Avast Free slows down the connection?

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hello everyone,
I would like to know the opinion of those who use Avast Free with the firewall module also active.
In your opinion, Avast Free slows down the web connection a bit?
I have this vague feeling but I’m not sure. I notice that YouTube videos sometimes go jerky and doing the tests with speed test adsl with all the modules disabled in Avast Free it seems that the test is more performing.
Has anyone done any tests?
I have a PC that is about 15 years old so obviously it is not a latest generation PC.

2

Disabling all modules in Avast isn’t a great way to test as it doesn’t pinpoint a particular shield/module.

You could test by first disabling the Avast Firewall and enabling the Windows Defender Firewall (which is disabled by default when you have the Avast Firewall component installed) and see that makes a difference.

3

However, I specify that the slowdown is not much, it is barely noticeable when surfing the Internet and only by doing the ADSL speed test comparing the values ​​​​it oscillates with a difference of about 30 Mbps. It is certainly due to the WEB module in fact by disabling and enabling only that module I notice the difference.
Probably like all AVs the WEB module for the checks it performs slows down the connection slightly and this is evident especially with old CPUs like mine.
Here are the characteristics of my CPU:
Intel(R) Core™2 Duo - T7500 - 2.20GHz

4

I have the same problem.The file shield is causing the slowdown

5

In my opinion it is not the file module but the web module.

6

I thought you thought it might be the Avast Firewall ?

Have you ever considered your old OS and system is also an issue, mine isn’t a spring chicken. If you can find and fit more compatible RAM it could help as it wouldn’t be switching data out of RAM to storage (Disc Cache) and back in when required.

You might want to open task manager and monitor the CPU and Memory usage, especially on your browser as that is what gobbles up a lot of RAM and CPU

7

Yes at first I thought it could be the firewall. Instead, on your suggestions and others in another forum I understood that it is the web module and obviously the performance of my PC which is not optimal being old… Also as you say Chrome uses a lot of RAM and part of the CPU when browsing. For the moment I will continue like this…
I repeat it is not a big problem at the moment.
Thanks anyway for the ideas and support.

8

You’re welcome.

I too get occasional hiccups when using Reddit (opening multiple tabs in Firefox), following what is going on in Ukraine. Though for me using the Windows Firewall and removing the Avast Firewall component and using the windows firewall help a little.

I’m in the area where I’m looking at a new laptop, this one is getting a little tired.