Hello Julio,
I understand the inconvenience.
Yes, the first troubleshooting step should have been done for enabling "Internet connection sharing mode" in AVG Firewall settings but if we enable that option which is under "Preferences" of AVG Firewall settings, it will enable one Internet-connected computer to share its Internet connection with other computers on a local area network (LAN).
By doing so, there are chances for your PC to get infected, if the other computer has any malicious files or threats.
This is the reason, the option wasn't enabled by the technician and he performed other recommended settings that are necessary for your issue.
He has added exception to VMware through "Packet Rules" and set the type as "allow" which means Firewall will not be blocking your VMware application but any malicious content transferring through that application will be blocked by AVG definitely.
I appreciate your understanding in this matter.
Hi all,
More than a question, this is a statement on how unimpressed I am with AVG support, and even how insecure it could be for non-tech savvy users eventually. And also, a solution to a common problem when using VMWare with AVG.
First, the problem statement.
I set up a virtual machine on my laptop using VMWare Player. However when I tried to browse the internet within the VM, or start up a VPN program, they could not connect anywhere. ICMP requests (e.g. pings) worked fine, which led me to think it was firewall-related.
I stopped AVG's firewall on the host and… voila! Everything worked perfectly on the VM. I could browse, I could work with the VPN… all good. I re-started the firewall and… all blocked again.
Then, I contacted AVG support. I started a chat with one of its agents. After discussing for a while he set up a remote control session.
First, he changed ALL network connections from whatever they were, to "Private", which I guess lowers the checks and generally the security level for them. Many of them were public hotspots and he never asked me anything or whatever, just changed them to Private. Didn't work.
Then, did some other config changes that to me sounded like totally unrelated to the issue, but I let him go. Didn't work.
But the last action left me completely speechless: He inserted a new Packet Rule, called it "VMware" and set Action=Allow, Protocol=All, Direction=In/out, Address=Blank (which I guess means 'all'). Then, he moved it to the top!! Tried VMWare, and it worked. Of course it worked!! He had effectively built a by-pass for the firewall!!!
He proudly said "it's working now", and I replied "but that is the same as disabling the firewall, you're allowing all traffic from anywhere, for all applications", and he replied "no, all checks are still being done". Yeah, right.
Seeing that this was not going anywhere I finished the support session, reverted all the changes he had done and did what I should've done first: Check Google.
The solution was as simple as enabling the Internet Connection Sharing Mode in the firewall policies section. And now… yes, it's working properly AND with the firewall totally up.
Should this had happened to a "normal" user, he would've been left with two security holes the size of a highway tunnel.
I don't think this is professional, and how support should be working. They should go Security First. AVG, you are selling a Security product!
Hope this is a big Lessons Learnt.
Hello Julio,
I understand the inconvenience.
Yes, the first troubleshooting step should have been done for enabling "Internet connection sharing mode" in AVG Firewall settings but if we enable that option which is under "Preferences" of AVG Firewall settings, it will enable one Internet-connected computer to share its Internet connection with other computers on a local area network (LAN).
By doing so, there are chances for your PC to get infected, if the other computer has any malicious files or threats.
This is the reason, the option wasn't enabled by the technician and he performed other recommended settings that are necessary for your issue.
He has added exception to VMware through "Packet Rules" and set the type as "allow" which means Firewall will not be blocking your VMware application but any malicious content transferring through that application will be blocked by AVG definitely.
I appreciate your understanding in this matter.