I happen to know that a few people haven’t been able to get onto the internet at all over the past 2 days - one of the forum regulars phoned me to ask for help, so I thought I'd post the solution here, in case anyone else is experiencing the same problem. Although posting a solution here might be a bit pointless, as if they can’t get onto the internet in the first place, they can’t find out why they can’t, can they?

This is an issue that affects Windows XP users who are also running Zone Alarm.

One of the most recent Windows XP (Microsoft Update KB951748) is known to cause loss of internet access for ZoneAlarm users on Windows XP and Windows 2000. Windows Vista users are not affected.

To resolve the issue:
Option 1: Move Internet Zone slider to Medium
1. Navigate to the "ZoneAlarm Firewall" panel
2. Click on the "Firewall" tab
3. Move the "Internet Zone" slider to medium

Option 2: Uninstall Microsoft Update KB951748
1. Click the "Start Menu"
2. Click "Control Panel", or click "Settings" then "Control Panel"
3. Click on "Add or Remove Programs"
4. On the top of the add/remove programs dialog box, you should see a checkbox that says "show updates". Select this checkbox
5. Scroll down until you see "Security update for Windows (KB951748)"
6. Click "Remove" to uninstall the update

I did read that option 1 hadn't worked for some people, no idea why.

Neither is really ideal.

There is new version of zone alarm had been released that supposedly resolves this issue. But the free edition at least doesn't recognise there is a new version if you check for updates, you have to get it from their web site.

http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2008/LossOfInternetAccessIssue.html

With the free version being the ZoneAlarm Basic Firewall link

http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/1025_zl/zlsSetup_70_483_000_en.exe
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This problem was so big it was on the news…

Apparently there is a update for the update…

If you cant get on the internet after installing the update and you use zonealarm uninstall the update or do a restore to a time before the update then go to MS and install the fix.