I’ve recently noticed an unusual issue. When Ableton 12 is running, I cannot use the internet—the program blocks websites from loading. I blocked Ableton’s network access in the Windows 11 Firewall settings by creating specific rules for inbound and outbound traffic. Closing the program immediately restores internet access. What is wrong?

 

It definitely shouldn't do that, and never happened to me. You might check some of the settings just in case, but if it's a pirated copy, it might have to do something with the installer/crack.

 

Can it happen due to the Ableton Link service?

 

Link should not effect your internet.

 

Are you using 12.4, or earlier, Audiowarez release? There are comments about this sort of thing elsewhere...

 

12.4.1 Audiowarez

 

Just use a proxy or 1.1.1.1 and forget about firewall rules, you don't know what you're doing.

 

Any clarification would be more helpful and even more appreciated.

 

They released a 12.4.2 version, so you might want to look into why. Just from what you have posted, a guess is that instead of people trying to block homecalling, the releaser decided to block internet connectivity. When R2R first released their System, they shared a network block .dll file maybe the same day or shortly thereafter. People often turn off their internet while they are working in their DAW anyway. The above suggestion would let you launch your DAW with no outward connectivity, and then let your browser out anyway.

 

While you have a point, I never heard of software providing a kind of unauthorized network killswitch.
It should just block itself, I would be really worried the other way.