Earthlink Total Access Denied

[acne_is_incurable]

Beware the free program that cripples your system and makes other
programs non-functional. If you received a copy of Earthlink's Total
Access program and Protection Control Center, think twice about
installing it if you have another provider's software on the machine.
TA and/or PCC crippled AOL 9.0 dialup and broadband access on one of my
XP machines. AOL recommended its usual fixes (uninstall AOL adapter,
and some hot repair), but to no avail. Earthlink denies it crippled the
AOL software. Fingers pointing this way and that. Bottom line:
uninstalling TA and PCC restores AOL connectivity.

Others have complained that Earthlink Protection Control Center is not
ready for prime time. The firewall software blocks or warns about too
many ports, and fails to explain what the user should do. I believe it
even flags connections to the supplied anti-virus update site.

If you like beta-testing "free" software, ignore my advice. I think the
authors of PCC should test their stuff before unleashing it on the
public. Mind you, PCC gets rid of a lot of spyware and virus code. You
have to decide whether this is worth what you have to give up.

 

[Plato]

Beware the free program that cripples your system and makes other
programs non-functional. If you received a copy of Earthlink's Total
Access program and Protection Control Center, think twice about

One never has to install the ware that comes with broadband to access
the Intertet.