Win2K IE6 cable modem going crazy.

[shootinyou]

After 15 to 20 minutes online I notice activity led on cable modem
is no longer blinking but on solid. Task manager says I have 35
running processes. How many is normal??? How do I figure what
is hogging connection???

I have some annoying popups also, completely text nothing I'm used
to seeing.

tia

If this doesn't belong here please move

 

[Lord Evermore]

You need to disable the service called "Messenger" in the Administrative Tools/Services. That's what's letting the text popups through. It's unrelated to MSN/Windows Messenger.

I have 25 processes running right now, but I've trimmed down all the services I could. Each service may start a new instance of the service host program that handles them, so that's an extra process for each one, and every application runs at least one process. 35 isn't terrible.

Whether you're actually using the bandwidth yourself or not isn't necessarily something we can tell. If you're connected directly to the cable modem, you should install a firewall software such as ZoneAlarm and then you can see exactly what is coming in.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Firewall software isn't a bad idea at all, if you can't afford firewall hardware, instead. The fact that your cable modem's activity light is going haywire doesn't mean anything, yet. You need to find out whether your cable modem manufacturer built the modem to display activity going through the modem (e.g. from your computer to the internet or the internet to your computer) or just any time the cable modem has to send information to either side of the line (e.g. responding to the ISP's network letting it know that the modem is still online, or talking to your computer keeping the computer updated).

Either way, it's not really a big deal. Firewall hardware. If not, then firewall software. If not, you still might be safe. Many ISPs have their own firewalls built in to their networks.

 

[shootinyou]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
You need to disable the service called "Messenger" in the Administrative Tools/Services. That's what's letting the text popups through. It's unrelated to MSN/Windows Messenger.

I have 25 processes running right now, but I've trimmed down all the services I could. Each service may start a new instance of the service host program that handles them, so that's an extra process for each one, and every application runs at least one process. 35 isn't terrible.

Whether you're actually using the bandwidth yourself or not isn't necessarily something we can tell. If you're connected directly to the cable modem, you should install a firewall software such as ZoneAlarm and then you can see exactly what is coming in.

Thanks Lord Evermore, Yes I'm hooked direct to modem. Where might I find zone alarm is it freeware. Are processes like WZQKPICK,Acroread32,svchost x3,LSASS normal

 

[shootinyou]

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
Firewall software isn't a bad idea at all, if you can't afford firewall hardware, instead. The fact that your cable modem's activity light is going haywire doesn't mean anything, yet. You need to find out whether your cable modem manufacturer built the modem to display activity going through the modem (e.g. from your computer to the internet or the internet to your computer) or just any time the cable modem has to send information to either side of the line (e.g. responding to the ISP's network letting it know that the modem is still online, or talking to your computer keeping the computer updated).

Either way, it's not really a big deal. Firewall hardware. If not, then firewall software. If not, you still might be safe. Many ISPs have their own firewalls built in to their networks.

Thank you too ffmcobalt, Can you point me to a link for hardware firewall setup. When modem light is going haywire I get page cannot be displayed errors, and a substantial slow down.(to the point of heading to task manager or rebooting). Modem is a Motorolla SB4101. I haven't checked with motorolla on how modem is configured.

ISP is now Bressnan Communications, I no nothing about them yet.
I'm also going to set up a home network one of these first days, I've got a D-Link 704P says it has built in firewall protection. Are these any good.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Well there ya go! That "built in firewall" is a hardware firewall. Just hook that to your cable modem, then your computer(s) to the router. Voila. Instant hardware protection.

 

[Lord Evermore]

It's not quite the same level of firewalling as Zone Alarm, but should be sufficient. Zone Alarm stops any rogue programs on your system from communicating outward, while the router only stops incoming connections.

 

[shootinyou]

Thanks fellas

Is it possible to use both hardware and software firewalls??

Is zone alarm freeware?

Are processes like WZQKPICK,Acroread32,svchost x3,nvsvc32,LSASS normal?
I also have 3 explorers, Explored, 1 IEXPLORE


Wow I just turn off messenger and someother items, checked Task manager
and had 68 running processes whats up with that??
Some of those extras you were talking about lord evermore

 

[Green Man]

Are processes like WZQKPICK,Acroread32,svchost x3,nvsvc32,LSASS normal?
I also have 3 explorers, Explored, 1 IEXPLORE

WZQKPICK,Acroread32,svchost x3,nvsvc32,LSASS are all normal


explored.exe is a signature of a trojan.

 

[shootinyou]

Originally posted by: SpookyFish

Are processes like WZQKPICK,Acroread32,svchost x3,nvsvc32,LSASS normal?
I also have 3 explorers, Explored, 1 IEXPLORE

WZQKPICK,Acroread32,svchost x3,nvsvc32,LSASS are all normal


explored.exe is a signature of a trojan.

OK know this POS is dinging, like its trying to access something.

Ran system works 03, found 24 files infected and quarantined 5, and had to
delete 2 reg entries. WOW Fixed the dinging though...........duh

Hey guys what else is safe to set to manual in admin tools/services??
I tried a couple and lost my internet connection for a while.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
It's not quite the same level of firewalling as Zone Alarm, but should be sufficient. Zone Alarm stops any rogue programs on your system from communicating outward, while the router only stops incoming connections.

And if your system is secure to begin with, you don't have to worry about putting extremely unstable software on your computer, like Zone Alarm, taking the risk of it fvcking up your computer. Any network admin will tell you that hardware firewalls are infinitely better, if you don't act like an idiot with your computer.

 

[Green Man]

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
Any network admin will tell you that hardware firewalls are infinitely better, if you don't act like an idiot with your computer.

While that's true, they aren't talking about a consumer level internet router which has no firewall functionality aside from NAT.

 

[shootinyou]

Originally posted by: SpookyFish

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
Any network admin will tell you that hardware firewalls are infinitely better, if you don't act like an idiot with your computer.

While that's true, they aren't talking about a consumer level internet router which has no firewall functionality aside from NAT.

what is NAT?

ok guys my isp at&t has a firewall, and my d-link router has a firewall.
is there more I need to consider? or plug in the router and go

thanks again, I'm going to google Firewalls and see what I can learn, any
links would be appreciated.

 

[Green Man]

what is NAT?

Network Address Translation.

What a home internet router does is accept the IP address of your ISP, then issue a different IP address to the computers in your home using DHCP. The IP address used on the inside will be 192.168.x.x which is a private IP address and isn't valid on the internet. That way, no one from the outside can ping you or port scan you by using your public IP (the router won't respond) and they can'y by using your private IP (it's invalid and will be dropped by the first router that gets it)
Experienced hackers will be able to get past this if they can get ahold of some outgoing packets you've sent, since your private IP is included in the header. You won't be worth thier time, so that isn't a huge concern.
It won't protect you from trojans.
It won't allow you to monitor traffic and open ports.

IMHO, an home internet router and an anti-virus package is enough for most home users to feel fairly safe, as long as they stay away from questionable sites and are careful about what they download and what attachments they open.

 

[boomerang]

Here's a great website with a ton of information on services.

 

[shootinyou]

SpookyFish what would allow me to monitor traffic and open ports?


thanks boomerang I'll check it out.

 

[shootinyou]

SpookyFish what would allow me to monitor traffic and open ports?


thanks boomerang I'll check it out

whats your guys recomendations for anti virus software

 

[Green Man]

Originally posted by: shootinyou
SpookyFish what would allow me to monitor traffic and open ports?


thanks boomerang I'll check it out

whats your guys recomendations for anti virus software

Any software firewall will do that. I see Zone Alarm recommended alot, but I also see its stability questioned alot. As for a hardware firewall, I see lots of people recommending setting up linux on a box with 2 NICs to use as a firewall. I don't really have any recommendations for the best home solution, but someone here will.