Recent McAfee update creating Verizon internet connection issue

A recent update of McAfee security software contains a bad DAT file (#6807) which stops your ability to connect to the internet, even though your computer shows a connection your modem/router. The fix is to uninstall McAfee & reinstall a corrected version from their website. If you go the the McAfee website there is an alert on their homepage addressing the issue & linking you to the fix.

Verizon's tech support (2 hrs. on the phone last night & 1/2 hr on live chat with them this morning) had no clue and was unable to help me solve my connectivity problem. But a very brief message on Verizon's support telephone line cautioned about the McAfee issue. A rhetorical question - if the problem is widespread enough to warrant an automated message when you call for assistance, then why don't their tech support personnel know about it?

Accepted answers

ljcpep

I have recently been working on a friend's laptop with this same problem, no internet access. He works for Verizon and the Verizon Fios tech told him he had to contact McAfee because it was a McAfee issue. They never told him that it may have been caused by a McAfee update. So he called the McAfee tech support and they had him remove one of the McAfee products, but the Family Protection Suite was still present and he could not remove it. I tried to remove it, but I kept getting an error trying to remove it. I then did an internet search and found that all of the McAfee products could be removed one instance. Use the McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool availabe from the following link:

http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/MCPR.exe

Run this program and all of the McAfee suite will be removed. This was done on my friends laptop and after a reboot, all internet connectivity was restored.

Good Luck,

ljcpep

All comments

yarp

Thank you so much for submitting your post!!!!

I have been searching the net for an answer to this question for a couple of days, just because I dredded calling Verizon and sitting on hold. Luckily, my wait was not as long as yours, but my results were the same. My computer could not even access the modem/router though other computers in the house could (I had already checked the router settings from another computer before calling Verizon). I offered to connect from one of my other computers but Verizon "support" didn't want me to do that. I suppose the determination had already been made that the problem was with my computer since hooking up an ethernet cable directly to the router didn't help.

What gets me is Verizon "support" actually asked me to check the McAfee DAT file early in the conversation!! However, there was no solution offered when the defective file version was found. After running a few commands from the command prompte to assess settings, then not being able to access the router, I was told to take my computer to a repair shop to be fixed. ARE YOU KIDDING???

Immediately after finding your post, I completed the removal of McAfee and the download. Honestly, I can't give an exact time for completion, though my estimation is about 20 minutes. That's a lot less time, aggravation, and money than a repair shop would have cost.

swp3

I am glad I'm not the only one dealing with this, but how do I download something when I cannot connect to the internet???

When I uninstalled my McAfee I still cannot connect! And my only issue is with my desktop that is a wired connection, all my wireless works fine. Tried adding a wireless adaptor to the desktop with no success. Maybe my issue is with my computer.

swp3

I still cannot connect to the internet and now my wireless connection is gone too! Any help out there?

orioles

I gave up on McAfee a few years ago once they became just as bloated and intrusive as Norton. Once installed, they try to take over your computer, bring it to a crawl, and then bill you for privilege. I installed Norton once, during a new-computer build, with a CD from the MOBO maker that offered a free trial. It took me three days to get rid of that ridiculous beast. try: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/security-essentials http://www.malwarebytes.org/ http://www.safer-networking.org/ They are free and pretty effective.

Pharacyde1

Thank you for the post. When I saw it I had one of those ah ha moments. Going to try to uninstall MacAfee when I get home and back to attempting to get internet access. MacAfee did have an update and once again the internet does not work. I just got another router from Verizon Fios 2 weeks ago. After trying many things on my own, I had to call Verizon's tech even though I knew the routine and they wouldn't be able to help me. They immediately wanted to send me a router and I said it wasn't that or the cable, etc. All the connections and green lights were a go on my router. I figured it must be a bad setting that somehow got applied when I restarted my computer. The tech still came to my house today but of course he could not fix the internet. On his lap top it said I had internet access and he suggested I take my computer to a computer software repair store. Ugh. I will attempt to uninstall that lousy MacAfee when I get home to my computer and hope that the internet returns. Thanks for the tip.

Pharacyde1

I uninstalled McAfee, restarted computer and instant access to the internet. Yahoo! I made sure to go to the McAfee website to uncheck automatic renewal when it comes due at the end of next month. They couldn't even find a computer virus I once got let alone protect my computer from getting it in the 1st place. The free version of Malwarebytes found and removed the the virus.

Lo & behold another Verizon service tech surprised me & came to the house this morning. My neighbor must of also have been having trouble with Verizon Fios. I told him a tech was here yesterday & couldn't get me connected to the internet but I told this tech about the bad McAfee download. He seemed surprised, left his truck in front of my house and walked to my neighbors house. I got a feeling my neighbor now has internet access also.

Following the cell phone Verizon survey from yesterday, today I just rec'd a follow up call from the 1st tech that came to my house. He said they can't advise anyone to uninstall their anti-virus program in case they get a virus before reinstalling the program, the Verizon customer would blame Verizon.

THANK YOU FOR POSTING how to fix this McAfee no internet problem. So much wasted time and aggravation so I greatly appreciate your understandable message.

ElizabethS

Hi Pharacyde

If you found your answer here on the forum, please mark that post as the accepted solution. This helps others who come here looking for help, as they can find the solution more easily.

Zacman2

I'm experiencing similar problems but am using Bit Defender on my only PC laptop. I've also had wireless problems with my Blu Ray and on my MacBook Pro. Any suggestions?

I'm not real excited about waiting on the phone either, especially based on what I'm reading about the quality of support.

ljcpep

http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/MCPR.exe

Run this program and all of the McAfee suite will be removed. This was done on my friends laptop and after a reboot, all internet connectivity was restored.

Good Luck,

ljcpep

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