Windows Messenger - disconnects while "away"

Are you connecting behind any firewalls? Router?
Norton? Alpha Shield?
>-----Original Message-----
>I'm using Windows Messenger 4.7.2009 with XP. When I
leave the
>computer for a while, Messenger silently disconnects. By
silently, I
>mean that the messenger status window continues to show
the contacts
>that were online at the time the disconnect occurred.
After I start
>using the computer again, my status remains "away". If I
try to change
>it to online, it does not change, and the mouse pointer
becomes an
>hourglass when over the Messenger window. The only way
to regain
>function is to sign out and sign in again. Then
Messenger operates
>normally until the next time I leave for a while.
>
>Has anyone else seen this and found a solution?
>.
>

[Tim Godfrey]

> wrote in message >...
> Are you connecting behind any firewalls? Router?
> Norton? Alpha Shield?

Using NAT router (Cisco PIX 501). No explicit firewalling of port 80.
Using a proxy server for IE - presumably traffic for Messenger is also
going through the proxy.

Norton Antivirus 2003 - no other Norton products.

Messenger isn't being totally blocked. It just fails "silently" after
a few minutes of inactivity.