Unsolicited Cable activity

[Guest]

I see from my Local area Connection icon, activity that is occuring constantly though I am
not using internet. I enabled logging of dropped packets in activated XP Pro firewall to
Pfirewall.log which is up to 185 K in a few minutes with the pasted message you see next
repeated. It is some UDP activity.
2004-03-16 09:02:28 DROP UDP 66.203.121.52 xx.yyy.zzz.aaa 51861 3548 2063 - - - - - -
This happened a few days ago and not knowing what else to do, I reinstalled MCE
Does anyone know what can be done for this? I complained to Eastlink the service provide
who said there is nothing for them to do. The log expands at the rate of 5 K every 8 seconds.

 

[Bruce W. Roeser]

Will,

You migt want to seriously consider using a router instead of plugging your
PC directly into the cable-modem. You can get one really cheap nowadays and
it will enable you to "hide" your machine from the Internet. I installed
one when I put together my LAN at the house about 18 months ago and have had
no problems. The router can take care of your firewall needs nicely so you
don't have to do this at your PC.

HTH,

-bruce

I see from my Local area Connection icon, activity that is occuring constantly though I am
not using internet. I enabled logging of dropped packets in activated XP Pro firewall to
Pfirewall.log which is up to 185 K in a few minutes with the pasted message you see next
repeated. It is some UDP activity.
2004-03-16 09:02:28 DROP UDP 66.203.121.52 xx.yyy.zzz.aaa 51861 3548 2063 - - - - - - -
This happened a few days ago and not knowing what else to do, I reinstalled MCE.
Does anyone know what can be done for this? I complained to Eastlink the service provider
who said there is nothing for them to do. The log expands at the rate of 5

K every 8 seconds.

 

[CZ]

I see from my Local area Connection icon, activity that is occuring
constantly though I am
not using internet. I enabled logging of dropped packets in activated XP Pro
firewall to
Pfirewall.log which is up to 185 K in a few minutes with the pasted message
you see next
repeated. It is some UDP activity.
2004-03-16 09:02:28 DROP UDP 66.203.121.52 xx.yyy.zzz.aaa 51861 3548
2063 - - - - - - -
This happened a few days ago and not knowing what else to do, I reinstalled
MCE.
Does anyone know what can be done for this? I complained to Eastlink the
service provider
who said there is nothing for them to do. The log expands at the rate of 5 K
every 8 seconds.

Will:

That is normal, as cable uses a shared bus.

Good NG: comp.dcom.modems.cable

 

[Guest]

This only means that you do not see activity on your PC. My complaint is that this
uncalled for activity is degrding the Cable speed that I'm paying for. It does not happe
often, I mean usually the tray icon only lights up when I am using the internet, or whe
scheduled TV guide is downloading. I've split the cable so that it goes to modem and to
the PC's TV jack. But this happened before I got MCE and split the signal. The only solution
I have found is reinstallation and was looking for reason.


----- Bruce W. Roeser wrote: ----

Will

You migt want to seriously consider using a router instead of plugging you
PC directly into the cable-modem. You can get one really cheap nowadays an
it will enable you to "hide" your machine from the Internet. I installe
one when I put together my LAN at the house about 18 months ago and have ha
no problems. The router can take care of your firewall needs nicely so yo
don't have to do this at your PC

HTH

-bruc

I see from my Local area Connection icon, activity that is occurin constantly though I a
not using internet. I enabled logging of dropped packets in activated X Pro firewall t
Pfirewall.log which is up to 185 K in a few minutes with the paste message you see nex
repeated. It is some UDP activity
2004-03-16 09:02:28 DROP UDP 66.203.121.52 xx.yyy.zzz.aaa 51861 354 2063 - - - - - -
This happened a few days ago and not knowing what else to do, reinstalled MCE
Does anyone know what can be done for this? I complained to Eastlink th service provide
who said there is nothing for them to do. The log expands at the rate of

K every 8 seconds

 

[name]

..
1. Do a virus check and then disable XP's firewall
2. Download AdAware, Spybot Search and Destroy and ZoneAlarm firewall the're
all free.
3. If you still have the same problem, download Ethereal, also free, and see
what kind of packets you're getting.

My guess you've got a lot of spyware

 

[Alex Nichol]

This only means that you do not see activity on your PC. My complaint is that this
uncalled for activity is degrding the Cable speed that I'm paying for. It does not happen
often

This may well be software that you have installed making a regular check
for updates (And getting them). For example, my eTrust AV program makes
a check daily which gives a short burst of activity - maybe ten seconds
And there are a lot of others - things like Real player and Windows
Media player will go out to check news channels if you give them half a
chance

 

[Dave]

most cable modem systems are like party lines, you see all the activity for
your neighbors on the same wire. the best thing is to have a hardware
firewall to block everything coming in. the xp firewall is probably ok as
long as you don't need anything special. just ignore all the incoming junk
that is rejected by it, there will be lots of it... not only traffic to/from
your neighbors but also port scans and other junk from virusses and hackers
scanning your system.

I see from my Local area Connection icon, activity that is occuring constantly though I am
not using internet. I enabled logging of dropped packets in activated XP Pro firewall to
Pfirewall.log which is up to 185 K in a few minutes with the pasted message you see next
repeated. It is some UDP activity.
2004-03-16 09:02:28 DROP UDP 66.203.121.52 xx.yyy.zzz.aaa 51861 3548 2063 - - - - - - -
This happened a few days ago and not knowing what else to do, I reinstalled MCE.
Does anyone know what can be done for this? I complained to Eastlink the service provider
who said there is nothing for them to do. The log expands at the rate of 5

K every 8 seconds.