zone alarm setting help

[elle]

I just installed the free zone alarm. I've used it in the past with utorrent without problems. That's not the case now and I'm unsure how to fix the settings.

I have full permission for utorrent under program control in all areas. But I am getting alerts that attempts to connect to my computer are being blocked and they are mostly labeled utorrent. I'm still able to down and upload but it's very slow.

I tried a search on this. I'd appreciate either a link to a thread where this is addressed or help with this problem.

Thanks

[Ultima]

http://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?pid=166967#p166967

[Firon]

ZA is just being paranoid about connections. Honestly, it's a pretty trashy and useless firewall. The stuff it calls "attacks" aren't.

[elle]

Unfortunately I use the free version. It looks like it can't be customized any more than it is.

[mu_user]

I just installed the free zone alarm. I've used it in the past with utorrent without problems. That's not the case now and I'm unsure how to fix the settings.

If you've used ZoneAlarm with uTorrent in the past without problems, why do you assume ZoneAlarm is the problem?

ZoneAlarm may be a trashy firewall and just a bad kernel hack and anything else you might hear about it, but one thing it does very well is block programs from connecting to the internet without asking. It even stops programs from going through other programs to connect to the internet. If there's one thing that really p***ses me off, it's when programs call out without permission. I don't care so much about the inbound traffic features.

I'm sort of in the same boat as you. I've used ZoneAlarm in the past without problems. Recently, I've changed settings, followed posted instructions, and even uninstalled ZoneAlarm entirely. I still got unconnected and unconnectable errors while uploading and downloading at 100kBps. 100-120kBps down is about the most I want with my connection.

If there's a way in your ZoneAlarm to go to the "programs" tab and right click on uTorrent, add an expert rule to allow everything, silent log, and apply or save, then try that. Then you can check if you've both incoming and outgoing connections to or from uTorrent on any protocol in the alerts and logs tab in ZoneAlarm.

If you're using UPnP and random port with your router, or changing your uTorrent port manually you'll get a lot of blocked attempts when you restart uTorrent on a different port. That's what should happen. Until everyone else gets updated that your uTorrent client is now on another port, they will try to connect on the old port which should be blocked. It seems to take a half-hour or so to update.

Was uTorrent running fine for you without ZoneAlarm?

mu_user

[Ultima]

http://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?pid=292343#p292343

Comodo's another free firewall that works fine with µTorrent.

[mu_user]

I've changed settings, followed posted instructions, and even uninstalled ZoneAlarm entirely.

Comodo is a good tip. Thanks, I'll check it out! Is this the same Comodo that started by signing security certificates a few years back? I've been looking for a lightweight "firewall" which implements program control. Does Comodo also have application interaction control?

My impression is that the common thread on the forum these days, with no pun intended, is, "What makes uTorrent work without any firewall whatsoever"?

It seems now Microsoft itself is the culprit, which, admittedly is, by and large, true. Is that true now?

Thanks again,

mu_user

[Ultima]

Comodo has an "application firewall" of sorts, yes. It's the Defense+ component, which monitors/controls suspicious activity in applications. And yes, it's the same certificate-signing Comodo.

Not sure what you mean about Microsoft being the culprit... O_o

[mu_user]

Something Firon said. Hang on, I'll find the thread.

http://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?id=44488&p=4

Last post. Is he talking about the connection display issues?

mu_user

[Ultima]

His post is unrelated to the issue at hand

He's referring to the connection timeouts many users are experiencing with 1.8.

[mu_user]

Okay, right. Thanks for that.

Any idea what's happening with connectivity indicators?

mu_user

-------------------

http://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?pid=354716#p354716

Is there some new problem with an old ZoneAlarm?

mu_user

[elle]

Mine is specifically that when I go to alerts, all of the blocked incoming and outgoing blocks are related to utorrent. I used to have a very old version of free zonealarm that didn't do that. Once I allowed utorrent into the trusted zone, there were no blocks on utorrent at all. This computer came with Norton so I stopped using zonealarm for a while.

It may be that connections just worked better with early utorrent and earlier zonealarm. I've been using utorrent since it was first released.

[mu_user]

Once I allowed utorrent into the trusted zone, there were no blocks on utorrent at all

Interesting. I can't put a program into the trusted zone. Do you mean allow access to the trusted zone or something?

If so, then you must do that and more. uTorrent should have four checkmarks beside it in the program control tab. It should be a server to the internet (checkbox furthest right for me) Doing that allows it access to all your other zones as well.

If you haven't given uTorrent internet server permission, then it won't work properly.

mu_user

Sorry. Checkbox next to furthest right. I forgot about the sendmail. It doesn't need that, as far as I know.

mu_user