Auto disconnect from internet

[Guest]

I set up my computer to disconnect from the internet automatically if the
connection is unused for 15 minutes. This worked fine for a while, then one
day I noticed the computer was no longer going onto standby after 20 minutes
(which it is also set up to do). I believe the reason is that it is no
longer automatically disconnecting from the internet, as I have discovered
that the autostandby option does not work if there is an internet connection
present.

Why would my computer suddenly stop disconnecting automatically from the
internet? I have checked the settings for this and they appear to be
unchnaged.

 

[S. Taylor]

It's possible that something is using the connection, when you think it
should be idle.
It could be something as simple as xp's AutoUpdate or your Anti-Virus or
Firewal is
downloading updates.
Or you could have some unwanted pests and need to scan for virii, adware,
trojans,
hijackers, etc.

 

[Guest]

Thanks I had thoght of ths and it could account for occasional failure of
auto disconnect, but it NEVER disconnects now. Perhaps there is something
continually trying to access the internet but I'm not sure how to find out
what. I think viruses/trojans etc are very unlikley as the computer is new
and has always been protected including regular scans. I use norton internet
security anit-spyware edition.

 

[S. Taylor]

As other's have said in this ng , never rely on just one
anti-spyware/malware
program (no 1 program is knows every threat out there), you can find many
references in posts in here to free programs you should use.

It's especially important to use something that can show what BHO's and
ActiveX objects are installed, what Processes are running and what thier
child processes are, and what your Startup Items are.

Ad Aware SE http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/
Spybot Search and Destroy 1.4 www.spybot.info
HijackThis
SpywareBlaster http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html

I personally like Spybot, it has tools that can also help you manually track
down pests,
and has a BHO for blocking known dangerous websites and known dangerous
auto-dowloads.