Fix Windows Update Errors by Letting ActiveX Traffic Through

When Windows Updates fail, the error codes returned are designed to make it easier to fix connectivity problems, but are often times useless. Here we’ll show how to fix connectivity problems by allowing ActiveX traffic through your router.
Fixing Windows Update Errors
The help files for errors like code 8024402F are of little help even when you click the link to “Get help with this error”. The real problem may be because you’re filtering ActiveX traffic.

Even if you’ve disabled Internet Explorer 8, Windows Update needs some of the Internet Explorer 8 components to work – specifically ActiveX. Fortunately, even if you’ve disabled IE8, you can use Windows Update, as long as ActiveX traffic can reach your computer.
ActiveX can be filtered in a number of firewall solutions, both software and hardware. One of the more common solutions that can filter ActiveX easily is the open source router firmware DD-WRT. We’ll show you how to disable ActiveX filtering in DD-WRT – if you’re using some other firewall solution, refer to its documentation to disable ActiveX filtering, or leave a comment on this post and we’ll try to pinpoint how to disable it.
To disable ActiveX filtering on a router using DD-WRT, navigate to your router’s IP address in a web browser.
If you’re not sure what your router’s IP address is, open a command prompt by pressing Win+R and typing in “cmd”.

In the command prompt, type in “ipconfig” and hit enter.

The IP address listed under “Default Gateway” should be your router’s. Enter it in the URL bar of your preferred web browser.

Click on the “Security” tab, and look for a checkbox labelled “Filter ActiveX.” Uncheck the box.

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the “Apply Settings” button.

You can close your web browser now, and try Windows Update again.

Success! Again each router is different and the process of allowing traffic through varies. Leave a comment and let us know how you allow ActiveX traffic through on your router.