Funny Broadband Problem

[Passeur]

Hallo !
How can you tell whether your PC has been hi-jacked Very often, while I am using the Internet via a Broadband (ADSL) connection, for no reason the green diode starts blinking and a message pops up advising that "something else is using the bandwidth" It sure as heck isn't me ! This happens sporadically during the day and EVERY evening any time after say 6 pm. Our local phone service assures me that the ADSL on the phone line is functioning 100%. The problem was there with my "older" computer, but I now have a brand new one so it is not a hardware or configuration problem. Any ideas from anyone out there?

[U.S. Patriot]

Originally Posted by Passeur

Hallo !
How can you tell whether your PC has been hi-jacked Very often, while I am using the Internet via a Broadband (ADSL) connection, for no reason the green diode starts blinking and a message pops up advising that "something else is using the bandwidth" It sure as heck isn't me ! This happens sporadically during the day and EVERY evening any time after say 6 pm. Our local phone service assures me that the ADSL on the phone line is functioning 100%. The problem was there with my "older" computer, but I now have a brand new one so it is not a hardware or configuration problem. Any ideas from anyone out there?

A Hijacker takes control of your browser sending you to a different web page than the one you wanted, usually a different search engine. Most likely you got one of two things going on. First, programs on your system are doing auto updates. Second, you've got spyware. I don't have ADSL I have cable but I do have a activity light that blinks on it and it is always blinking. But if you don't have a good spyware program I highly advise it. Are you sure this green diode blinking means a program of some sort is accessing the Internet? Or could it just be the Internet pinging your computer trying to see if your there. Could also be hackers! Do you have a good firewall?

[Passeur]

Hallo : I have 2 firewalls and 2 anti-spyware programs running, plus do a manual check every day to ensure nothing has "got in".
On the actual ADSL/Broadband modem there are 2 diodes: One indicating that there is Power and the second to indicate that ADSL is operational and that you can connect to the Net. When the ADSL light is blinking, it means that there is a problem involving insufficient bandwidth so therefore you can't get onto the Internet.
Earlier this week I read an article about PC's being hi-jacked or taken over to send out spam etc. but although the article told you how dreadful this was, they never actually told you how to check on this or get rid of it. Apparently PC's using fast speed connections are the choice ones to get hold of.
It is just very annoying never being able to get online in the evenings at all. I have family living in the USA, Canada and in Australia but can never use a program such as Messenger to chat with them, cos when they are online, my Internet is non-functional. And when I am up and running, they are asleep.
Thanks for the suggestions anyway -
Regards from the South of France where the weather today is MAGNIFICENT. Far too nice to be playing on This Thing

[U.S. Patriot]

Originally Posted by Passeur

Hallo : I have 2 firewalls and 2 anti-spyware programs running, plus do a manual check every day to ensure nothing has "got in".
On the actual ADSL/Broadband modem there are 2 diodes: One indicating that there is Power and the second to indicate that ADSL is operational and that you can connect to the Net. When the ADSL light is blinking, it means that there is a problem involving insufficient bandwidth so therefore you can't get onto the Internet.
Earlier this week I read an article about PC's being hi-jacked or taken over to send out spam etc. but although the article told you how dreadful this was, they never actually told you how to check on this or get rid of it. Apparently PC's using fast speed connections are the choice ones to get hold of.
It is just very annoying never being able to get online in the evenings at all. I have family living in the USA, Canada and in Australia but can never use a program such as Messenger to chat with them, cos when they are online, my Internet is non-functional. And when I am up and running, they are asleep.
Thanks for the suggestions anyway -
Regards from the South of France where the weather today is MAGNIFICENT. Far too nice to be playing on This Thing

Here is a site that has info on ADSL systems.
http://www.legend.co.uk/support/page.php?page=171

Hope it helps.

[Miz]

You didn't say what anti-spyware programs you have. Spybot and Ad-Aware are free and do a good job. Since they use different scanning parameters, each tends to find things the other misses. Be sure to update them before you use them. Let them remove anything they find.

Running two firewalls is no better protection than one and can create conflicts. Having two firewalls installed isn't a problem so long as only one is running at any given time.

[Passeur]

I have Nortons Firewall plus Sygate but don't run them together. Nortons came pre-loaded on the new computer but I still prefer my good old pal Sygate.
Am using Spybot and Ad-Aware, constantly updated.
I am wondering whether I live in bit of a no-go zone because when the diode begins flashing and synchronisation vanishes, I START TO HEAR VOICES coming out of the loudspeakers... and NO - I am not going crazy we have no neighbours either so the interference is not originating from them... we live in a house surrounded by Kiwi plantations. Kiwi as in fruit and not People from New Zealand.
Thanks for all the tips, guys