When I check for updates, program claims it can't connect to the internet.

[Joe]

Hello,
When I click on 'Check for Updates', Microsoft
AntiSpyware says 'Warning, could not connect to the
internet'.
However, I AM connected to the internet.
I have been getting this error since I downloaded this
software.
Has anyone else had this problem?
Thanks,
Joe

 

[Andre Da Costa]

Have you uninstalled and reinstalled the program and try again? Beta, these
things happen.

Andre

 

[Guest]

Hello Andre,
I de-installed and re-installed, but I still have the
problem.
I think I'm just going to de-install this product and buy
an anti-spyware product, probably from Norton.
This product showed me that I need an anti-spyware
product. It found 18 spyware programs in my computer.
However, I want to rely on a supported program to do this
job.
It's too bad. I own Microsoft stock. I'd rather do
business with Microsoft, but this program isn't ready.
Thanks,
Joe

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Don't go away too soon.

There will be another release of this beta.

Have you checked whether the auto-update will function? (this is run from
start, all programs, microsoft antispyware)

Are you behind a firewall?

Can you tell us more about that firewall?

This symptom may be individual to a given machine, or related to a firewall.

 

[Paul Mangan]

Hi Joe

After downloading Beta, I had the same problem for about
a week, even though I have broadband, I kept getting the
message that I could not be connected to internet.
However, without any intervention, divine or otherwise,
the problem disappeared and my updates are now coming in
loud and clear through autoupdater, and a little dialogue
box pops up to inform me so when this happens. So dont
go away just yet.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

That's interesting. Were the messages about being unable to connect coming
from the autoupdater, or from attempts to update manually?

Can you now update manually without an error message? (i.e. does it run and
tell you there are no updates available?)

 

[Guest]

This happened while attempting to update manually. When
I scheduled autoupdate, it just did not happen and I
recived no response.

Paul Mangan

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Well - I'm not sure how you rule out divine intervention!
Thanks for the report. I don't know what changed on your system--I haven't
seen this symptom first hand and don't have any picture of what the issue
is, I'm afraid.

 

[Jessica]

Hi Joe,
I having the same problem did you get any advice?

 

[Jessica]

hi. how do i know if i am behind a firewall sorry new
computer not sure how to figure it out.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

hi. how do i know if i am behind a firewall sorry new
computer not sure how to figure it out.

How do you connect to the Internet? I'm mainly interested in a hardware
firewall such as is used in corporate networks. There have been a couple of
reports of folks not being able to update behind such a firewall, even
though the settings necessary are minimal.

If you have a third party software firewall installed, I would expect it to
be alerting you to traffic it is blocking.

If you are using the Windows firewall in Windows XP sp2, that shouldn't
interfere with updating.

Some updating problems are transient--perhaps related to server load. I've
seen one report from someone who says his machine wouldn't update for
weeks,. and then started doing it after no change that he was aware of.

You could try control panel, add or remove programs, Microsoft antispyware,
change, update, to see if that helps, but I can't predict that it will with
any confidence, I'm afraid.