computer keeps dialing internet connection

[fixa24]

Howdy folks
my trusty old desktop running ME for some reason just randomly starts dialing the dial up internet connection. i have "never dial a connection" enabled...
any suggestions?
Cheers.

:ok:

[Hew Jaz]

How are your phone bills?

Could it be possible that you have a premium rate dialler lurking in the background. They apparently can remain invisible and continue to dial although you may be using broadband. However, I don't know if they can over-ride your "never dial..." settting.

BT (British Telecom) were offering a free download which offers modem protection by only allowing certain numbers to be dialled. I appreciate that the stored numbers will be very diffferent where you are located. You can however add permissible numbers (not sure about removing) as appropriate. Equally, it is possible to deny strange, unknown numbers.

I think you may have to register to download the small zip file, which could be interesting given your location! If that is a problem, I have a copy on the PC here, which I'm sure could be emailed if it might be of any help.

[frostbite]

In the UK you can ask for all premium rate numbers to be blocked on your phone - not sure if that is available in OZ.

You'll have to learn to live without the calls to 'Dirty Deirdre' though!

[Irish Steve]

have you recently upgraded your anti virus or firewall software? I put a new version of PCcillin on a machine recently, and it started dialling out all on it's own to get updates, even though the settings were such as to supposedly not allow it, as it's on dial up. It hadn't been hijacked, the number it was calling was the correct one for the ISP.

Too many packages these days are assuming that all the users will have always on broadband, so they do things like check for updates every 4 hours, and if you're on dial up, that can get VERY expensive very quickly, especially if the downloads are not optimised, so are several megabytes a day. On dial up, that's not funny.

[shuttlebus]

Easy solution (Hopefully)

open Internet Exploiter

Tools > Internet Options > Connections

Then choose "Never Dial Connection"

Problem solved..... maybe.....

Doh!!! Read first post, not just subject line.....

You could also check there are no extra connections listed in "Dial-up Networking". The only one listed should be your ISP.

One way may be to delete ALL the connections in here - then reboot - then re-create your ISP connection. If it is still dialling, then sounds like a dialler program (Spyware) has been installed.


Irish Steve also makes some very valid points - ensure that the "auto-update" setting in your AV software is disabled (although the "Never Dial" option should have the same affect).

Of course, you could get broadband which would avoid this issue :D

Regards,

Shuttlebus

[Ant]

Had exactly this a few weeks ago! I ran Adaware in "full system scan mode" and it found a Coulomb dialer. Interestingly, neither Spybot S&D nor Microsoft Antispyware found it, so it pays to run several different progs if you think theres a problem. Let us know if Adaware finds it!

[rotorcraig]

Agree that this sounds a bit suspicious - try these free utilities and see whether any detect a dialler (remember to run the "Update" function on each to get the latest signatures).

Spybot Search&Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html)
Lavasoft Ad-Aware (http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5)
Microsoft AntiSpyware (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=321CD7A2-6A57-4C57-A8BD-DBF62EDA9671&displaylang=en)

Even if nothing found, use the "Immunise" function in Spybot to reduce the risk of future infestation.

And for peace of mind, call your telco and ask them whether activity on your account since your last bill looks normal to them.

RC

[fixa24]

Cheers guys. :ok:
will try those programs!
Thanks.