Poser doesn't need an Internet connection. It does need a TCP connection, both client and server, to communicate with itself internally. The world has somehow come to the point that all TCP communication is deemed "Internet", even when it isn't.

Whatever Zone Alarm calls these things, Poser needs to accept connections, but only from your own computer, and it needs to make connections, but only to your own computer. This is over the local loopback address, 127.0.0.1. Nothing else has to be open.

Note that Poser will not accept a connection from outside your computer, even if you set up your firewall to allow it.

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Renderosity forum reply notifications are wonky. If I read a follow-up in a thread, but I don't myself reply, then notifications no longer happen AT ALL on that thread. So if I seem to be ignoring a question, that's why. (Updated September 23, 2019)