Just a coincidence or something sinister

Hi

I was connected to broadband via Alcatel Speedtouch 330 USB and have been
for the last few days no problems with the connection (one I got drivers
with the right VPI VCI settings). However at about 2:45am I had a strange
problem.

I had Winamp streaming from http://64.236.34.4:80/stream/1003 Outlook
Express, Outlook, Internet Explorer, Norton Antivirus and Messenger running
+ Windows processes. All service packs and security updates installed. I`m
running the Windows firewall and have port 6346 TCP open.

What happened was Winamp shutdown suddenly as did Explorer. Explorer then
reloaded and I was disconnected from Messenger all at the same time my modem
lost sync for 10 - 20 seconds then resynced. I did a precautionary reboot
then reconnected no problems everything is fine again.

I put this down to one of two things - I pissed someone off so they did
*something* which caused this or there was a problem at the exchange which
caused my modem to lose sync and Winamp & Explorer to crash. Its strange
this has *never* happened before with this modem in the 3 years 2000 - 2003
or over the last few days.

Any ideas is there something someone could do that could do this or just a
freak event ?

--
And to all those opposed...
Hmm...well


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Nick Le Lievre wrote:
> Hi
>
> I was connected to broadband via Alcatel Speedtouch 330 USB and have
> been for the last few days no problems with the connection (one I got
> drivers with the right VPI VCI settings). However at about 2:45am I
> had a strange problem.
>
> I had Winamp streaming from http://64.236.34.4:80/stream/1003 Outlook
> Express, Outlook, Internet Explorer, Norton Antivirus and Messenger
> running + Windows processes. All service packs and security updates
> installed. I`m running the Windows firewall and have port 6346 TCP
> open.
> What happened was Winamp shutdown suddenly as did Explorer. Explorer
> then reloaded and I was disconnected from Messenger all at the same
> time my modem lost sync for 10 - 20 seconds then resynced. I did a
> precautionary reboot then reconnected no problems everything is fine
> again.
> I put this down to one of two things - I pissed someone off so they
> did *something* which caused this or there was a problem at the
> exchange which caused my modem to lose sync and Winamp & Explorer to
> crash. Its strange this has *never* happened before with this modem
> in the 3 years 2000 - 2003 or over the last few days.
>
> Any ideas is there something someone could do that could do this or
> just a freak event ?

I downloaded and installed Spybot Search and Destroy earlier on and got the
updates and I had nothing when I first did a scan but I ran it again just
now and it found these;

--- Search result list ---
Mailbot: Program directory (Directory, nothing done)
C:\WINDOWS\inet20004

MediaPlex: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Nick Le Lievre) (Cookie,
nothing done)
Avenue A, Inc.: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Nick Le Lievre) (Cookie,
nothing done)
DoubleClick: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Nick Le Lievre) (Cookie,
nothing done)
Advertising.com: Tracking cookie (Internet Explorer: Nick Le Lievre)
(Cookie, nothing done)

Its interesting that I already got spam.mailbot.b which has just been added
to Spybots latest defenitions file on 17/02/06
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_138599.htm . Its a variant of
spam.mailbot.gen http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_137439.htm but I doubt
this would of caused what I expierienced but where did I get it from ?

--
And to all those opposed...
Hmm...well


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"Nick Le Lievre" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:43fbd919$0$28177$(E-Mail Removed) om...
> Hi
>
> I was connected to broadband via Alcatel Speedtouch 330 USB and have been
> for the last few days no problems with the connection (one I got drivers
> with the right VPI VCI settings). However at about 2:45am I had a strange
> problem.

Snip

It is likely that you will find the answer in event viewer.

Richard H Huelin wrote:
> "Nick Le Lievre" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> message news:43fbd919$0$28177$(E-Mail Removed) om...
>> Hi
>>
>> I was connected to broadband via Alcatel Speedtouch 330 USB and have
>> been for the last few days no problems with the connection (one I
>> got drivers with the right VPI VCI settings). However at about
>> 2:45am I had a strange problem.
>
> Snip
>
> It is likely that you will find the answer in event viewer.

Richard my old friend! Long time no see its a small world - I trust you
remember me

http://tinyurl.com/qd9uz
http://tinyurl.com/negpz

I looked in the event viewer there was nothing significant in there. Maybe
something died at the exchange.


--
And to all those opposed...
Hmm...well


*** Free account sponsored by SecureIX.com ***
*** Encrypt your Internet usage with a free VPN account from http://www.SecureIX.com ***

"Nick Le Lievre" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:43fbd919$0$28177$(E-Mail Removed) om...
> Hi
>
> I was connected to broadband via Alcatel Speedtouch 330 USB and have been
> for the last few days no problems with the connection (one I got drivers
> with the right VPI VCI settings). However at about 2:45am I had a strange
> problem.
>
> I had Winamp streaming from http://64.236.34.4:80/stream/1003 Outlook
> Express, Outlook, Internet Explorer, Norton Antivirus and Messenger
> running + Windows processes. All service packs and security updates
> installed. I`m running the Windows firewall and have port 6346 TCP open.
>
> What happened was Winamp shutdown suddenly as did Explorer. Explorer then
> reloaded and I was disconnected from Messenger all at the same time my
> modem lost sync for 10 - 20 seconds then resynced. I did a precautionary
> reboot then reconnected no problems everything is fine again.
>
> I put this down to one of two things - I pissed someone off so they did
> *something* which caused this or there was a problem at the exchange which
> caused my modem to lose sync and Winamp & Explorer to crash. Its strange
> this has *never* happened before with this modem in the 3 years 2000 -
> 2003 or over the last few days.
>
> Any ideas is there something someone could do that could do this or just a
> freak event ?
>

BT are carrying out upgrades to exchanges over the next few weeks. The
upgrades, which will apparently cause a brief interruption to services, are
being done between midnight and 6am to avoid to much inconvenience. Sounds
like yours has just been done. Those of us on BT broadband can see the
list of exchanges to be done a day ahead on the announce group.
--
Keith Willcocks
(If you can't laugh at life, it ain't worth living!)

Keith Willcocks wrote:
> "Nick Le Lievre" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
>>
>> Any ideas is there something someone could do that could do this or
>> just a freak event ?
>>
>
> BT are carrying out upgrades to exchanges over the next few weeks. The
> upgrades, which will apparently cause a brief interruption to
> services, are being done between midnight and 6am to avoid to much
> inconvenience. Sounds like yours has just been done. Those of us
> on BT broadband can see the list of exchanges to be done a day ahead
> on the announce group.

I`m based in Jersey so I`m not sure that would apply as we have "Jersey
Telecoms" for the whole of our Island. It dropped sync for like 1-2 mins not
5-10 as I said earlier. No one was using a phone in an unfiltered socket at
the time either. I would guess however it had something to do with
maintenance to the exchange.

--
And to all those opposed...
Hmm...well


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"Nick Le Lievre" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:43fbd919$0$28177$(E-Mail Removed) om:

> I put this down to one of two things - I pissed someone off so they
> did *something* which caused this or there was a problem at the
> exchange which caused my modem to lose sync and Winamp & Explorer to
> crash. Its strange this has *never* happened before with this modem in
> the 3 years 2000 - 2003 or over the last few days.
>
> Any ideas is there something someone could do that could do this or
> just a freak event ?
>

Losing sync is just one of those things - are you saying it's never
happened to you before? My router usually loses sync at least once a day
and sometimes every couple of hours as we have poor line quality round
here. Any kind of noise on the line might trigger it if it's in the
frequency range used by ADSL.

It sounds like what happened was sync was lost, and Windows responded by
clearing down the open connections just as it would for a dial-up modem. If
you have a static IP then you need to enter it into the Windows settings
somewhere so that it leaves connections open when line loss occurs so that
they can resume when its restored. Better still use a router, as that will
have the same effect (as presents a static IP to Windows) and will improve
your security too.

if wrote:
> "Nick Le Lievre" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> news:43fbd919$0$28177$(E-Mail Removed) om:
>
>> I put this down to one of two things - I pissed someone off so they
>> did *something* which caused this or there was a problem at the
>> exchange which caused my modem to lose sync and Winamp & Explorer to
>> crash. Its strange this has *never* happened before with this modem
>> in the 3 years 2000 - 2003 or over the last few days.
>>
>> Any ideas is there something someone could do that could do this or
>> just a freak event ?
>>
>
> Losing sync is just one of those things - are you saying it's never
> happened to you before? My router usually loses sync at least once a
> day and sometimes every couple of hours as we have poor line quality
> round here. Any kind of noise on the line might trigger it if it's in
> the frequency range used by ADSL.
>

Its *never* happened to me before in 3 years 2000 - 2003 or in the last few
days since going back on broadband using the same modem and pretty much the
same network direct to JT from 2000 - 2003 but now on localdial.com which
have their own servers but basically the same thing. See
http://members.lycos.co.uk/venus/tracert.txt

--
And to all those opposed...
Hmm...well


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