Symantec, antiviruses, and restrictive programs

[Dante]

Ok, I had a look about in the 'Read before posting' thread, and took a cursory glance about for similar problems, but given the situation, I doubt that there's an exact copy of this problem elsewhere. So I appologise if this has been covered elsewhere. I don't come into Tech Support much, so I don't know my way around.

Enough introduction. Here's a brief history of the problem:

1) Dante lives at home. He has a computer with Norton Antivirus and Norton Systemworks installed. His Firewall is Zonealarm, and Windows Firewall is permanently switched off. His connection is Broadband, through a router. He has never had any serious problems with any of these applications (though Zonealarm was a little peevish once).

2) Dante moves to university. He pays

[gryphon]

* Is Symantec to blame for the lack of Messenger?

First off, you are refuring to both Symantec and Norton as if they are 2 different programms. As far as I know they are not. Symantec antivirus or internet security is the same as Norton internet security or antivirus.

* If so, how can I remedy this?

* Is StirlingVPN or VPNGuard, which go hand in hand anyway, responsible for all problems, or could moving the computer to a new connection site have an effect?

I presume you go to Sterling University ? If so no one besides their own support desk is able to answer that question as SterlingVPN is a custom application of the University.

* If anyone has any experience with this kind of program, is there any way that I can... tweak them to get what I want? I.e. Limewire.

first, no one outside your University will, and next to that. You are bound to the end-user agreement not to mess with the VPN connection or do any of the illegal stuff you are asking for. So no help from any one here on that topic.

* I plan to reinstall Norton at the earliest oppertunity. How can I prevent it from taking a change in connection site to mean a trial period?

Again, you know Norton and Symantect are the same. And doesn't Norton still have a phone activation methode ?

* What the hell does 'Unknown Error: 53' mean?

Who knows, could be anything if we don't know which application give you that error and at which time you get it.

* Is there any way to bypass this wretched connection method entirely? I don't hold out much hope for this, but really my life would be a lot easier if I could just say farewell to StirlingVPN.

As before, you are allowed to use the network only with that software. No one here is gon'na help you making an illigal connection.

Just a general note if you are at Sterling university, they should have a support desk for stuff like this.

Besides that. ZoneAlarm is the worst proram I have even seen. Even my grandmother writes better software. You are behind corporate firewalls which provides much better protection from the internet then most software on your PC can give you. Uninstall all the stuff and just use Norton antivirus, McAfee or AVG.

[Dante]

I know that Symantec makes Norton (or the other way around, it doesn't really matter). But the program I used before called itself Norton antivirus and the program I am forced to use now calls itself Symantec. The two have different interfaces, options, behaviours, icons, and names. This leads me to believe that they are not the same program.

Stirling. Not Sterling. And I wasn't thinking of specific help with StirlingVPN, as it's kind of obvious that nobody here will have come across it before. But it can't be the only one of its kind. So anyone with experience in similar programs might therefore be able to tell me what kind of problems to expect, and how to deal with them. And even people without that kind of experience should be able to tell me whether moving a computer to a completely different connection would affect its software in any way.

Hm. *Shrug* Tweaking the program isn't the priority, getting it to work is.

Error 53 either comes from StirlingVPN or VPNGuard. I suppose what I was really asking was 'is this a generic error, and if so what can be done about it?' I suppose it isn't.

Stirling does have a support desk, of sorts. Unfortunately, it informed me to take the computer to one of the 'sugeries' on Tuesday. As I already mentioned, I needed a functional connection before Monday morning. Fortunately, I've been able to resolve that much on my own.

I already said, Zonealarm is required for the connection program to activate. In other words, if Zonealarm is disabled (or uninstalled, I imagine), the connection program will not work. So not only is Zonealarm not to blame, it's actually a necessary part of the arrangement.

[erjin999]

I think Symantec is the old version, as it is norton antivirus they sell to consumers now. I will go check out their site, maybe symantec antivius is for corps only or something...

Your best bet on this whole situation, which seems so bizzare it has to be unique, is to take it to the help desk people on tuesday and get them to bash it over the head with a hammer...

Doesnt the uni have their own computers for students without a computer ? I know thats not what you paid for, but if you are desperate...

And I am not so shure about ZA being so bad. IT does what it says on the box.

[gryphon]

As far as your error message goes. It's not related to your VPN connection and probably is something custom from the application.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;824864

In regard to ZoneAlarm being a recuirement. You mentioned Antivirus as a requirement. Not a firewall, and the VPNguard site also only mentions browser, Windows and Antivirus security levels.

http://www.opswat.com/vpnguard.shtml

Within my experience as a network designer usually the more programms you have using the network interface, the more problems you will have with your network.

[Dante]

I don't pretend to understand it. All I know is that I've tested the connection process, through trial and error, and found that with Zonealarm disabled nothing works, but with Zonealarm enabled the programs starts. Zonealarm must then be disabled for the program to actually do anything.

I already said that I managed to get a functional, sort of, internet connection on my own. I also said that it's slower than dial-up. Fortunately, this issue seems to resolve itself at random intervals. So though I have no guarantee of how or when the connection will function, which is what I'd like, at least it's there. I've got my access to the resources.

[gryphon]

I don't pretend to understand it. All I know is that I've tested the connection process, through trial and error, and found that with Zonealarm disabled nothing works, but with Zonealarm enabled the programs starts. Zonealarm must then be disabled for the program to actually do anything.

Which only would indicate ZoneAlarm is not doing much good for the connection. I understand you say hey, when I have ZoneAlarm it works. But then, why should you have to disable it after that ? If you think that's normal please continue to use it.

Some firewall software ( Norton for example ), don't use your network adapter but create a virtual adapter through which all traffic is routed so Norton can check it for viri, worms and other threaths. Maybe ZoneAlarm does the same, or you have another programm install using the interface.

Did you check the link in my previous post for VPNguard, it has a list of supported programms to work with VPNguard.

[Dante]

Neither of the links are working for me. This isn't your fault, since the connection is going through one of its 'I hate you' phases. This is actually the second time that I've attempted to post this, seeing as the browser crashed first time. Fed2k itself is half missing, when it shows up at all. The rest of the time it's white. With blue text.

Zonealarm definately conflicts with the connection here, but without it, the connection program doesn't start. It's s tupid set of affairs, but the only one that works. I never had any trouble with Zonealarm at home, and thus am not inclined to blame it.

[erjin999]

Did you allow ZA to add the network into its trusted list ?

Somewhere under Networks, I think.