I’m a long time Avast user, but a first time poster…
Currently, I have Avast (4.5.549 Home) running on 3 separate WinXP Pro SP2 systems on my home network. Due to my location, I do not have high-speed internet access, so my internet connection is done via a 56K modem on a single system the network. All other systems gain access to the internet via a proxy server on the system with the modem. I’ve got a few Avast related questions as related to this setup.
On the system with the direct internet access (via modem), I have set the “Update (Connections)” panel to “I only connect to the internet using a dial-up modem”. With this setup, that system updates consistently and correctly. On the other 2 systems, with this setting - Avast never updates, as I assume it never detects a “modem” connection. Because of this, it seems that I must set them to “My computer is permanently connected to the Internet”, but this causes many “failed” updates since I am not really permanently connected to the internet (though these system will eventually update correctly). Is this the best way to configure the software for this situation? It would be nice if the auto-update feature worked better with this type of configuration (could properly detect a connection via proxy server).
Is it possible for one system to be the “master” with regard to updates, and then configure the other systems to retrieve their updates from that “master” system? While most of you may not remember, a 56K connection is painfully slow these days - especially when I need to repeat the same updates for multiple systems.
Short of that, can I “copy” certain files (by hand) from one system to another to perform the update, or are there registry settings involved also? If I can do this “manually”, what files are involved?
Thanks for any assistance and a really great product.
All other systems gain access to the internet via a proxy server on the system with the modem.
I suggest you get a router. Preferably one with a build in hardware firewall. See it like this: If the comp that handles the connection breaks down for whatever reason, the rest can't connect anymore either. Router will solve this.
For your questions:
1] Set the gateway to allow other systems to request and allow to make a connection.
2] Sure, no problem. But what you are asking is for is a basicly a server edition and the ADNM. And if you do as I suggested under 1] than there is no need for it and if you are entitle to it, you can just enjoy the Home edition. Only thing you have to do is setup your home network correctly.
Hmmm… I’m not sure I follow. While I guess it’s possible to connect a dial-up modem to a router (?), I’m not sure what that gains me. If the router or modem or ? goes down, I’m out of luck too, no? The relilability of the PC with the internet connection is not really an issue…
ADNM? I don’t know what that is…
If manual updates of the remaining 2 systems (as described earlier) are “no problem”, then I’d like to know files are involved…
Why does your first suggestion create a situation where there is “no need for it”? I’m still downloading the updates 3 times over a (slow) 56K connection, right?
Thanks, and any further suggestions or clarifications are appreciated.
I'm still downloading the updates 3 times over a (*slow*) 56K connection, right?
If that is your main concern, just download the latest VPS from the website and use it on all systems. You can do the same if there is a program update.
And a 56k6 modem isn’t exactly the way to connect 3 systems to the internet nowadays. Although I do remember that we had 20 14k4 modems for a company network to do so (long time ago)
Assuming that works, I’ll probably just turn off the auto-updates from the “secondary” systems, and create an automated task that copies the proper files from the main system each morning.
Again, I’m trying to reduce the bandwidth required to update 3 systems running Avast, as well as eliminate the frequent update failures that occur on the systems that don’t have a direct internet connection…
Yeah, I know that, but I have to work with what I’ve got. As I said initially, I live in an area that still doesn’t have access to a high-speed intenet connection (except for satellite, which is sub-par service at best, and currently way too expensive).
