zookrod
join:2002-07-12
Springfield, IL
| ZoneAlarm cuts download by half
I just did a clean install of WinXP SP2 Pro on a new system, with all the patches and updates. I installed the latest version of the free ZoneAlarm firewall. My download speeds were cut in half by ZoneAlarm. I have a second PC that runs a 2 year old version of ZA. That's how I discovered it. The two year old version was fine. 3.6+ Mbps down. Stopping the new ZA didn't correct the problem. Only uninstalling ZA got my download speeds back to normal. We're talking normal download without ZA at 3.6 Mbps down. With the latest version of ZA only 1.8. It's kinda strange it as it was always about half. Something is wrong with the latest version of ZA and I think it has to do with installing .Net Framework 1.1 but I can't confirm that yet. I didn't install .Net Framework on the other PC. If you're having significant problems with download speed, consider uninstalling ZA. I installed Sygate's free firewall and it's cool. 3+ Mbps down.
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briantrue
join:2002-04-04
Knightstown, IN
| If you use a router and have Windows XP why have a firewall? Windows XP has a built in firewall. It does a good enough job. I guess I don't understand why some people are so paranoid. I hate firewalls and having them always ask... do you want to allow this.. do you want to allow this... do you want to block this.. UGH. lol |
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zookrod
join:2002-07-12
Springfield, IL
| I kinda understand what you're saying. I thought about going without a firewall. But then I remembered I run Microsoft Money, that wants to connect to the internet everytime it starts it for no good reason. I run RealPlayer, that sometimes wants to be a server? It doesn't need to be a server. I am behind a firewalled router and I'm not really concerned about the programs coming in as much as the one's going out. That is where trojans and back door progams are caught by a software firewalls like ZA. Try a one of the software firewalls and see how many programs on your PC decide they need to send info home. |
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maxey13
Premium
join:2001-06-02
Anderson, IN | reply to zookrod
Same thing happened to me when I upgraded to version 5.5. Cut the speed 1/2 so went back to 4.5. There are alot of posts about it...
Dennis |
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zookrod
join:2002-07-12
Springfield, IL | I didn't have 4.5. From what I've read that was the last good version. Sygate's latest version works fine. It's not as nice graphics wise as ZA but it does the job. I'd rather do a ZA. If they'd fix it. |
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SammySmith
join:2002-03-19
Decatur, IL
| reply to zookrod
I had the same problem several months back. Per the ZA Forums there seems to be a problem with ZA version 5+ and some XP setups. You need to do some searching, because you have to do a complete uninstall, that I guess the normal uninstall does not accomplish.
»Anybody else slow in Decatur?
»I recently complained about slow speed in Decatur
»[Cable] Half my available d/l speed
Also see »www.donhoover.net/ on "clean" uninstall
I think you can find old versions of ZA at »download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/i···ory.html |
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zookrod
join:2002-07-12
Springfield, IL | Thanks for that link. It was one I was looking for but didn't find. |
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zookrod
join:2002-07-12
Springfield, IL | reply to zookrod
I always like a link to old software. Just in case i need to reinstall a system. But ZA's latest appears to be just wrong. I installed the latest OS and it f's up, really bad |
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zookrod
join:2002-07-12
Springfield, IL | reply to zookrod
I've used ZoneAlarm for probably as long as they've been around. They were good. They used to be the only free firewall. Time to move on I guess. Try Sygate.
Works fine. |
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tirebiter
join:2002-02-16
Champaign, IL | I will echo the rcommendation for Sygate's Personal Firewall (free version). It works really well and has a very low impact on your resources. |
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indy0365
join:2001-08-25
Franklin, IN | reply to zookrod
Maybe Iggy has some answers ? he is a Big zone alarm supporter. Does or did some testing for them ?
hey iggy got any ideas why this is happening |
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Klownin3468
Premium
join:2004-09-06
Cicero, IN | HEY COOL-AID MAN |
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SammySmith
join:2002-03-19
Decatur, IL
| reply to zookrod
Glad to help zookrod. I tend to keep the install files of stuff I d/l and install till I am sure they are no longer needed
When I had my problem with ZA 5, it was during a period of Insightbb network problems. I did the upgrade, and just blamed speed on things outside my home. My neighbor two doors down had no problem. I have a another bootable partition on my machine with not much more than Windows installed and a few drivers as well as a network speed monitor. BOY was I surprised when I booted to that partition, and everything was back to normal. Then I knew it had to be me, and not Insight since it was the same hardware.
I should try Sysgate I guess, but 4.5 seems to work OK, and I hate learning new software  |
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IGGY
No Guru Just Here To Help
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-30
Chatham, IL
| reply to zookrod
"If you use a router and have Windows XP why have a firewall?"
Why? One major reason is outbound protection. Which a router doesn't cover. And is an important key element of overall security. For various reasons it's good to know what is leaving your machine as well as what is trying to come in. Another good reason is a layered security approach. Meaning if one level of security fails - you have a backup. Routers aren't fail-safe and have been known to contain flaws - just like software.
"he is a Big zone alarm supporter."
Iggy has covered this until he is blue in the face. I was one of the first people to report this to ZoneLabs. I'm a supporter for a good reason. I'm also a member of their TeamZ program. As I said in another recent thread in this forum »[News] Notification of Network Maintenance I was lucky enough to get quoted and linked to in regards to the ZoneAlarm and speeds issue in a ZDNET Australia article.
»www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/0···3,00.htm
Googling the issue gives you me.
»www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=zo···m+speeds
»iggy.gnomeblog.com/blog/_archive···238.html
Honestly there isn't anything that I can say that hasn't been said before. And there was an IM sent out last month asking that those of us that tend to get heated in regards to this issue - chill out. I'm actually hoping to express my viewpoint on this ( in regards to bad security advice ) in a blog post today or in the next few days.
Many users who claimed to see this with previous builds. Have stated in the »Security forum that the latest build in fact solved the problem for them. I've only seen one other user state what is stated in this thread. That the current build still causes them a problem.
The problem has been widely debated. No one has been able to come up with an exact cause. ZoneLabs last I had heard has been unable to reproduce the problem on their end. Some users feel this may be an ISP specific problem. A lot of Comcast users have reported seeing this. But then again Comcast is a big ISP with many customers. So it should be no surprise that if a problem came up - that you'd see a large number of them reporting it. Although Insight and Comcast do share the same source for bandwidth as far as I'm aware. So the ISP specific theory may have some validity.
You can always find Don Hoover's site and others. Along with the instructions that were mentioned above here »zone.iggyz.com ( see the ZoneAlarm help tag in my sig?:D )
A Google search
»www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&···ninstall
Gives you - you guessed it = me.
Not trying to be arrogant - although I'm sure some will think that is what this is. I'm just trying to prove a point. And actually allowing some frustration to show.
I'll be sending this thread into ZoneLabs tonight. I'll also try to get a quick blog post up in regards to this. With all the previous links - so anyone who wishes can read until their eyes get bloody in regards to this subject.
Keep in mind other users in this forum have stated the same ( a few months back ) as what has been said here. I reported this to ZoneLabs at the time. Which I think was a few months ago.
Keep in mind that if you use a modified boot screen. The latest non beta build of ZoneAlarm will cause you problems in most cases. You'll need to undo the modified boot screen before installing and running the latest ZoneAlarm build. The current beta and the build before the latest one don't have this issue. Although I'm not a fan of running older builds of security software.
Sorry I don't have a solution to this. I've never been able to reproduce the issue on my end. Although someone feels that is the cause of my current Insight drama. Yet uninstalling ZoneAlarm didn't give me a major increase in my download speed. And considering I had no problems until Insight did their recent maintenance. I'm definitely not feeling that my problem is software related.
I'd put money on it though - that this would be the first place Insight would try and direct the blame.
--
Test Your Security Cable Diagnostics
Iggyz Blog ZoneAlarm Help |
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briantrue
join:2002-04-04
Knightstown, IN
| I know anything could have a flaw, but it would be hard with a router. The NAT makes it pretty impossible. Your router has an external IP and an internal non routable IP. All the clients also get non routable internal IPs. It's pretty impossible for someone to access one of your computers unless you have ports forwarded or a DMZ setup. |
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Laf1896
@tippecanoe.in
| I too had this problem. I found that for some reason ZA was corrupting the TCP/IP protocol, (Win2k) If I uninstalled TCP/IP then reinstalled the speed was back to normal but after a reboot it was cut in half again. I tried this 5 or 6 times and was able to replicate it each time. Switched to Sygate and everything’s been fine.
Here's the funny part, shutting down ZA and even uninstalling it didn't return the speeds back to normal for me, only uninstalling and reinstalling TCP/IP did the trick. |
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OverBurn
join:2004-02-21
Greenwood, IN
| reply to zookrod
I use the ZoneAlarm Free Version 5.5.062.011 to monitor outgoing on each PC on my network along with my routers NAT firewall and I've had no problems with speed, connection or anything else.
I had a few problems when 5.5 first came out, it would totally drop the connection so switched back to 4.5 for awhile. Adding my routers DNS (192.168.1.1) to the trusted zone fixed all the problems. |
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pokesph
It Is Almost Fast
Premium
join:2001-06-25
Sacramento, CA
clubs:
 ·Comcast
| reply to IGGY
I don't know about the rest of you.. but i've tested it on my Comcast connection:
with router & ZAP = 4Mbps
without router, with ZAP = 4Mbps
with router, without ZAP = 6.4Mbps (maxed)
without router or ZAP = 6.4Mbps
Also tested on multiple machines and on a never seen ZAP laptop with similar results.
Accourding to Zone Labs Support, it's a 'known issue' with no fix/patch scheduled for release. |
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zookrod
join:2002-07-12
Springfield, IL
| reply to zookrod
I've been using the Sygate free firewall for awhile now. And my download speeds are awesome. It fixed the ZoneAlarm problem. It kinda scares me how many people I've recommended ZA to that are now getting half speed. I'm trying to convince them to uninstall it and try their speeds. But it was tough enough to get them to install a firewall!
Sygate works, but I wouldn't recommend it for newbies. All I wanted it for was control of outgoing progs, but I had to do a lot of set up for it to work with my network. ZA has best interface if it would work. Sygate for a geek like me. Kinda fun. |
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Meeble
join:2002-09-19
Champaign, IL
| reply to zookrod
I was a constant zone alarm user for years up until my d/l speed got cut about 45% by that nasty version (if I remember right wasnt it the first release when the company changed hands ?). I switched to sygate and never looked back. It's too bad because I dont really have a bad opinion of ZA but I've never had a problem with sygate so I havent bothered going back and looking at the newer versions of ZA. I've seen peopl still complaining to this day about speed reduction and unfortunately I think you will see chicken littles every version they put out from now on since they publically admitted this to be the case for an isolated set of users of one specific version. I dunno, use what works for you and do what I did and research them all and try em out I say.
If someone has to rant about a firewall then there is a problem imho, I think the features and reliability should speak for itself. |
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