Re: [PCTECH] What's going on my line?

[Ken Sims <mdrg4136@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Antonio -

> Right now I'm not searching thru Google, not receiving any mail, not 
> downloading anything...
> BUT ... I see my modem is doing lots of work...
>
> Maybe my Win2k is receiving some automatic downloads from MS ?
> Maybe my PC has a virus ?
> Maybe someone is hacking my disk ?
>
> How can I figure out what's going thru my line? Running Windows 2000 Pro 
> if that matters.
> Any easy tool to find out what's going on?

If you have a cablemodem, your PC may not be receiving anything at 
all.  Cablemodems show activity for other users on your segment (i.e. your 
neighbors).  Those packets go from the cable system into your cablemodem 
but they don't come out the other side.

I don't think this is true of DSL modems.

> I'm not thinking (though maybe I should...) of any means of firewall or 
> the like...

IMO, everyone that has a Windoze system with any kind of internet 
connection should have a software firewall on their PC; one which will 
monitor outgoing traffic by application (which leaves out the firewall that 
comes with WinXP [unless it has been enhanced in that area by a service 
pack {I wouldn't trust Micro$h*t with my PC's security 
anyway}]).  Additionally, everyone whose has a broadband connection should 
have at least a simple NAT router between the cablemodem/DSLmodem/whatever 
and their PC/LAN.

--
Ken
http://www.ke9nr.net/
Opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of 
my employer or anyone in their right mind.