Have you tried setting zone alarm to defaults? (I think that you can let it
automatically configure when you install it also, if I remember correctly.)
If you go into program control/programs, you can see what you've allowed and
what you haven't. You can change the settings from within there if you
wanted.
(Left clicking either allows or denies or asks permission)
(Right clicking gives you a number of options. I sometimes remove things
just to see how often they try to access the net, because you will get a pop
up as soon as anything attempts access)
(My daughter often denies things access and then accuses zone alarm of
stopping her internet connection, when all it is doing is following her
instructions)
If you want to stop the internet connection, right click the icon in the
taskbar, then click on 'stop all internet activity' and you will see the
little yellow 'ZA' turn into a red padlock. This tells you that the
connection has been stopped.
To reconnect, right click it, and click it again. It will restore itself
immediately.
I've never had any problems with it, and I do think it's worth persevering
with.
I was very wary of it to start with, but I wouldn't be without it now.
Even on the default settings, it's bound to do exactly what you want.
Good luck,
Michele Sayer

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