Firewall problem.

Hi.

This problem had only developed recently, and I haven't changed
anything I'm aware of. Can anyone throw some light please?

XP pro, SP2, full updates. (Not seen SP3 at all). Dual core intel CPU,
2 gig ram, 8800GTX graphics. High spec home PC.

I use Mozilla Thunderbird as my email client. It has been working
perfectly under all updates for years.

I use Zonealarm (free) as a firewall, and have a Sky router and
broadband with it's internal firewall. Windows firewall is off. This
has all been in place for a long time and nothing has been modified,
moved of even had the dust wiped off.

The problem is... I suddenly realised I hadn't had any mails for three
days. I thought no one wanted to talk to me, so I checked with my
provider to find all is OK there. Checked for updates on thunderbird,
all up to date. Checked Zonealarms permissions, and thunderbird had
nice big green ticks allowing access. Still no email.

Disable zone alarm. Email flows. Aha, whats up with ZA I wonder? I
reload it, delete the current entry for thunderbird and force it to
ask for permissions again. They are granted, but still no mail through
ZA. Shut ZA, mail flows. Hmmmmm.

Uninstall ZA. Install another firewall, Agnitum Outpost. *IT* won't
allow email either after granting permissions. Close it down, email
flows. Hmmmmmmmmm.

Uninstall Outpost, install ZA suite, the latest, paid for setup. Email
asks for permission, but no mail! Arghhhhhhh. Shut it down, mail
flows.

So, what have these steps got in common? 3 firewalls, none will pass
email even with permission granted, but when shut down it works ok.
Not hardware related. Which software? ZA? Outpost? Or is it a windows
thing? Has there been a security update that is interfering maybe?

All other internet activity works OK. I can play online games at good
pings with ZA in place, surf, usenet etc.

Please, can anyone help? Thanks.

Urbane
Wed Jun 18 03:48:34 PDT 2008

gDay

Mmmm, just some thoughts, that I suspect you've considered

I assume "mail flows" means in and out ?

does your antivirus scan mail, if so try a test with it off

have you got any spam catchers, Cactus or Mailwasher or simlar, if so try a
test with it not running

are the firewalls you tested Windows Security aware - ie does the "you gotta
firewall" component if Windows recognise their existence

I think I would want to eliminate T'Bird as possible culprit. Why don't you
get another mail client - eg Eudora, Windows Live Mail whatever takes your
fancy. Get a free Gmail Account, they are normally POP3, I assume thats
what your ISP gives you, if you're using IMAP you can get that at Gmail too
just that is not the default.

Play sending mails to your self

have a butchers at windows live mail, I recently changed from T'Bird because
of the hotmail webdav/deltasynch mess, but even if I could I don't think I'd
go back to T'Bird,

_________________________________

"Mike Barnard" <m.barnard.trousers@thunderin.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3lr954tspkjghbvrn6un6ep8f3n2o5egji@4ax.com...
> Hi.
>
> This problem had only developed recently, and I haven't changed
> anything I'm aware of. Can anyone throw some light please?
>
> XP pro, SP2, full updates. (Not seen SP3 at all). Dual core intel CPU,
> 2 gig ram, 8800GTX graphics. High spec home PC.
>
> I use Mozilla Thunderbird as my email client. It has been working
> perfectly under all updates for years.
>
> I use Zonealarm (free) as a firewall, and have a Sky router and
> broadband with it's internal firewall. Windows firewall is off. This
> has all been in place for a long time and nothing has been modified,
> moved of even had the dust wiped off.
>
> The problem is... I suddenly realised I hadn't had any mails for three
> days. I thought no one wanted to talk to me, so I checked with my
> provider to find all is OK there. Checked for updates on thunderbird,
> all up to date. Checked Zonealarms permissions, and thunderbird had
> nice big green ticks allowing access. Still no email.
>
> Disable zone alarm. Email flows. Aha, whats up with ZA I wonder? I
> reload it, delete the current entry for thunderbird and force it to
> ask for permissions again. They are granted, but still no mail through
> ZA. Shut ZA, mail flows. Hmmmmm.
>
> Uninstall ZA. Install another firewall, Agnitum Outpost. *IT* won't
> allow email either after granting permissions. Close it down, email
> flows. Hmmmmmmmmm.
>
> Uninstall Outpost, install ZA suite, the latest, paid for setup. Email
> asks for permission, but no mail! Arghhhhhhh. Shut it down, mail
> flows.
>
> So, what have these steps got in common? 3 firewalls, none will pass
> email even with permission granted, but when shut down it works ok.
> Not hardware related. Which software? ZA? Outpost? Or is it a windows
> thing? Has there been a security update that is interfering maybe?
>
> All other internet activity works OK. I can play online games at good
> pings with ZA in place, surf, usenet etc.
>
> Please, can anyone help? Thanks.
>

Mike
Mon Jun 23 10:41:35 PDT 2008

On Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:48:31 +1000, "Urbane.Tiger"
<viking.warrior@live.com.au> wrote:

>gDay
>
>Mmmm, just some thoughts, that I suspect you've considered
>
>I assume "mail flows" means in and out ?
>
>does your antivirus scan mail, if so try a test with it off
>
>have you got any spam catchers, Cactus or Mailwasher or simlar, if so try a
>test with it not running

This was it, thanks. I have Spy Sweeper and it was causing the
problem. A change of SS settings and all (email anyway) is good.

>are the firewalls you tested Windows Security aware - ie does the "you gotta
>firewall" component if Windows recognise their existence
>
>I think I would want to eliminate T'Bird as possible culprit. Why don't you
>get another mail client - eg Eudora, Windows Live Mail whatever takes your
>fancy. Get a free Gmail Account, they are normally POP3, I assume thats
>what your ISP gives you, if you're using IMAP you can get that at Gmail too
>just that is not the default.
>
>Play sending mails to your self
>
>have a butchers at windows live mail, I recently changed from T'Bird because
>of the hotmail webdav/deltasynch mess, but even if I could I don't think I'd
>go back to T'Bird,
>
>_________________________________
>
>"Mike Barnard" <m.barnard.trousers@thunderin.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:3lr954tspkjghbvrn6un6ep8f3n2o5egji@4ax.com...
>> Hi.
>>
>> This problem had only developed recently, and I haven't changed
>> anything I'm aware of. Can anyone throw some light please?
>>
>> XP pro, SP2, full updates. (Not seen SP3 at all). Dual core intel CPU,
>> 2 gig ram, 8800GTX graphics. High spec home PC.
>>
>> I use Mozilla Thunderbird as my email client. It has been working
>> perfectly under all updates for years.
>>
>> I use Zonealarm (free) as a firewall, and have a Sky router and
>> broadband with it's internal firewall. Windows firewall is off. This
>> has all been in place for a long time and nothing has been modified,
>> moved of even had the dust wiped off.
>>
>> The problem is... I suddenly realised I hadn't had any mails for three
>> days. I thought no one wanted to talk to me, so I checked with my
>> provider to find all is OK there. Checked for updates on thunderbird,
>> all up to date. Checked Zonealarms permissions, and thunderbird had
>> nice big green ticks allowing access. Still no email.
>>
>> Disable zone alarm. Email flows. Aha, whats up with ZA I wonder? I
>> reload it, delete the current entry for thunderbird and force it to
>> ask for permissions again. They are granted, but still no mail through
>> ZA. Shut ZA, mail flows. Hmmmmm.
>>
>> Uninstall ZA. Install another firewall, Agnitum Outpost. *IT* won't
>> allow email either after granting permissions. Close it down, email
>> flows. Hmmmmmmmmm.
>>
>> Uninstall Outpost, install ZA suite, the latest, paid for setup. Email
>> asks for permission, but no mail! Arghhhhhhh. Shut it down, mail
>> flows.
>>
>> So, what have these steps got in common? 3 firewalls, none will pass
>> email even with permission granted, but when shut down it works ok.
>> Not hardware related. Which software? ZA? Outpost? Or is it a windows
>> thing? Has there been a security update that is interfering maybe?
>>
>> All other internet activity works OK. I can play online games at good
>> pings with ZA in place, surf, usenet etc.
>>
>> Please, can anyone help? Thanks.
>>