Attempted hack or network glitch?

[Abednigo]

We have a small peer-to-peer server that acts as our file server and internet proxy server (the old 192.168.0.1 setup). We just got an ADSL hookup to replace our dial-up. When I came in this morning there was an error on the screen I'd never seen before. Something like:
"...has detected an address conflict for 192.168.0.1 with a computer at 00:20:78E:A7:C0..."

Is that someone on another network trying to access ours using the 192.168.0.1 address? No one else here at work messes with computers much, and we use a static IP system. So none of the other systems would ever be in conflict with the server.

Any thoughts?

 

[Vegito]

Are you using a ADSL router or the proxy server as the router ?

 

[ctll]

that ip address is automatically assigned when you enable internet connection sharing in w2k. (least for me it is) (and my 2nd nic has that addy too) perhaps one nic is obtaining an ip address automatically now, instead of it being static.

*edit*
also, perhaps the nic's network address (not ip)is "00:20:78E:A7:C0"

 

[Abednigo]

ADSL modem with software proxy and firewall. It's just a windows 98 install, no Win2k, so the IP addresses are static. I've just never seen that error in the 4 years of our network, and the only thing that's changed is our ADSL installation.

 

[ctll]

(IF IT WAS ME)
being paranoididly suspicious, my first thought (while knowing nothing) is that some co worker wanted to surf the net instead of work and tried to enable ics or something. i would then check out that all the nic's in all the workstations were still set for static ip's. (since 192.168.0.1 seems to be a universal ip address for something)

 

[Abednigo]

hmm - there's only one guy here besides me who can change their screen saver, let alone IP address...He actually reported the error to me and we checked his and my IP settings... Thanks though.

 

[OntosTheNude]

I believe I read somewhere that 192.168.0.x was a specific IP that prevents direct access from another computer outside the network or some such thing...or maybe I'm just talking out of my @$$. Anyone else ever heard that?

 

[Spiff]

"...has detected an address conflict for 192.168.0.1 with a computer at 00:20:78E:A7:C0..."

this is saying that another computer on your local network is using the same IP address that your computer is using.

in this case, it is providing the MAC Address of the NIC on the other computer. no, this is not someone hacking your system. one of you incorrectly setup your workstation.

to answer another question raised by other posters:

the 192.168.0.x range of addresses is local only address more commonly referred to as a "non-routable" ip address range. MS' ICS software typically assigns the 192.168.0.x range of ip's to the locally networked systems when it is in use.

now, here's the potential problem. if both of you are running ICS independently (as your previous posts seem to indicate), then it is very possible that each computer was assigned the same IP by ICS.

 

[Abednigo]

Nope, but I believe I found the culprit. We recently installed Win2k on a workstation on a trial basis here. It seems that it tried to "throw off" the shackles of being a mere workstation at IP 192.168.0.13 and become the server . Thanks for the help.