WHAT is Comodo trying to do here?

There again, it may be just you who has the problem, but unless you’re willing to provide information requested, we’ll never know.

You mean like I would be the ONLY installation where Comodo is reaching out to the license server? Maybe I downloaded some beta code that has gone rouge?

Really, HOW does any info I would provide answer these 2 simple open questions?

[b]1. WHY IS COMODO REACHING OUT TO THE LICENSE SERVER EVERY 5 MINUTES?

  1. WHAT WILL IT DO WHEN/IF IT GETS THERE?[/b]

NOTHING I could provide would answer these questions. THESE are the open questions! Don’t lose focus.

Perhaps IF the volunteer helpers here had some real connection with Comodo, then one of you guys might be able to ping someone for an answer…

Unfortunately, you’re still not getting it. We don’t know why you’re seeing these connections and we’re not mind readers. So far, you’ve refused help from Geekbuddy and you’ve insulted them, You’ve also rejected the answer received in response to your request for help.

The bottom line, it doesn’t matter how many times you ask these two questions, it doesn’t matter if you use capital letters or embolden the text or even make them into a flashing, brightly coloured marque, until you’re prepared to help with information, we’re not really going anywhere.

If changing the configuration does not help (I assume you imported a factory default profile) then the only thing I can think of is that you must have installed a Pro version accidentally. The problem should go with a clean install of the Free version. Don’t forget to export your active config and get the latest version of CIS from the release topic.

Thanks, but I really don’t need the lecture. Wouldn’t it be simpler to just say you don’t know the answer, that only Comodo technical support could provide the answers to these questions and since you have no direct connection to Comodo support, there is no way for you to help answer these TWO SIMPLE QUESTIONS?

As to Geekbuddy, given my two interactions with them, they appear to be dumb and clueless. Anyone who would consider paying Geekbuddy for help has to be crazy or desperate. Geekbuddy is going to wind up taking Comodo’s reputation into the garbage.

If I had downloaded the PRO version, then the ABOUT display would not be saying “Upgrade to CIS PRO Full now”. Right?

I will say that Comodo does not make it easy to tell if you are getting the free version or not when you go to their standard download location on the web:

It looks like the link in the forum points to the 32/64 bit variation. I am using the 32 bit only version which is 60MB as opposed to the combined 88MB version.

If I am the only person experiencing this, perhaps it is because I am the only person who has blocked outbound network traffic? I think that is occurring in the rule I have attached below

[attachment deleted by admin]

Radaghast did try your block setting and could not reproduce your problem. That suggests to me there may be something not quite right with your installation. Therefor I recommend a clean installation to see if the problem persists or not.

You’re welcome, it’s just a shame it didn’t change your attitude :slight_smile:

Wouldn't it be simpler to just say you don't know the answer,

I guess that proves you’re not actually reading any of the replies, I have already said;

We don't know why you're seeing these connections and we're not mind readers

It’s for this reason we need additional information.

that only Comodo technical support could provide the answers to these questions and since you have no direct connection to Comodo support, there is no way for you to help answer these TWO SIMPLE QUESTIONS?

Unfortunately, they’re not mind readers either.

As to Geekbuddy, given my two interactions with them, they appear to be dumb and clueless. Anyone who would consider paying Geekbuddy for help has to be crazy or desperate. Geekbuddy is going to wind up taking Comodo's reputation into the garbage.

Wow! you’re such a nice guy, it’s no wonder everyone is rushing to help you :slight_smile:

If I had downloaded the PRO version, then the ABOUT display would not be saying "Upgrade to CIS PRO Full now". Right?

Correct.

I will say that Comodo does not make it easy to tell if you are getting the free version or not when you go to their standard download location on the web: http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/

Agreed.

It looks like the link in the forum points to the 32/64 bit variation. I am using the 32 bit only version which is 60MB as opposed to the combined 88MB version

The individual installers are the same size, so it’s not an indication of free or pro.

If I am the only person experiencing this, perhaps it is because I am the only person who has blocked outbound network traffic?

Again, I’ve already stated that I also block these and although I do see a small number of outbound connections, if I enable all the locations that cause the requests and I enable logging, but it’s nothing like the number you’re seeing. If, as I suspect, you didn’t bother to read my earlier post, now might be a good time, as it provides some insight into the connections and describes how to disable them.

I think that is occurring in the rule I have attached below

Perhaps if you’d provided that information 20 posts ago, when you were asked, things would have moved past the repetitive question asking, although for some reason, I doubt it. :slight_smile:

I think following the advice Eric has provided, is now your best course of action.

By the way, what ever you’re doing to your image posts, makes them virtually unreadable.

To find out what the connections are doing, you could try the following;

  1. Install Wireshark and Pcap
  2. Run them associated to your normal LAN NIC and start capturing the traffic
  3. Temporarily remove the Comodo outbound block rule so the traffic can get where its trying to go
  4. Once the connection has succeeded and CIS has stopped trying to contact the servers,
    4a. stop the Wireshark capture
    4b. reinstate the Comodo blck rule (if you want)
  5. Analyse the Wireshark capture

While this is the slower way of discovery and does involve some input on your behalf, this method allow you to fully see what the connection is doing. Once you have this information, you can make an informed decision as to whether you want to allow or block this behaviour in the future.

Hope this helps,
Ewen :slight_smile:

I KNOW WHAT is happening. Comodo is trying to reach its licensing servers every 5 minutes.

WHAT I want to know is:

(1) WHY are they doing this? Is this normal action for the free version of Comodo firewall? Why are they doing it every 5 minutes instead of say, once every 24 hours?

(2) If I allow the connection, what will happen? Will they keep reaching out every 5 minutes to see if I have purchased a license? It would seem that they must.

So if I am correct, means that everyone who is running the free version of Comodo and is not blocking outgoing connection attempts may be incurring a good amount of extra network and program overhead as Comodo reaches out to it’s license servers every 5 minutes, hungrily checking if you have become a paying customer. If I were you guys using the free version, I’d be looking at this closely, especially if I had say, a dial-up connection.

Thanks for sharing.

Re: the images - sorry, they work for me. Just standard PNG’s as far as I know. Maybe you should seek help? For your computer problems, I mean. [lol]

As I told you in another topic, to activate your free license. It’s probably doing it over & over again, because you blocked it from the the very beginning. That’s why you’re the only one that is seeing this.

Obviously it will activate your license… as for the rest, try it & then block it again or use Panic’s suggestion (packet sniffer) and see (and record) what is going on.

You’re not correct, it doesn’t do this. Many people (including myself) have closely watched what CIS does.

You’re welcome :slight_smile:

Re: the images - sorry, they work for me. Just standard PNG's as far as I know. Maybe you should seek help? For your computer problems, I mean. [lol]

You’re such funny guy (:CLP)

The reason I posted was so that YOU could obtain the answers to the questions YOU keep asking.

If you run Wireshark and have a look at the captured data, it will not only tell you where it is trying to contact but it will also show you the details (types) of requests. Applying a little bit of knowledge and effort to a Wireshark dump usually discloses sufficient information to work out what’s what. This would go, at least part of the way, towards answering your first question.

In regard to our second question, I have modified my CIS outbound rules to log all outbound CIS related activity.

How long do you want me to keep logging outbound CIS requests for? I would recommend at least 24 hours so we can see if it’s a “every 5 minutes” thing, a once a day thing or a pie in the sky thing.

Let me know what duration you would like me to do this for.

Cheers,
Ewen :slight_smile:

P.S. Whether you believe it or not, people are trying to help you. Sometimes you have to give information to receive information back. Sometimes, demanding answers produces little result. Sometimes, we have to put Mr. Attitude in the back seat and let Mr. Information drive for a while. I’m not trying to be smart, I’m just trying to point out that sometimes we need more or clearer information to have a chance at arriving at an answer.

I realize that you are looking for a direct answer from a Comodo developer, and if this is your only desired outcome, I’d recommend that you post a support ticket at https://support.comodo.com (the official Support Centre). You will need to register there separately. Your forum credentials do not flow through to the Support Centre. :slight_smile:

I think I’ve found the reason why the connections to the licensing server are occurring. If you go to:

More/About/Enter a Licence Key - Then press Activate (it’s not necessary to enter a key)

It makes two connections to licenseactivation.security.comodo.com and then keeps trying every 4 to 6 minutes. I haven’t found a way to stop this happening, yet.

This is the only way I can get CIS free to make connections to the licence server. Without this action, even after 12 or so hours of logging, it hasn’t happened once.

The connections to the download server could be because the More/Preferences/General update box is still checked. There’s also the TVL updates which I highlighted in my earlier wireshark post. This is the most likely scenario.

[attachment deleted by admin]

It has not added an entry to Windows Scheduled Task has it?
Just a long shot guess.

It’s a good thought, but there’s nothing obvious I can see.

Rebooting?

edit: Also what if you stop blocking it & allow it, does that stop it?

Unfortunately, that has no effect.

Curiously, with these licence server connections, according to Wireshark, there are no outbound connections, just RST/ACKs from the licence server…