I see my modem access the internet a lot...

[Death Metal Moe]

and it kinda worries me.

When my computer is just sitting there, I used to just see my computer talk to my router once in awhile. Like every few seconds, maybe checking in or some shit. But within the past few weeks I've noticed it access like 2 to 5 seconds at a clip sometimes. That's not normal.

I've always had the same crap installed on my sidebar. I understand that my Weather Channel thing is going to look for updates, but not this often. Plus I had that installed before when my router wasn't getting accessed as much.

Spyware and Virus checks show nothing.

Anyone know a more conclusive way I can make sure my machine isn't getting accessed by one of those things I hear use it while it's on without me knowing?

[Tall_James]

This is what happens when you buy your modem from Cyberdyne Systems. I think its about to become self aware.

[Death Metal Moe]

This is what happens when you buy your modem from Cyberdyne Systems. I think its about to become self aware.

It did come with living tissue over a metal endoskeleton. And my Verizon rep identified herself as Ms. Connor.

Oh shit.

[boosterp]

It could be your router just keeping the connection alive.

[sr71blackbird]

In the other thread you cautioned me about encryting my wiress router. Is there a way yours could be being accessed by someone close by?

[KnoxHarrington]

It's one of those things that's really hard to know the significance of unless you know exactly how much data is going across. It could just be a series of random pings coming across the wires. It could be your router sending out stuff to keep the connection active.

Just do these things:

1. If you have a broadband connection, put it on a router, even if you only have one computer. You want that hardware firewall. That's probably the single best step for protecting your system you can do.

2. Secure the connection with WPA2 encryption. WEP sucks. You don't want some random douche downloading crap on your IP address.

3. Turn on the software firewall in your system. Windows, Mac, and Linux all have built-in software firewalls. Use them.

4. Don't click on unknown links or download unknown software. Be careful.

5. Keep your system updated.

There you go. Do that shit and you should be OK, and you don't need to buy some bullshit "security suite" software that bogs your system down worse.

[Fez4PrezN2008]

I've been looking for a network map display program that will show a popup when a new computer logs on. I have seen a few a download.com but none that I have been thrilled with yet. This type thing might ease your mind too DMM. Anybody have suggestion to a good LAN monitoring app like this?

[boosterp]

I've been looking for a network map display program that will show a popup when a new computer logs on. I have seen a few a download.com but none that I have been thrilled with yet. This type thing might ease your mind too DMM. Anybody have suggestion to a good LAN monitoring app like this?

Is this close? (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2345210,00.asp)

[Death Metal Moe]

Sorry, I should have been more specific.

I have my desktop hardwired to my Verizon modem/router. They sent it to me. It does have wireless that I have encrypted, it comes encrypted by default which is very nice and it's just a random code.

My concern is that when I have my desktop which is hardwired turned on and sitting, it seems to talk to the router and access the internet connection a lot. I don't get this when I have my laptop on which is wirelessly connected to it. Maybe the difference is the way they're connected, I don't know.

Also, my computer, this one, never did that on the same install of windows until I noticed it within the last month, but it IS a new router. I had my last one crap out on me. But again, I have a laptop that doesn't access it constantly.

I have the same Vista Sidebar shit on both my desktop and laptop. XM online, The Weather Channel's forecast thing, a calendar and a World of Warcraft widget I can dump because I dumped that game.

I think that answers most of the questions. I know full well the dangers of E-mail shit, I only open E-mails from companies I asked to E-mail me and friends. I have the firewall on with one or two trusted exceptions.

I guess it could be "normal" for the wired connection, I have no idea. Just thought I'd run it past the fellow geeks here.

[boosterp]

Moe,

It sounds like a "keep alive" sort of thing. Meaning that it is keeping the lease/renewing the IP, random pings, Windows looking for updates, AV/firewall looking for updates, etc.

Even if you shut everything down and just kept the modem on, you'd get a random flash.

[Fez4PrezN2008]

Is this close? (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2345210,00.asp)
Pretty close, I was looking for a smaller scale app like a widget or something that would just display connected devices. I don't want to get down and dirty with program inventories of attached machines and such, just a little network map that shows who's connected.

[Death Metal Moe]

Moe,

It sounds like a "keep alive" sort of thing. Meaning that it is keeping the lease/renewing the IP, random pings, Windows looking for updates, AV/firewall looking for updates, etc.

Even if you shut everything down and just kept the modem on, you'd get a random flash.

I understand what you mean. My computer used to do this about every 3 seconds or so and only one quick access. It does the same thing with my laptop on, occasionally longer accesses but mostly just the "Keep alive" ping.

Now my computer has completely changed the way it does it, accessing for a few seconds at a time. I guess I have nothing else to go off of except how it used to be and how I feel about it, but I don't like it at all.

[boosterp]

Pretty close, I was looking for a smaller scale app like a widget or something that would just display connected devices. I don't want to get down and dirty with program inventories of attached machines and such, just a little network map that shows who's connected.

Linksys/Cisco make something like that, but it's not small scale either. I can't think of anything that fits that description.

I understand what you mean. My computer used to do this about every 3 seconds or so and only one quick access. It does the same thing with my laptop on, occasionally longer accesses but mostly just the "Keep alive" ping.

Now my computer has completely changed the way it does it, accessing for a few seconds at a time. I guess I have nothing else to go off of except how it used to be and how I feel about it, but I don't like it at all.

If you use a variance of ZA you can engage the internet lock and see if it still happens. If it does then it is a keep alive sort of function, minus attempts of other programs checking versions for updates. I know of a program that will tell you what is connected to the internet but for the like of me I can not remember the name of it. I will look on download.com later to see if I can find it.

[Death Metal Moe]

If you use a variance of ZA you can engage the internet lock and see if it still happens. If it does then it is a keep alive sort of function, minus attempts of other programs checking versions for updates. I know of a program that will tell you what is connected to the internet but for the like of me I can not remember the name of it. I will look on download.com later to see if I can find it.

Thanks man. I can't say for sure if I'm being paranoid or if there may be a problem. All I know is it's changed and the thought of some backdoor malware or something like that using my computer without my permission freaks me out. I'm not even sure how I'd get rid of it if I found it.

Well, besides the ol' OS Reinstall. But that's ghey.

[boosterp]

Thanks man. I can't say for sure if I'm being paranoid or if there may be a problem. All I know is it's changed and the thought of some backdoor malware or something like that using my computer without my permission freaks me out. I'm not even sure how I'd get rid of it if I found it.

Well, besides the ol' OS Reinstall. But that's ghey.

You would need something like this. (http://www.netlimiter.com/)

This would work for Fezprez too I think.

[Death Metal Moe]

Thank you sir, just downloaded the Freeware version from that link. I'll shut most of my shit off and use it later to see what might be accessing my connection.

[Death Metal Moe]

Well I installed the program boosterp linked and watched the activity for awhile. Seems a program called DNA that was bundled with Bittorrent was accessing a lot suddenly. I didn't have anything even in the que to be downloaded, but that shouldn't matter because I didn't have Bittorrent open.

Deleting the program doesn't seem to effect Bittorrent and I feel it has slowed the accessing to of my router by this computer.

Thanks boosterp. I'm gonna leave it open and check it some more later. I already identified a few very common processes so that rules them out. And of course I see things I allow to access the internet like Avast!.

[boosterp]

You're welcomed budday.

[Death Metal Moe]

My traffic took a SEVERE nose dive when I got rid of DNA. Mother fuckers. I forgot to go look it up. I want to see what that bullshit even was.