If you use Avast you should check to see if it's slowing down your web surfing speed.
Just go to a good internet speed test site and run a couple of tests with Avast on. Then disable Avast and test again.

I discovered this after fighting with a slower than should be internet connection for weeks.

I wrote a little blurb about it on OverVolt's forum.

Yeah Russell, I use Avast! I just ran a d/l test with Avast - 6.8 Mbps; then the exact same test without (disabled) - 6.7 Mbps. No real difference dude.

I've used Avast! for several years and have always had excellent d/l speeds.

Hi Jake,

I did several tests over several days and it definitely affected my speed. Could have been the combination of security programs I had running. (Thats why I listed them)

I'm interested in some more reports from others.

OH! What test site did you use? Not that I think it will make a difference but http://testmy.net is the best I've found.

I use several russell.

http://www.testmy.net/

http://www.dslreports.com/speedtest (gives you the option to run tests from close and distant servers - a much better test, I think).

But I've always used several and have never found that Avast was an issue - not like Norton. I get CA Anti-Virus free through my ISP (Roadrunner) - but I only use Pest Patrol. I find CA AV products to be inferior, except that I read that ZA Suite (with all the AV stuff, etc) was well received. (ZA is the same company as CA - it's CA)

If I had to pay for an AV solution, I'd buy BitDefender - was top rated.

Btw, I ran your d/l tests from several locations and servers - never anymore than a 1% difference.

Like I said it must have to do with the combination of security software a person uses. If CA makes Zone Alarm then that may explain why they work well together.

I was using Zone Alarm firewall, Ad-Watch monitoring, and Avast anti-virus. Ad-watch is part of Ad-aware and I'm still using that without ill effects. The only program I changed was Avast and I change to CA only after confirming the problem was with Avast.

Maybe I should have tried a new install but I was TOO pissed at the time to fool with Avast any longer.

Russ

I was too using Avast and ZoneAlarm. I had slow internet too. After trying to find the the solution, I tried the security suite offered by my internet provider, F-Secure. With it, my connection was all good and speed was great (10Mbits/sec connection). But F-Secure was a bit too much intrusive for my taste. I retried Avast and Zonealarm on a fresh install and the same slow down happened. My cousin is using Zonealarm with AVG free antivirus, and no slow down happened. So I decided to give it a try, and my connection speed was now back to normal. I don't really like AVG (no particular reason...) so I'm now trying Antivir, from Avira, which is free too and it working good so far.

I'm planning running Vista when it will be available, so I will look for some antivirus software by then. But until I'll get it, I'll avoid Avast and zonealarm combination.

Hi Pat,
Jake said he doesn't have a problem so it must be dependent on other software / hardware setup. No doubt in my mind though that Avast is still the culprit.

Russell

I think it is the Avast/Zonealarm combination that is the problem. Avast, when I tested it with kerio firewall was OK, iirc.

Very well could be.
Jake, are you using Zone Alarm?

[crosses arms ... taps foot .. waits for the "no tech topics on the Other" scolding]

Russell

I've been using Avast & Zone Alarm combo for over 2 years now..... I'm getting unholy speeds off my broadband..... I clock anywhere from 8 to 14, depending on the time of day...... I'm only supposed to have 5 or 6 caped on Comcast........ I use Speakeasy for my tests.......

Not only that, Avast is making me more money than building machines lately..... I use Avast to get rid of viruses..... $50 for the first hour & $35 for each hour after that.... I got rid of the virus on 4 machines for the start of last term in college.... 2 of the parents thought they would have to buy a new machine to send their kiddies to school with....

Avast is one of the free tools that I'm making a living with, along with a few others.....

8 to 14! That's great. My speed is only 4Gb/s running wide open. Comcast just bought out Adelphia and are promising faster speeds but when, who knows.

I loved Avast until I traced it to my speed problems.
There must be a set up feature or something making the difference.

Russell

The speed is great here, until I add in my old wireless B router.... It's got a 10/100 Either net chip & it cuts me down to a 5 tops running that router.... The wireless G with the 100/1000 chip will hold the fast speeds.... My machine has a 100/1000 chip as well..... There could be something there, but I'm not sure..... I haven't went any further with it than that.... [shrug]

I would guess you have a hot modem and good hard line to your house.
I can't see how faster than 4 to 5 Mb/s is even going to be noticeable anyway. Maybe on streaming video ???

Russell

My bud in the next town over has Comcast and gets 6, but on big files,
it'll kick up to 10 for that file. He usually gets slightly over that.

The bastard.

When I got below 3Mb/s I noticed things slowing down considerably. At 4 to 5 Mb/s the page usually loads before I can get my finger off the mouse button. I'm happy there for now. I am setting up an Apache server here at home to play with and I may need more speed then.

There are some sites that load slow no matter what. They just have too much junk loading on their pages and / or are on bad servers. I got real lucky. I just changed providers for my hosting site and DARN! that server is smoking!

I've been getting a ranking of second fastest web host registered with this review site since I've made the move. Check it out HERE. and enter glitterhost.com into the box. OOPS! Bragging and I see I've slipped to third.

Hi Russell

I stopped using Avast but not for the internet speed, I stopped using it after discovering it was giving me a clean bill of health, while I was actually infected with a virus that blocked Avast and Adaware from doing their jobs.

All the time I thought I was protected and Avast was constantly running, I wasn't!, so if virus protection gives you a clean bill of health and you're infected with a virus, what good is the virus protection?

F-Prot and NAV both discovered the resident virus but one part of the virus was imbedded too deeply in Windows to repair, but at least both of those virus programs found the virus.

I knew something wasn't right about the machine and traced its root back to 2 embedded registry program disabling keys, and found that through RegistryScrub XPs manual control search feature.

I deleted the Adaware blocking key and it started funtioning again, and then deleted the Avast key along with uninstalling Avast period for allowing the installation of the blocking keys.

I don't want virus protection on my machines that cannot know when the machine is actually infected and tell me its clean when its not, I just wonder how many Avast users are infected with the same type virus and don't even know it.

I suggest to be on the safe side to run an independent scan of something like F-Prot to find out, if theres any virus on your machine that Avast doesn't even know is there, you may be surprised at the result.

You may go from feeling safe with Avast to instant alarm at what you discover, just to be on the safe side I did a drive wipe and OP/SYS reinstall because part of the embedded virus that couldn't be repaired or deleted was in Windows System.

Sometimes free, SUCKS! Have a great day Russell!

So much for lurking... *sigh*

Back at Sanctuary I run two servers (1 file/app/domain, 1 internet/firewall), about 6-odd PCs (various fandamnily members), 2 laptops and some weird box thing upstairs plugged into the TV and its peripherals.

All PC systems run either NOD32 or AVG (depending on whose it is), while the servers use the linux AVG. In addition, Atlas (the file/app server) has F-prot on board, along with two or three other scanners (which change frequently). Once daily the whole network slows right down (while everyone's at work) while AVG/NOD32 scans everything, while once weekly (during my Sunday hike/paintball/whatever I'm doing) Atlas scans every HD on the network with all of its antivirus utils through the windows admin shares.

All systems use Adaware as well.

Speaking of which, can anyone recommend any decent antispyware utils which work WELL and also do not take my system resources and rape them? Preferably ones which update frequently...

http://www.ewido.net/en/

that aint bad...