I recently purchased the Z100G and have it installed. The web filtering doesn't work consistently. I am watching a member of my household surf restricted websites as I write this even though I have web filtering turned on and those categories blocked. I also made several web rules blocking specific url's but they can access those with no problem as well. The blocked url's were working lastnight and so was the web filtering (not completely, some sites were still getting through) but not today. I am sure I don't have any computers on my network set to exclude from filtering. Anybody else have this problem and what did you do about it?

Also do I want to have "Bypass scanning if Service Center is unavailable" checked off? I've tried both ways and it isn't making any difference in the breach of service I'm experiencing today.

Thanks in advance.

This has happened now twice (that I know of) to me. I have had the Z100G for just a couple of weeks.

Resetting the router seems to reactivate web filtering.

What is causing web filtering to go inactive even though my.firewall reports it as active?

Of what use is web filtering if at random times it is found to be inactive?

Yes that is exactly what is happening to me also. I've had to "restart" the router several times since my original post and I am not happy about that. I need for the firewall to work all the time, not sporadically when it feels like it. I had considered going with the Zywall 2 firewall but chose this instead, maybe I should strongly look into that option now. At any rate this is not satisfactory at all.

Thanks for your reply.

I have noted that web filtering fails when the Z100 loses contact with the service center. For me that is usually because the DSL modem or line has disconnected or become unstable.

Twice in one day! This morning at 0830 found that web is not being filtered. Reset router and filtering was activated. Now again 6 hours later and web is again not being filtered!

And this is despite the Z100G reporting that Internet is connected, Service Center is connected, Web Filtering is Subscribed, On, and Connected.

I am really hoping here that I am just a clueless newbie that doesn't have something configured correctly.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: fje00,

Get in the boat with this semi-clueless newbie too. I can't be around to police my firewall all the time and what good is it if doesn't work consistently. I think I will make my way over to Zyxel and see if they have these type of problems. If not they'll be getting a new customer very shortly.

I just submitted a support inquiry, so we'll see how that goes.

30 min ago it was filtering. Now it's not filtering again.

Please let me know what they say and if you get your problem resolved.
:-)

Hello all

Thank you all for this important input
we are currently looking into this matter
we would like each of you who are having issue please open a ticket with our support dep.
and upload the cfg file from the z100g appliance.
This is done in order to try and replicate the issue you are describing
thank you all for your help

I experienced something like this in the EA firmware.. but haven't used the content filtering lately. Ill try turning it on..

If your trying to block you probably do not want to have Bypass scanning if Service Center is unavalible enabled (as in UNCHECK this)

Before you go running to another vendor, perhaps you should have a chat with customer support, and upload your configuration
(go to Setup | Tools | Export and Export your settings to a file, and attach it to your trouble ticket you opened with Sofa)... might also want to upload a copy of your current log).. They do seem to take the filtering aspect seriously esp since it could affect the Sofaware buisness products as well (since they use the same/similar filter program/mechanism)

I turned this in to tech support by opening a ticket, and they got right on it.

There wasn't anything discovered on my system that was the culprit. Tech support identified a server fix on their end that explained the problem I was having. And ever since then I have not had any problem with filtering.

Tech support was excellent. Problem seems to be fixed.

This illustrates one thing I like about Netopia, when their filtering computer goes down the Netopia Parental Control router doesn't let ANY internet traffic through. This hasn't killed anybody either.

(The Netopia Parential Router sends all internet traffic though a remote filtering computer so it seems something like surfing through a proxy server that has user controllable filtering options.)

Jesse

In Z100G You have two options: "Bypass scanning if Service Center is unavailable" can be checked or unchecked. This allows you to select between "fail open" and "fail closed" behavior, according to your preference.

Thanks for all the replies. I haven't had any problems with filtering lately, maybe that server fix on their end was the problem all along.

Bugeek, thanks for telling me how to upload the cfg file. That information will come in handy should I ever have future problems that need addressing.

Jesse, I had checked into Netopia but I don't think they're taking new customers. They were my first choice when I started looking.

Admin thank you for your reply also. So far I am satisfied with my Z100G and the service.

Happy Holidays everyone and thanks again for all your help.