Disable all communications...

[Jake]

Hi,

I need to temporarily disable all possibilities to communicate
externally to/from a computer.

That is, no cable based and wireless network, bluetooth and IRDA, all
kinds of dialup / GSM 3G cards etc. However USB must work (memory stick
needed).

Does it exist a centralized point in windows (all XP and vista editions)
to disable these modes of communications?

Preferably just in memory and if possible not by modifying registry...

Thanks a lot for hints on this issue....

regards

Jake

 

[Tim Meddick]

Jake,
Just make sure the network connection (in Control Panel > Network
Connections) you use to connect to the outside world is: status =
'disconnected' That is ALL you need to do if you have no other forms of
connection (as you say you have not), like Bluetooth or infrared adaptors
attached.


==


Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[Tim Meddick]

Jake,
P.S. If you have only one or two connections listed in 'Network
Connections' then you can right-click and choose 'disable' which will
prevent that connection from becoming active. Sometimes, connections are
set to connect automatically when needed and disabling temporarily will
prevent this. However, if there are a lot of connections listed, remember,
you will have to right-click > 'enable' on them ALL before you can connect
to the outside world again.


==


Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Jake,
Just make sure the network connection (in Control Panel >
Network Connections) you use to connect to the outside world is: status =
'disconnected' That is ALL you need to do if you have no other forms of
connection (as you say you have not), like Bluetooth or infrared adaptors
attached.


==


Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Hi,

I need to temporarily disable all possibilities to communicate externally
to/from a computer.

That is, no cable based and wireless network, bluetooth and IRDA, all
kinds of dialup / GSM 3G cards etc. However USB must work (memory stick
needed).

Does it exist a centralized point in windows (all XP and vista editions)
to disable these modes of communications?

Preferably just in memory and if possible not by modifying registry...

Thanks a lot for hints on this issue....

regards

Jake

 

[Jake]

Tim Meddick skrev:

Jake,
Just make sure the network connection (in Control Panel > Network
Connections) you use to connect to the outside world is: status =
'disconnected' That is ALL you need to do if you have no other forms of
connection (as you say you have not), like Bluetooth or infrared adaptors
attached.

Hi Tim,

Sorry for not expressing myself good enough. I need to
*programmatically* disable any connected devices and prevent
(re)connection(s) of any such device as long as my script / service is
runing.

jake

 

[Tim Meddick]

Jake, you could try this; make a batchfile of the following and this should
then toggle disabling of your connection.


------------- copy between lines -------------

@echo off

if EXIST "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Microsoft\Network\Connections\Pbk\disabled.bak" goto ENABLE

if NOT EXIST "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Microsoft\Network\Connections\Pbk\rasphone.pbk" goto ERROR

ren "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Microsoft\Network\Connections\Pbk\rasphone.pbk" disabled.bak

echo.

echo Connection Disabled.

goto :EOF

:ENABLE

ren "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Microsoft\Network\Connections\Pbk\disabled.bak" rasphone.pbk

echo.

echo Connection Enabled.

goto :EOF

:ERROR

echo.

echo Failure to locate file: rasphone.pbk - exiting


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==


Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Tim Meddick skrev:

Jake,
Just make sure the network connection (in Control Panel >
Network Connections) you use to connect to the outside world is: status =
'disconnected' That is ALL you need to do if you have no other forms of
connection (as you say you have not), like Bluetooth or infrared adaptors
attached.

Hi Tim,

Sorry for not expressing myself good enough. I need to *programmatically*
disable any connected devices and prevent (re)connection(s) of any such
device as long as my script / service is runing.

jake

 

[Jake]

What are you trying to accomplish?

Run a small script / application on the students' computers during tests
(with a visual indication onscreen) to ensure that *all* communication
is disabled.

Clever ideas welcome

Jake

 

[Jake]

Tim Meddick skreiv:

Jake, you could try this; make a batchfile of the following and this should
then toggle disabling of your connection.

Wouldn't this only disable dialup connections...?

jake

 

[Jake]

BeeCeeBee skreiv:

If these are individually owned machines such as laptops, good luck and
be careful.

The best thing to do in that case is to disable the source such as any
wifi connection that may exist. Obviously if they are wired, just detach
them physically. There are just to many ways to cheat if there is
access to the internet physically available.

Hi,

Actually I only meant those communication modes used to share
information *between* computers, and it can be shortened to non-wired
ones, such as wireless networking, bluetooth, 3G (mobile) cards and
maybe IRDA.

The needed situation is for pupils using *their own* notebook computers
during tests and exams. I hoped there was a 'soft spot' in windows
common for these communication types which could be easily switched on /
off. If so, I could have a small applet running at each computer
displaying a small unique visible 'always-stay-on-top' stamp-size window
confirming that this 'communication bottleneck' was actually switched off.

regards jake

 

[HeyBub]

BeeCeeBee skreiv:
Hi,

Actually I only meant those communication modes used to share
information *between* computers, and it can be shortened to non-wired
ones, such as wireless networking, bluetooth, 3G (mobile) cards and
maybe IRDA.

The needed situation is for pupils using *their own* notebook
computers during tests and exams. I hoped there was a 'soft spot' in
windows common for these communication types which could be easily
switched
on / off. If so, I could have a small applet running at each computer
displaying a small unique visible 'always-stay-on-top' stamp-size
window confirming that this 'communication bottleneck' was actually
switched off.
regards jake

Pencil and paper tests?

 

[Tim Meddick]

I got the idea you were just using a USB modem. What connection do you want
to disable in particular?


==


Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[Jake]

Tim Meddick skrev:

I got the idea you were just using a USB modem. What connection do you want
to disable in particular?

*Any*

By that I mean via built-in devices in computers. (Wireless networking,
Bluetooth, 3G / mobile cards and possibly IrDA).

jake