Vista 32 + ESS = Network OK, Internet Not OK

[Jeff Bellune]

I didn't find anyone with this problem after doing a search. Using the trial version of ESS - build 563.

Setup:
Acer laptop running Vista Home Premium 32-bit with latest updates.
Laptop has built-in wireless.
Laptop connects to network via wireless connection to Linksys router.
Laptop connects to Internet via the router. Cable modem connected to router by ethernet cable.

Before installing ESS:
No problems whatsoever connecting to the Internet or to the network. File sharing between all network computers operates normally.

After installing ESS:
1. Windows recognizes the network and says I'm connected, but Internet Explorer can't access any web pages.

2. When I try to set up a new IE connection, Windows tells me I'm already connected to the Internet.

3. Windows Update (apparently) can connect and check for updates, but Windows Help cannot (I get a warning).

4 I can ping via a command prompt OK, but ESS itself cannot access the Internet to update signatures.

5. ContentWatch can access the Internet and check for updates, but TuneUp Utilities Update Wizard cannot.

6. I had to change the wireless connection mode from 802.11a/b/g to 802.11g to get the Vista laptop to see and access all the other Windows XP computers on the network (very much like the NIC speed-change fix that is being discussed in another thread). However, none of the other network XP computers can see the Vista laptop.

After uninstalling ESS:
Everything returns to normal.

Does anyone have any idea what could be going on?

Thanks,
-Jeff

[dannyboy]

try 3.0.566

[Jeff Bellune]

Is that version available as a trial? I would love to give it a try!

[Jeff Bellune]

Update:

I found the conflict. Apparently, ContentWatch (now re-branded as Net Nanny) conflicts with at least one module in ESS. Since the AV module is based on NOD32, this article from the NN Knowledge Base applies:

Slow, or no Internet Connectivity:
NOD32
If you installed ContentProtect after installing NOD32, please uninstall ContentProtect.

Before re-installing ContentProtect disable NOD32's HTTP checking. If you are unsure as to how accomplish this please refer to the user guide or the tech support for NOD32.
When the HTTP checking is disabled disable NOD32 and you can re-install ContentProtect.

If ContentProtect was installed before NOD32 and you are experiencing slowness with Internet browsing disable NOD32's HTTP checking. If you are unsure as to how accomplish this please refer to the user guide or the tech support for NOD32.

I tried their uninstall/reinstall solution, I tried completely disabling Web Access Protection, and I tried adding all of the executables in the Net Nanny folder to the WAP exclusion list. Nothing worked. So the AV module in ESS is different enough to invalidate the workaround posted by ContentWatch/Net Nanny.

Any ideas? I have to manage 4 family computers that my young kids use, so keeping Net Nanny installed is not negotiable.

<joke>I suppose you could say that having NN and ESS installed together makes an unbeatable anti-malware team. Inappropriate web content and malware won't get in to the computer because no one can get out to the 'net!</joke> :D

[Palombaro]

-{ Quote: "Is that version available as a trial? I would love to give it a try!" }-

It is available as a trial but to get it had to request new 30 day trial from UK site as the original username/password didn't allow me to download. New username/password allowed me to download and install.

Whether it will solve your problems or not I don't know. On the need to update to v566 Marcos wrote,'There's basically no need to upgrade as the only change was a fix of the bug that prevented installation on certain systems when a network connection was already established.' Does that address your problem

[Jeff Bellune]

Thanks for that, Palombaro. Unfortunately, for me, that is not my issue. ;) So at least for now, I will skip the update to 566.

[Jeff Bellune]

Update:

I found a security suite that has a small footprint in memory, doesn't slow down my computer's performance while it's monitoring, doesn't steal focus from the application in which I am working when it automatically updates its signatures in the background, works really well OOB and yet is infinitely customizable.

It doesn't conflict with Net Nanny, and it doesn't interfere with my network connectivity on Vista or XP.

It updates with no issues on Vista and XP.

It's AV engine is second only to NOD32, and only by a little bit.

It's firewall process is virtually bullet-proof. You can't kill it's process in Task Manager. No file renaming tricks allowed.

In short, it fixes all the problems I've had with ZASS, ESS, Kaspersky and AVG.

The software is Norton Internet Security 2008. I was shocked at how well it performs because the last Symantec product that I had on my computer was several years ago, and it was awful. I had no end of trouble trying to uninstall it, and I had to restore a disk image from before I installed it to ensure that all traces of the rot were removed. Apparently, they've learned from their mistakes and improved things quite a bit. :)

(Hey - give me a break - I was desperate to get something that worked on *all* of my networked computers.)

I only subscribed for a year, so I will keep checking back here with ESET to see how things are going with ESS. I'd much rather have ESS on my systems, for a number of reasons.

Good luck to Marcos and the rest of the team getting some of the sticky issues worked out - you really do have the beginnings of a spectacular product.

-Jeff