My firewall!

juno

I have the Zone Alarm free firewall. Most of the time, we get along fine. However, sometimes I'll be chatting to my friends on MSN messenger and it will suddenly sign me out and not let me sign in again. If I close the firewall it works fine.

I've checked the settings and I can't see what's wrong. It works fine most of the time! I have Windows ME, I use Firefox and I have MSN Messenger 7 BETA (but it did it with 6.2 too) if any of that is relevant. And my laptop is insured for a lot of money so should be a good one!

Does anyone know what it could be?

Fran

Not sure what it is but I would not advise turning off your firewall!

LincsLad_3

What makes you think it is your firewall that is causing MSN to log you out?

I have the same problem and just put it down to MSN and their overloaded servers.

I know a couple of others with the same problem who do not have a firewall on their PCs as they are behind a network firewall.

I would not advise turning off your firewall either, though if you have Windows XP and SP2, you could use the XP firewall and turn off ZA for a while to see if there is a difference. Be advised though that the XP firewall is generally thought of as less capable than ZA.

Ted_Hutchinson

You might want to try changing firewalls.
I had problems with ZONEALARM after I installed ONSPEED.
I changed to SYGATE FREE PERSONAL FIREWALL and it seems fine now.

juno

I'm pretty sure it's my firewall as when I turn it off I can sign in to MSN messenger, but when I turn it on I can't again. And if MSN messenger is palying up I get a message telling me either I'm not connected to the internet or my password is wrong, but currently it just stops trying to sign me in.

And I know turning my firewall off isn't a good idea, which is why I posted here for advice. I won't bother next time.

LincsLad_3

And I know turning my firewall off isn't a good idea, which is why I posted here for advice. I won't bother next time.

You said in your original post that "It works fine most of the time" so a few initial questions and a suggestion to swap firewalls to rule out that as a possible cause seemed a sensible way to go.

But your decision to castigate those who try to help, or 'not to bother next time' is entirely a personal choice: as is mine when deciding who to put on my ignore list, or indeed, to not mention any further the other problems that MSN Messenger is currently having. Keep the laptop insured - I am certain that will keep it running sweetly. ;D

juno

Well, I also said in my first post that I have Windows ME, and so I obviously don't have XP and SP2.

And I wasn't saying the insurance was keeping it working; I was saying that as it is insured for a lot of money it's a good one.

There are some people that try to help fix people's problems, and others who try to turn people's problems into one they know how to fix.

Former_MSE_Abuse_Controller

I dont think there was any need for the spikey reply, juno, to people who are trying to help.

A lot of technical problem solving involves systematically ruling out the obvious before progressing to more complex areas. Always remember that people on here are giving technical advice (and their time) for free, so i feel a little more patience would not go amiss.

Jdubb

I may be a bit late, and onto a new tangent, but is Onspeed too good to be true? How's yr Onspeed experience been? I've only just heard about it and wonder - seeing as they quote contacting them on an 0870 no. but say that it's not a premium rate line I wonder if it's worth bothering with. Do u know can it do any harm? I'm on broadband with AOL and, as u can probably tell, I'm not a super user but I still find my connection slow.

Jdubb

obviously I posted this msg in the wrong place, sorry.