Running Windows XP home with SP2 and latest updates;
Running latest Avast! Home
I know my internet access is okay because my Outlook Express accessing newsgroup works as well as updating Avast!
I can ping my DNS server but just cannot access any web pages via Opera 7.5 or IE6. I got an error message about Avast! Proxy failed.
I then turned of Avast! and sure enough I have access to any web pages.
Hate to drop Avast! since I have been using for almost 2 years now.
Can some shed some light what is going on with the latest installation?
Thanks in advance.

What firewall are you using?
Your firewall must be blocking acess from ashWebSv.exe (the avast WebShield) on TCP port 80, outbound.

I had the same problem with ZA 5.5 (home). I think what happened was that its request to permit access by ashWebSv popped up at the same time as several other warnings/notices and got overlooked. So I could access mail, IM’s, etc. just fine but not anything via my browser.

Fortunately, going into ZA’s control panel and altering avast’s “?” status manually cleared that up nicely.