SBC refusing connect with ZoneAlarm installed

I've been running SBC DSL since October and ZA firewall in some form or another since January. I moved, set up DSL at my new place, but kept getting these robocalls, emails, and postcards from DSL saying they see I haven't been using my connection/email. Not true. Working fine so I ignored them.

Thursday night, I arrived home to find all the typical lights illuminated on the DSL modem, but no internet connection. Contacted SBC tech support and after talking to "Chip" and then "Kevin" (uh, I'd put $20 on it that those are not their real names), I have learned that the product wasn't "registered". We first reset the modem, then the next guy "registered" the product for me. Neither option worked. He had me click Start-Run and type cmd and at the C-prompt, asked me to type ping yahoo.com, but at this point, I realized the problem (for them) is ZA. It's been blocking these pings from Ameritech ever since install. "Kevin" said those are meant to "protect me" by allowing my computer to make sure it is connected to the internet. Of course, if I disable ZA, I can connect just fine with obnoxious pop-ups and no security.

He assured me these pings were coming from my computer. Obviously not a ZA user. I explained the UDPs and pings are coming FROM them and every DSL provider on the planet. He told me to try uninstalling and then reinstalling ZA. Did this and had connectivity for about 15 minutes last night, now nothing w/o disabling ZA.

To top it off, I got a robocall from them last night again saying I had to register the product to avoid connection problems AND I cannot download updates from AVG, my anti-virus software.

What do I do????

My dad just got SBC DSL and a wireless netgear router. But the router is not compatible with the speedstream modem. There is a workaround, where you disable PPOE on the modem and move it to the computer. Then the Netgear connection wizard logs into SBC PPOE using your credentials.

Only response from ZA has been to reinstall it, but I have tried that with no success. Looking at the other poster's comment about allowing the ICMP/echo ping, it appears to be Cambridge specific. But I might try allowing it for the IP addy that always comes through with the Ameritech dsl ping.

What is frustrating is why did this work JUST FINE for months and now all of a sudden it is this constant battle? SBC insists it's the fault of ZA, but now that ZA is no longer on my computer, I'm still having the same problem!

I can connect, but cannot download any of the AVG updates, continually have to "reconnect" after the computer has been idle for an hour or so, and seem to have zero understanding of how Outpost works. It's just way too unfriendly to use with limited knowledge.

While shopping for a router, I will keep the incompatibility business in mind. I hate SBC. I'm desperately trying to get out of this contract. If any of you reading this are thinking of getting SBC....DON'T!!!

The method is not. You would need to substitute addresses
appropriate to the SBC machines that want to ping you.

with a Netgear wired router and no problem. For security I have ZoneAlarm, Spyware S&D, Spywareblaster, Norton Antivirus and Hijack This! No difficulties from Ma Bell or anyone else.