/DVD handy (with Vista/7, most likely, you won't need it).
If System File Checker (sfc) will find any errors, it may ask you for the CD/DVD (rarely in Vista/7 case).

Sorry to say SFC didn't solve the problem It's interesting to note that, when I ran it from Safe Mode, it did nothing at all (no sign of disk activity). When I ran it from normal mode, it worked as it's supposed to. It asked for my CD and used it. The upshot, however, is that the situation remains as it was: I can access the internet only from Safe Mode, although in Normal Mode I can connect to the other computers in my LAN, and the ipconfig shows all the computers, including the router.

What now?

[Broni]

Go Start>Run (Start Search in Vista), type in:
msconfig
Click OK (hit Enter in Vista).

Click on Startup tab.
Click Disable all
IMPORTANT! In case of laptop, make sure, you do NOT disable any keyboard, or touchpad entries.

Click Services tab.
Put checkmark in Hide all Microsoft services
Click Disable all.

Click OK.
Restart computer in Normal Mode.

NOTE. If you use different firewall, than Windows firewall, turn Windows firewall on, just for this test, since your regular firewall won't be running.
If you use Windows firewall, you're fine.

Same problem?

[Barefoot_Tom]

Same problem?

Same problem. I don't think MSCONFIG is normally included in WIN2K, but I have the file, and it does run. I ran it, but no results.

Can you think what might be different in Normal Mode from what is present in Safe Mode which allows me full internet access in Safe Mode on any browser I choose, but won't give me the same access in Normal Mode?

[Broni]

I don't think MSCONFIG is normally included in WIN2K

Yeah, my bad, however XP "msconfig" will work in Win 2K.
What do you mean by "I ran it, but no results"?

[Barefoot_Tom]

Yeah, my bad, however XP "msconfig" will work in Win 2K.
What do you mean by "I ran it, but no results"?

Some time ago I downloaded MSCONFIG for XP. It works well. That's what I meant. I ran it, and was able to follow your instructions, but nothing changed.

[Broni]

Let's see, if your computer is clean...

Read here: http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html
Start new topic here: http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/board,7.0.html
Do NOT post any logs in THIS thread.

[Barefoot_Tom]

Let's see, if your computer is clean...

Read here: http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html
Start new topic here: http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/board,7.0.html
Do NOT post any logs in THIS thread.

Broni-
My computer is once more alive and can be connected to the internet.

At the start of this thread I told how my ISP had said that ZoneAlarm was interfering with my connection speed. I disabled (but didn't uninstall - and that's the key) Zone Alarm, and shortly thereafter started having problems. I just ran HijackThis, and it pointed out that ZoneAlarm, although disabled, was still active. I uninstalled ZoneAlarm and Voila! connectivity returned.

I want to thank you for all the thought and effort you put into solving this problem. If it has taken this long to solve it, it's because I didn't provide the right information. You have gone above and beyond.

Thanks, again.

[Broni]

You're very welcome
Great news!