Very Wierd - dialing DSL!! help please

Cumberland Mike · 05-02-2005, 05:05 AM

HI all,

Something strange goin' on here... while on-line, we were getting disonccected for apparently no reason. Yesterday I was on the phone, my son was on-line (DSL) when I heard (over the phone) a computer connecting and dialing and sending out the handshake tones ... at the beginning of that cycle our DSL was knocked offline.

Both the wired connection and the wireless connections dead

IF I try to reconnect during the modem negotion phase I get the "Unable to connect to server" error ... Oh yeah .... the modem in the computer isn't connected to anything!!

So .... some piece of shareware, spyware or otherwise is causing this ... it's been happening a month or so ... and unfortunately I can't seem to keep my son off of Limewire ... or at least have him be careful ... so......

None of the running processes seem suspicious to me ... I constantly run Ad-Aware, Spysubtract and NOD32 ... Adaware & Spysubtract *ALWAYS find a few things ... where do I start to solve this connection issue??

WinXP Home
Verizon DSL (Westel)
Belkin Wireless router (for laptop only)

TIA

Mike

**johnwill** · 05-02-2005, 08:29 AM

I'd start by posting a HijackThis log in the security forum, since it appears you don't actually have network issues.

**JamesO** · 05-02-2005, 10:11 AM

Based upon your description, if you have DSL (which appears to be the case as you have a Westell DSL modem), it sounds like you have a dial up modem/FAX in your PC taking over or being started by some process.

DSL does not "dial" up, you should not hear it on your phoneline. You might hear some DSL noise on your phoneline if you do not have your DSL filters installed correctly.

I would first start by making sure you have none of your computers with the dial up modem/FAX connected and see what happens. Also make sure you do not have an HP All-In-One Printer/FAX/Scanner connected. If you have an HP All-In-One, they can phantomly caputure the phone line after it rings and is answered. There are ways to solve this on the HP All-In-One's.

Additionally, for some reason, someone may have changed the Network configuration settings on your main computer so that it attempts to dial up when the LAN is not available. You may actually be having problems with your DSL dropping causing your PC to attempt to dial out??

Check your e-mail client and or browser for Internet Connection Options. In IE, look under Tools, Internet Options, Connections, and see if dial whenever a network connection is not present is selected.

JamesO

**Real_Bullet** · 05-02-2005, 02:29 PM

I have seen some cheap DSL/Cable connections actually dial up and connect to the server just for high speed downloads and all but the uploads would be standard 56k. But it dont appear to be case here since you dont dialup your DSL connection here.

Sounds to me you are being hacked or may have a virus of some sort on your CPU causing this.

First thing i would do is run Housecall and AVG to see if yuo can find anything and then find yourself a descent firewall and see if the problems happen still.
it actually sounds like some sort of spyware in your CPU that could of also bought in a virus.

Cumberland Mike · 05-03-2005, 03:49 AM

HI again & thanks to all,

Just to clarify a few things that have been mentioned above...

Yes I do have DSL. There should be no dialing going on. It has been fine for the last three years or so.

My modem is not hooked up to anything, actually I didn't know I had one ... never needed or used it! No All-in-One machines either.

"Dial whenever a network connection is not present" is NOT checked anywhere I can find. There is no "Dial-up" account created

I am going to move to the security forum and post a HJT log as suggested. This is kind of crazy...

Mike

05-02-2005, 05:05 AM	#1 (permalink)
Cumberland Mike Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Rhode Island, USA Posts: 28 OS: WinXP	Very Wierd - dialing DSL!! help please HI all, Something strange goin' on here... while on-line, we were getting disonccected for apparently no reason. Yesterday I was on the phone, my son was on-line (DSL) when I heard (over the phone) a computer connecting and dialing and sending out the handshake tones ... at the beginning of that cycle our DSL was knocked offline. Both the wired connection and the wireless connections dead IF I try to reconnect during the modem negotion phase I get the "Unable to connect to server" error ... Oh yeah .... the modem in the computer isn't connected to anything!! So .... some piece of shareware, spyware or otherwise is causing this ... it's been happening a month or so ... and unfortunately I can't seem to keep my son off of Limewire ... or at least have him be careful ... so...... None of the running processes seem suspicious to me ... I constantly run Ad-Aware, Spysubtract and NOD32 ... Adaware & Spysubtract *ALWAYS find a few things ... where do I start to solve this connection issue?? WinXP Home Verizon DSL (Westel) Belkin Wireless router (for laptop only) TIA Mike

05-02-2005, 08:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,940 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	I'd start by posting a HijackThis log in the security forum, since it appears you don't actually have network issues. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

05-03-2005, 03:49 AM	#5 (permalink)
Cumberland Mike Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Rhode Island, USA Posts: 28 OS: WinXP	Thanks & clarifications HI again & thanks to all, Just to clarify a few things that have been mentioned above... Yes I do have DSL. There should be no dialing going on. It has been fine for the last three years or so. My modem is not hooked up to anything, actually I didn't know I had one ... never needed or used it! No All-in-One machines either. "Dial whenever a network connection is not present" is NOT checked anywhere I can find. There is no "Dial-up" account created I am going to move to the security forum and post a HJT log as suggested. This is kind of crazy... Mike

05-02-2005, 10:11 AM	#3 (permalink)
JamesO Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Fairfax, VA USA Posts: 2,289 OS: 98SE, W2k Pro, XP Pro	Based upon your description, if you have DSL (which appears to be the case as you have a Westell DSL modem), it sounds like you have a dial up modem/FAX in your PC taking over or being started by some process. DSL does not "dial" up, you should not hear it on your phoneline. You might hear some DSL noise on your phoneline if you do not have your DSL filters installed correctly. I would first start by making sure you have none of your computers with the dial up modem/FAX connected and see what happens. Also make sure you do not have an HP All-In-One Printer/FAX/Scanner connected. If you have an HP All-In-One, they can phantomly caputure the phone line after it rings and is answered. There are ways to solve this on the HP All-In-One's. Additionally, for some reason, someone may have changed the Network configuration settings on your main computer so that it attempts to dial up when the LAN is not available. You may actually be having problems with your DSL dropping causing your PC to attempt to dial out?? Check your e-mail client and or browser for Internet Connection Options. In IE, look under Tools, Internet Options, Connections, and see if dial whenever a network connection is not present is selected. JamesO

05-02-2005, 02:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
Real_Bullet TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2005 Location: Lumberton, MS Posts: 517 OS: Windows Vista Home Basic My System	I have seen some cheap DSL/Cable connections actually dial up and connect to the server just for high speed downloads and all but the uploads would be standard 56k. But it dont appear to be case here since you dont dialup your DSL connection here. Sounds to me you are being hacked or may have a virus of some sort on your CPU causing this. First thing i would do is run Housecall and AVG to see if yuo can find anything and then find yourself a descent firewall and see if the problems happen still. it actually sounds like some sort of spyware in your CPU that could of also bought in a virus.