Windows Explorer Internet Access

[markcc]

Is there a valid reason to let Windows Explorer access the internet or should the firewall block it?

[bollity]

There is no need to explorer.exe to connect to the internet, but pc tools firewall have a strange behavior that if you blocked it you will loose internet connection. this only happened for me with pc tools firewall

[0strodamus]

Some applications like BatteryBar (http://osirisdevelopment.com/BatteryBar/) will use Windows Explorer to connect to the Internet to check for updates.