Did you try setting the proxy server settings in your browser?

I got this from the Avast Help:

"Web Shield provider protects your computer from viruses that may infect your computer when browsing the Internet - especially when downloading files from web pages.

If you - possibly by mistake - download an infected file and try to start it, avast! will prevent the infection thanks to its Standard Shield provider (which scans all files that you start of open). With Web Shield, however, the virus will be detected even sooner - during the download of the file. So, Web Shield makes your computer even safer than before.

This provider also makes it possible to block specific URL addresses."

So, now I’m wondering if I really need something that’s gong to tell me a file I’m downloading (I download little from the web and only from reputable websites) is infected with a virus if the Resident Shield will block it if you try to run it anyhow. Right now I have WebShield terminated due to problems with ZoneAlarm and I’m not sure I liked any of the workarounds provided in this forum.

Patty