[rottweiller_inc]

i think it's asking wether you want explorer to be able to connect to the internet at all.

[Blackhawk]

When you first boot it wants to check for software updates.

[Gladwin]

Explorer, if I remember correctly, is the desktop. Internet explorer is the name of the program that gets web pages.

Explorer may be trying to get its IP address from the network ( if you are on cable or DSL ). IP addresses are like temporary phone numbers for every computer on the internet.

[Calico]

What kind of connection do you have?

[brityank]

You should have two Explorer entries in the Program section of ZA -- one for Internet Explorer and another for Windows Explorer. On mine I have WE X'd off; no access, and it works fine. I suspect that it is one of Redmonds little bugs that interrogates and reports back for some types of system upgrades automagically; I don't need a Copperfield system!

[Bogey78O]

Ya beat me to sign up by one day. Well I really can't tell ya with what I've been told. It might be a program running in windows needs access to the internet.

[DaGman]

Bill Gates' trojan wants to report to Microsoft what you've been doing lately. (Of course all private information will be (blah, blah blah...)...)

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"...is there any good reason to allow this to happen? "

No. Go to your ZoneAlarm control center by right clicking on the icon in the system tray and then click on the Programs tab in ZA. In the list of programs you'll see Windows Explorer listed. In the 'Allow Connect' column, click on the middle row for both local and internet so the red 'X' appears for both.
I had to do this when I installed ZA a year ago on my Win ME box and have suffered no ill effects from doing so.

[boomop1]

Maybe you should go to IE tools/ options/ connections and select nerver dial a connection. That is If it is not Zone Alarm your asking about but IE wanting to dial up IP.

[boomop1]

Other wiae do what Sam said.

[the_rightside]

Since you brought up Win Me, I have a question. Is Win XP home edition that much better than Win Me or should I keep my Win Me ? Thanks, rs

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Microsoft spyware likes to phone home to Redmond on a regular basis to let Bill know what you are up to.

[ikka]

WinME checks for updates every time you boot. It will siletnly and automatically download stuff and run it on your computer.

I would suggest turning this feature off - go to "Software Updates" in your Control Panel.

I had a problem with a customer site where the user's machine would no longer run the accounting and client tracking app. Why? the update from WinME screwed it up.

[Garrisson Lee]

I've got ME. I recommend that if it is working for you, find the update utility and set it to "update manually." The automatic updates from microsoft have destroyed me twice.

[jlogajan]

Even my Win98SE checks for critical updates on bootup. I suppose there is a way to turn it off, but frankly, I want to find out if there are critical updates. My Symantec Norton AntiVirus also automatically checks for updates. I leave it on. Of course, I am not consumed with paranoia like some on this forum.

[boris]

I just installed XP. I noticed that when I do a search using "ctrl-F", Zone alarm announces that Windows Explorer (not IE) wants to access the net.

I believe the reason is that Microsoft "extended" the search capability of the finder to include net locations. If you are doing a simple file search on your local machine there is no need to go out to the net. But it tries anyway.

--Boris