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Hello,

I teach online using BlackBoard Collaborate, I’ve taught weekly for well over a year now. Last week I logged into my classroom, started uploading all my slides and such and after about 45 minutes, I checked back to find that I’d been kicked out. I tried to re-enter a bunch of times and it error’d me out each time, wouldn’t do it. Had to use another computer to teach with, lots of associated problems, blah blah.

This week. Logged into classroom, everything loaded up, teaching the class…about 45 minute into CLASS (not just prep as before), I get kicked out. Again it won’t let me back in. I tried to go to the Blackboard support site but it wouldn’t connect me…it finally did and I got on the phone calling BBC support while at the same time attempting another log in…wouldn’t you know it, this time I got in ok. Finished up the class but lost a good 10-15 minutes. Can’t have this!
BBC tech I chatted with afterwards is convinced it’s due to Avast and told me to disable it the next time before I log into my class. I’ve used this same computer with Avast for over a year to teach and never had this problem…did Avast update between Oct. 22 and 29 to possibly be causing this problem?

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  • Which Avast…? (Free/Pro/IS/Premier)
  • Which version…?
  • OS…? (32/64 Bit…? - which SP/Build…?)
  • Other security related software installed…?
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Avast free
10.4.2233
Windows 8 64 bit (just rolled back to Windows 8 from 10 because it wreaked havoc on my systems :-S )
Norton trial version is on right now as well just because I haven’t had a few moments to take it off…I usually just use Avast and nothing else.

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First, be sure to get rid of Norton and all remnants of your prior installed AV(s)…!!
→ https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB11#artTitle

Then:

  1. Download Avast Free Antivirus: https://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_free_antivirus_setup.exe
  2. Follow instructions: https://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility (Run this tool for all prior installed Avast versions…!!)
  3. Reinstall Avast with the downloaded installer from point 1.
  4. Reboot.
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Unfortunately, still having issues possibly with Avast relating to my use of Blackboard Collaborate.
Actually ended up wiping my entire computer, sending it for repairs and then having to set everything back up over the holidays. Went back into my classroom last week and experienced dropped connection (we call it getting “kicked out”) about 15 times in 90 minutes. After consulting with BBC tech support and my own Academy support, the former felt it was my antivirus, the latter felt it was my internet speed. Upgraded my internet package and tried to teach yesterday…kicked out about 20 minutes into my class. I didn’t want to believe it was so, but in desperation, I went into Avast and turned everything off…and the rest of my class was totally fine and normal.
What could Avast be doing to inhibit my online connection through Blackboard Collaborate? I taught all last year and most of this past fall without any issues…did something change in the last few months with Avast?
Appreciate insight…I don’t want to take Avast off, I’ve used and trusted it for years. :-S

~LK

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Contact support: https://support.avast.com/support/tickets/new

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It can’t be (as indicated by the topic) the avast firewall since avast free doesn’t have one.

It can be avast, but that doesn’t seem likely to me since the “block” happens at random times.
Something to do is setting avast to debug logging and after it happened e.g. 3 times look if there is something about it in the log files.