McAfee messing up my firewall. Please help!

InaPickle

Dearest and loveliest of all MSers: Tech peeps!

Sorry to clog up your boards once again, but I am having some serious issues with McAfee Internet Security. I bought it a few days ago, and ever since I installed it on my laptop (not this one!), I can't get on the internet. I'm sure the problem is something to do with the firewall, but when I poke around in McAfee for a bit, I'm not sure what to do to resolve it.

Any advice? I've tried getting in touch with McAfee, which is about as easy as ice skating in the summer, so your sage words of computer wisdom will be greatly appreciated.

(I owe you guys so many drinks by now I'd better buy a brewery!)

Thanks yet again in advance.

Pickle

RussJK

Can you still get a refund on McAfee?

I'm not sure what possessed you to buy it really Certainly not from advice here I hope. I wouldn't use it even if they payed me the cost of it.

How much did it cost? We could suggest another pay for antivirus if you are really set on paying for one.

InaPickle

A moment of insanity, it seems.

I doubt I can get a refund.

Norton was so much better, but that's still not helping my situation: and advice on how to allow me back on t'interweb? It's one of those 3 licence jobbies and it works fine on my mum's computer...*sigh*

RussJK

InaPickle wrote: »

A moment of insanity, it seems.

I doubt I can get a refund.

Norton was so much better, but that's still not helping my situation: and advice on how to allow me back on t'interweb? It's one of those 3 licence jobbies and it works fine on my mum's computer...*sigh*

Well I'd just uninstall it myself, as if you've payed for it anyway then no point making things worse by actually using it :P

It might be either McAfee's firewall or it's webshield, or it might be interacting badly with remnants of a previously installed antivirus.

Edit: disable the firewall, then see if internet works. If not, disable the webshield, and see what works. If not, uninstall McAfee and restart, etc.

santer_2

Comodo is free for a year

https://forums.comodo.com/news-announcements-feedback-cis/cis-pro-new-package-free-for-1-year-t72250.0.html

Panda is free for 3 months

http://www.pandasecurity.com/promotions/microsoft-vista/

InaPickle

RussJK wrote: »

It might be either McAfee's firewall or it's webshield, or it might be interacting badly with remnants of a previously installed antivirus.

Edit: disable the firewall, then see if internet works. If not, disable the webshield, and see what works. If not, uninstall McAfee and restart, etc.

I just disabled the firewall and it works. What should I do? If I turn it back on again is there a way of making it work, or can I just use Windows own firewall? Is it any good? As you point out, I've already paid for it, so I might as well use it, but I won't make the mistake a second time...;)

RussJK

InaPickle wrote: »

I just disabled the firewall and it works. What should I do? If I turn it back on again is there a way of making it work, or can I just use Windows own firewall? Is it any good? As you point out, I've already paid for it, so I might as well use it, but I won't make the mistake a second time...;)

You'll be better off with the Windows firewall anyway so I'd leave McAfee's firewall disabled. And oh, I was being cheeky and suggested that you'd be better not making things worse by using McAfee if you re-read it

I genuinely believe you'd be better off with a free solution like Avast or Avira or MSE than paid McAfee. You could also try Comodo as Santer suggested, but I don't know a great deal about it other than I found the firewall overcomplicated and it slowed down my system substantially. Panda has performed well in independent tests. I've never found their rescue CD very useful though, although it is quick.

santer_2

Saw this about Avira

http://forum.avira.com/wbb/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=131604&pageNo=1

Comodo can be fussy but has the usual remember this option so after a few years you should have allowed all the options, not too fussed with their automatic submission of files to Comodo which happens with most installations of software

InaPickle

RussJK wrote: »

You'll be better off with the Windows firewall anyway so I'd leave McAfee's firewall disabled. And oh, I was being cheeky and suggested that you'd be better not making things worse by using McAfee if you re-read it

Caphiched, but I was right back atcha since there's no way I'm going to waste a product I already paid for, even if there's no way I would buy it again!

Thanks for the help, though: the advice is duly noted for next time.

RussJK

santer wrote: »

Saw this about Avira http://forum.avira.com/wbb/index.php?page=Thread&

Not good; bit like bleepingcomputer advertising for Stopzilla really.

macman

InaPickle wrote: »

Caphiched, but I was right back atcha since there's no way I'm going to waste a product I already paid for, even if there's no way I would buy it again!

Thanks for the help, though: the advice is duly noted for next time.

If you bought it online recently you may be able to get a refund under the DSR.
I wouldn't use McCrappy if it was free (or even if they paid me to use it).