Greetings:

I'm going to be as specific and as detailed as possible in this post so that hopefully someone can provide an accurate reply.

I use ZoneAlarm [free version] as my firewall and also use one of the ad-filtering programs [either AdSubtract (late 1999 version) or Naviscope or WebWasher].

I connect to the Web via dial-up. Before logging onto the Web, I always activate/turn on the STOP button in ZoneAlarm's graphical interface; if you're wondering, despite this, I can still always log onto my ISP; I just have to de-activate/turn off the STOP button when I am ready to visit my first website.

After my connection to the Web is successfully consummated, I open/run the ad-filter program AdSubtract (or Naviscope or WebWasher) and ZoneAlarm's pop-up alert always appears telling me that AdSubtract (or Naviscope or WebWasher) tried to ACT AS A SERVER to the Internet and if I want to give it permission to do so. Well, I always click on NO. At this point, I de-activate/turn off ZoneAlarm's STOP button. Thereafter, when I attempt to visit my first website, another ZoneAlarm pop-up alert appears asking me if I want to allow my browser Internet Explorer to ACCESS the Internet. Well, I always click on YES, because if I don't I won't be able to view any website. Immediately after that, a third ZoneAlarm pop-up alert appears asking me if I want to allow AdSubtract (or Naviscope or WebWasher) to ACCESS the Internet. Well, I always click on YES, because again if I don't I won't be able to view any website.

Now, what perplexes me is that every time I view the icon for AdSubtract (or Naviscope or WebWasher) which appears to the right of the STOP button in ZoneAlarm's graphical interface, there is a cupped hand superimposed on the lower half of the icon for AdSubtract (or Naviscope or WebWasher) [BTW, I also have an icon for Internet Explorer but never with a cupped hand superimposed on its lower half]. According to the ZoneAlarm help file, a cupped hand means that it IS acting as a server; in the case of AdSubtract (or Naviscope or WebWasher), I believe [correct me if I'm wrong] it is acting an ad-filtering "quasi-proxy" server.

As far as the PROGRAMS section of ZoneAlarm's graphical interface is concerned, I always have only 2 programs listed: Internet Explorer and AdSubtract (or Naviscope or WebWasher). Under the headings of both "Allow connect" and "Allow server" for both programs, I always have 8 question marks appearing (equivalently speaking, ASK and ASK SERVER).

So, now could anyone accurately explain to me why there is still and always a CUPPED HAND superimposed on the lower half of the icon for the ad-filter program AdSubtract (or Naviscope or WebWasher) which appears to the right of ZoneAlarm's STOP button? Is this normal?


Thank you,

Harry

Hiya Harry - welcome to SAF. I'm moving your thread to our Security Forum where I know you will get the best advice.

Hi Harry. Welcome to SAF and the Security forum.

Ok....I just woke up so I'm a little confused anyway, but let's get this straightened out.....

Alright....from the sound of it you have your Internet Lock activated. That's not neccessary. Go into your Lock section of ZA and disable it. While it's still good practice to run a firewall even on dial up, your dynamic connection is harder to pin down than with an "always on" connection like cable or DSL. I would only engage the lock if it was really necessary to block all activity from the Internet.

You need to tick the box that tells ZA to always allow IE to access the 'Net and you won't see that popup message again.

As far as ADSubtract asking for server rights...well, it basically is a proxy server because everything is going thru it so ads can be filtered as the pages are downloaded. Allow that permenent access as well.

What you see to the right of the Stop button are programs that are active at that time. It's perfectly normal behavior.

Although I don't use AdSubtract, I would assume the cupped hand denotes the program has been activated and is working to do it's job.

Dear Interceptor:

Thank you for your speedy reply. I believe and hope you are truly correct that it is normal to have a superimposed cupped hand on the lower half of the icon for ad-filtering programs such as AdSubtract, Naviscope or WebWasher-- denoting/marking them as servers (even though, as I stated in my initial post, I DENIED them permission to act as a server; I guess ZA [and perhaps other firewalls such as Sygate, Tiny Personal, Norton, McAfee, etc.) figures out automatically that such ad-filtering programs MUST act as a server in order for them to actually function).

When I started using ZA a couple of years ago, just as a test I decided to enable its Stop button before logging on. When I dial-up to my ISP, I find I can ALWAYS still log on. So, I've been doing this ever since. I simply have to disable the STOP button when I'm ready to visit my first website. It's not a big chore to me, so I don't mind.

You stated that I NEED to ALWAYS allow Internet Explorer permission to access the Internet. Well, again I do not mind the ZA pop-up alert asking me for my permission; I just prefer to see all permission pop-up alerts from ZA for all programs I run.

And, as an addendum to my initial post, the very first ZA alert that I actually always get BEFORE the other aformentioned alerts is exactly like the following:

"The firewall has blocked Internet access to the all routers multicast address (224.0.0.2) (ICMP Router Solicit) from your computer.

Time: 11/9/2002 2:55:28 AM"



BTW, which firewall do you use? Do you use dial-up service? And, do you use or have you used an ad-filtering program such as the three I use in conjunction with your firewall?

Would it be possible for you to duplicate my dial-up procedure using ZA and AdSubtract (or Naviscope or WebWasher) to see if you get the same results?


One other thing:
I have posted this subject matter on some other message boards on the Web and the response I got is that AdSubtract (or Naviscope or WebWasher) must be denied permission to act as a server, do not have any business acting as a server and thus must not have a superimposed cupped hand on the lower half of their respective icons in ZA. You can see why I am still a tad confused as to who is really correct in this matter: YOU or THEM?

If any firewall & ad-filter experts would like to respond and settle this confusing matter once and for all, I would be grateful.


Thank you,

Harry


P.S.: Two weeks ago, I e-mailed my subject matter to both ZoneLabs (makers of ZoneAlarm) and AdSubtract. I still have NOT received a reply from either one of them; poor customer service, if you ask me. I've given up on them.

Harry if I were to get conflicting advice, I would take Inteceptor's over theirs in a minute. But you don't have to take my word for it, just read why that proggy needs sever access. It is bascially acting as a filter, then serving you what left after filtering out the garbage.
Yeah, that little hand is telling you the proggy is acting as a server. Notice all the proggys don't have that, not even IE.
If this helps, this is what mine looks like right now:
http://support.mypagesonline.com/screenshots/ZA.jpg

I think people are confused when asked if a program should be allowed server rights. Requesting server rights does not always mean it wants to have access to your system. In cases where something like ADSubtract needs to act as a server (and some programs will not run without that permission) it is because it IS acting as a server. A server is what grants or denies permissions, delegates communications, etc. In your case, ADSubtract is asking permission to run between your system and the Internet, just like ZA is. Try it without and see if it works. Myself, I'd be somewhat surprised if it did. I know WebWasher needs to have server rights because it IS a proxy server.

I have a cable connection and I run either ZA or Outpost. I would set myself on fire before going back to dial-up. I use ad filtering when it doesn't interefere with my surfing, but what I use is another firewall..the old ATGuard firewall with the firewall part turned off. I had too many problems with WebWasher blocking sites even when all I had enabled was the webbugs filter. It's proxy function raised hell with my connection.

Concerning the initial warning from ZA....I am still looking for information about this alert. I have just sent an email to ZoneLabs asking about this issue myself...and I have, or used to have an "in" at ZoneLabs. We'll see what happens.