Zone Alarm and Punk Buster problems

[jointp]

Even though the Game Spy Arcade site says not to disable firewall, it seems that's the only way I can get BF to work. When I have Zone Alarm open and I allow BF to access Internet, the servers won't load (the list does, it just gets stuck at "joining server"). I now have it off and am playing but I'd like to keep it open. Any ideas?

Also, I was playing in a game and I got kicked because it said my PB was trying to update but couldn't. Anyone else have this problem? Can't be a firewall problem because I had to shut that down to get into games.

Please help!

[BryanG]

If Zone Alarm can allow programs to connect without restrictions see if you set it to let BF2 do that. I know Norton Internet security can do this.

For PB: http://www.evenbalance.com/downloads/pbweb.exe Download that file and put it in this folder c:/Program Files/EA GAMES/Battlefield 2/pb then execute it, it will update PB for you.

[Gunny Highway]

Zone Alarm has a nasty habit IMO to incorporate too many levels of security, one slider on the Application .exe and then one overall too, at least the versios I used some time ago. This can sometimes cause problems if set to e.g. HIGH. So try setting it to MEDIUM instead, both places and take a second look at the security settings.

Haven't used ZA in a long time, now I'm using Sygate Personal Firewall, and is a free version too but IMO it is better in many ways, for one it only has normal, allow all, block all as overall setting and that's it. If one needs to you can then make changes in the .exe rule to toughen a rule but seldom this is needed. The GUI is also a lot more simple but that is a individual perspective some might see it otherwise.

You can give it a try, if you don't like it you can always revert back to ZA.
http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm