Whatever I do, even if I disable both my software firewall and the firewall on my router, webshield stops Firefox from accessing webpages. Occasionally a webpage will half load, or load in text-based format, but this is rare.
Should I just do without webshield, if it gives me this much trouble? Anyone have any ideas on how to get webshield to do what avast says it should?!
Gareth
What is your OS if it is win95, win89, winME you will need to manually set-up the browser to use the web shield localhost proxy.
For Firefox users - Tutorial - Web Shield Proxy Set-up for Firefox
What version of firefox are you using? - I have no problem with ff and web shield.
Have you tried it with any other browsers?
What is your software firewall?
Does it allow ashWebSv.exe internet access? - I know you disabled the firewall but just confirming.
Sorry,
I’m using Windows XP. I’m using Agnitum Outlook Pro 3.0 for firewall - and yes, I set it up to give full access to ashWebSv.exe. Does a proxy server have to be set up for Firefox if someone is using Windows XP? Anyway, that shouldn’t make a difference as I’ve tried it with all firewalls off, including Windows XP’s firewall (although it’s inbound only as I understand).
Pretty wierd huh? Why me? Strange.
Cheers,
Gareth
By the way, yep it blocks IE6 completely aswell.
I’m using Firefox 1.0.7
Mistake correction: it’s Outpost Pro 3.0 of course, not Outlook Pro!
Well I had a very same problem with outpost pro all http traffic blocked https traffic ok.
Solution, delete the entry for ashMaiSv.exe in the trusted/allowed applications. Then try to connect again to one of the web sites and outpost should ask permission again for ashWebSv.exe allow it again and if yours problem is exactly the same it should be back in business.
I have no idea why this happened on my system (other than outpost stuffed up the permissions) one minute I was browsing no problems, then boom access denied.
Hopefully this will resolve the problem for you.
Thanks for the help. I tried removing and reinstating rights for ashwebsv but it still wouldn’t work. I ended up going back to NOD32 which works fine.
Cheers,
sP
Hello!
I have the very same problem, but like DavidR said not all the time but every once on a while I can normally browse the internet and suddenlly webshield stop the traffic and I get => document containes no data in ff and it is the same with all browsers. Ive tryed every possible thing but nothing seem to work. If I couldnt solve this problem Ill have to say good bye to Avast. :-\
I use WinXP and default Win firewall.
Well the first thing I woul do in your shoes is to install a proper firewall, XP’s firewall doesn’t provide full outbound protection. Zone Alarm free has a relatively friendly user interface, there are others.
I very occasionaly have the document contains no data in firefox when my connection is dropped (dial-up in my case), this however, had nothing to do with avast. If you have a back-up ISP connection try that.
The problem I had wasn’t intermitent, it stopped, period, no working now and then and it was the firewall. Once resolved by re-authorising ashWebSv.exe in the firewall no problem, not avast related.
I also suggest you check to see if you have the latest version 4.6.731 (try a manual Program Update) and see if this resolves it before trying anything else.
M4rk, what happens if you disable WebShield provider?
Did you allow C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe to connect into Windows Firewall settings?
Tech,
as noted by DavidR the Windows firewall does nothing to outbound traffic … so it is not possible to enable any of the avast components.
Well DavidR on other computer I have I use diffrent fw, but for security needs on this computer Windows one works fine.
When avast stop the traffic I just stop providing web shield and I can immediately continue with my browsing and yes as I allready mentioned I try every possible thing found on avast faq and forum but nothing solve this problem.
For security reasons, I would say you need to replace the windows firewall as it doesn’t give you adequate protection, a security hole. Any malware that hapens to get on to your system has free access to the internet to download more of the same and transmit usernames, passwords, creditcard/account details and more security related data.
If you aren’t already using the latest version avast 4.6.731, then I suggest you do a manual program update or download the latest full avast version from the web site. Then uninstall, boot and install the latest version and boot.
Trying to track an intermittent fault is very difficult as I would have though web shield would either work completely or not at all, not occasionally stop working. Is there any common occurrence when it stops, e.g. the same site or sites, were you doing something specific, gaming, etc.?
DavidR thanks you for your time with replys. I allready uninstall, reinstall and update Avast for 2 times but problem remains now I will format my disc and than try again. I hope that would solve this anoying problem and at the same time I will replace my fw with Kerio (hope this one is good enough).
About occurrence it happens randomly while browsing (for instance I read a forum topic and want
to go to next page and boom document containes no data and browser is the only program running)
I will report in about a week or two
Very good indeed and the integration with avast! is very good too.
For while, it’s out of development (I mena, it’s not receiving updates, it’s discontinued).
I stumbled upon this topic by accident, I have the exact same problem!
It’s driving me crazy, I tried all kind of stuff to fix it for over a week with no result so far. Now I see it could be Avast blocking my HTTP! ???
I will test this when I’m home from work tonight. I really really really hope this solves this problem! OMG, come to think of it; I was about to completely reinstall XP this weekend! The horror!!! :o
Answered in another post of you… avast just scan, your firewall is not allowing WebShield to connect and does its job.
Absolutely no need for that.
Can you post which firewall are you using?
Which is your operational system?
Is ashWebSv.exe allowed to connect into your firewall settings?
Do you use a proxy?
I use the standard XPHome-SP2 firewall, a broadband cable modem and there is no proxy server settings.
I have this problem for almost two weeks now, everything works fine (email, p2p, ftp etc. etc.) except browsing webpages. The HTTP connection is just gone after a minute of 5 after booting the PC. At bootup Avast can update itself and I can surf without a glitch, after that I must reboot to go online.
So far I tried the following…
Removed router
Reset Modem
Shutdown Win XP Firewall
Looked for Trojan/Virus
HijackThis log shows nothing weird
Renewed Host file
Disabled and enabled all kinds of startup stuff in msconfig
Cleared DNS cache
Cleared XP prefetch
Repaired/renewed TCP/IP stack
Ran WinsockxpFix (gave me a bugging SVCHOST.EXE error aswell)
ipconfig /refresh
Deleted and renewed internet connection
Tried in save mode
Reinstalled SP2
Everything without any success, so you understand why I hope this is Avast related. It gives me some hope it can be fixed 
I’m currently at work so I’m not able to check if ashWebSv.exe is blocked. I will check tonight and see if that helps.
b.t.w.
I told this to a colleague this morning and surpise; he has the same problem too! Infact I suggested him to use Avast! a couple of moths ago. ;D
I have two friends who’s PC’s I support and they both had problems with the Avast Web Shield blocking all HTTP traffic today. Stop the Web Shield on-access protection and they can surf the web again.
I’d like a resolution to this, is possible. They’re both using ZoneAlarm, but one is on XP Home and the other Win2000. Browser is irrelevant as all HTTP traffic stops. They both have the latest version of Avast as of today.
Any ideas welcome before I have to start deinstalling security software and look for alternatives.