Please explain: Refreshing modem's settings

Help! I've been having problems with my PC. I want to eliminate any
possible problems coming from the cable modem connection.

I run XP. I am told by tech support to plug and unplug devices but I
don't understand exactly why I am doing it. I don't really want to
do any steps which are not necessary.

Can someone explain what steps I should do and what effect they are
having. To give you an idea of what I do and do not understand I
have written the step out below.

Please correct them and add any explanations.

Thanks!
Jax.

----

STEP ONE: Power down PC and remove mains lead.
REASON: To make the ethernet card lose its setting. Some power
supplies still provide a current to the motherboard even when the PC
is "off" some unplugging maybe necessary.

STEP TWO: Power down the cable modem by removing power plug from
back of cable modem.
REASON: To make the cable modem forget stored values previously
obtained from the cable network???

STEP TWO: Unplug ethernet cable from modem (or from the PC).
REASON: To make the cable modem forget stored values previously
obtained from the network card in the PC???

STEP THREE: Unplug cable network's coax lead from the cable modem.
REASON: Don't know. Perhaps to regenerate the IP address assigned
by the newtwork to the cable modem. Is this right?

STEP FOUR: Plug the coax lead back into the cable modem

STEP FIVE: Plug the ethernet lead back into the cable modem.

STEP SIX: Plug power lead back into the cable modem. Wait until
both 'SYNC' and 'RDY' lights are steady.
REASON: Don't know.
To allow cable modem to swap info with ethernet card???
To allow cable modem to swap info with cable network???
What info??? Where is any info stored???

STEP STEP: Plug the mains lead back into the PC and boot it up.
REASON: Don't know.
To allow ethernet to swap some other info with ethernet card???
What is this info??? Where is any info stored???

"five" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Jackeline D wrote:
>> The problems are to do with connecting to the network.
>> Sometimes when I boot up I do not connect for 10 minutes.
>> Sometimes I do not connect.
>>
>
> Is this after you've allowed the CM lights to stabilise, after
> you switch it (the CM) on each day?
> 10 minutes sounds long for the CM to boot up, but once it has
> you should be able to connect immediately.
>

I never switch my CM off. The 10 minutes are for the PC to boot up.

Something during that 10 minute period seems to:
(a) take a lot of cpu
(b) mess up the IP addresses of the ethernet card.

"Jackeline D" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:94A196C0C47B53F89A@127.0.0.1...
> "Joe Bloggs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> > "Jackeline D" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >
> >> "Joe Bloggs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >>
> >> > Exactly what problem have you been having?
> >> > Please describe the problem in as much detail as you can.
> >> > When did the problem occur?
> >> > What are the symptoms?
> >> > What were you doing just before the problem occurred?
> >> > Does it always occur when you are doing the same thing or at
> >> > random times?
> >> >
> >> > Until you tell us what the problem is it will not be not
> >> > possible to comment on whether the steps below are likely to
> >> > help or not.
> >>
> >>
> >> The problems are to do with connecting to the network.
> >> Sometimes when I boot up I do not connect for 10 minutes.
> >> Sometimes I do not connect.
> >
> > Next time you boot up and don't connect please do the following.
> > In the run box on the start menu put cmd
> > In the window which appears type ipconfig /all
> > what IP address is given when you are not connected and when you
> > are connected?
>
>
> There are no IP addresses the at all. The "media is disconnected".
> When I looked at the properties for my ethernet card > TCP/IP >
> Properties then I saw all five fields were blank.

Sounds to me like you have mis configured a firewall and the PC is unable to
contact Ntl's DHCP server.

>
> As NTL tech support have no access to network tools until Wednesday I
> decided to find the right values by creating a new partition on my
> hard drive and installing XP to it. Then I booted into the second
> partition and connected to the net. As I was using the same hardware
> and in particuler the same ethernet card I figured the values I got
> coul dbe used in the original XP partition.

So you have now proved that the problem is nothing to do with Ntl or the
cable modem and is caused by problems with the XP installation in your old
partition.

>
> I copied what I read there:
>
> <QUOTE>
> IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 81.111.135.190
> Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
> Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 81.111.135.254
> </QUOTE>
>
> I put them into LAN Connect 5's TCP/IP properties. This didn't fully
> do the trick, so I found an old note I had of the IP addresses of the
> DNS servers and put those in.

Entering the values yourself is a bad idea.
When you install XP tell it you connect via a LAN and you want to obtain the
IP address automatically.
Then turn on the bult in firewall and disable file and print sharing and
netbios for the Internet connection.
Make regular use of.
http://www.safer-networking.org/
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
Don't bother installing another firewall which you won't be able to
configure properly and which will cause more problems than it solves when
you mis configure it.

>
> This still didn't work so I disconnected all the cables (see my
> original query as I would still like to know what needed to be
> disconnected and what does need to be disconnected).

Nothing needs to be disconnected at all but I'd start from everything
powered off if I was reinstalling XP.

>
> Then it worked.
>
>
> >> I have used a proxu DNS server (using BIND-PE as the software
> >> to set it up). I took it out but maybe BIND-PE has left traces
> >> of itself behind.
> >>
> >> Similarly, I may have made my add-on personal firewall too
> >> restrictive. Or maybe too many XP services have been disabled.
> >
> > Which add on personal firewall are you using? and why?
> > What's wrong with the XP built in firewall?
>
>
> XP's firewall does not detect outbound traffic like trojans.

That's not a good way to detect trojans. Much better not to get them on
there in the first place.
Learn to use http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/source/tcpview.shtml
to see what you are connecting to.

>
>
> > And which XP services have you disabled?
>
> I need to take a closer look at which services are running when I
> have a moment.
>
> There seems to be something which runs or fails to run at boot time
> and which may either clear my IP addresses above or write something
> new in there.

Most likely your firewall is in the way.

>
> Sometimes, if I wait for 5 or 10 minutes, I can connect. Sometimes I
> never connect.
>
> >>
> >> SVCHOST tries hard to access the network when I boot (50% cpu
> >> ofr minutes) and that may be connected.
> >
> > Yes it may be.
> >
>
> Do you think that SVCHOST is trying to find the IP addresses for the
> LAN Adapter for me because XP can tell they are not right?
>
> That might explain why SVCHOST keeps trying to do some work.
>
>
> >> And so on. But all that is academic because for now I want to
> >> eliminate the chance of any of these problems being due to the
> >> cable modem.
> >
> > It sounds to me like they are all of your own making.
>
> They almost certainly are. A clean install of XP does not have any
> of these problems.

So as I said above, you've proved that it's not an Ntl or cable modem
problem.

> But you know how it is after many months ...
> finger trouble, things happen, installing or removing software
> doesn't work cleanly. *sigh*

Reinstall XP then. You clearly know how to do it.
Tell XP you connect via a LAN and you want to obtain the IP automatically.
Enable the built in firewall for the network interface connected to the
cable modem.
Disable file and print sharing and netbios for the network interface
connected to the cable modem.

>
>
> >> Can anyone explain the cable modem refresh process to me. I
> >> will write here again what I understand (probably quite
> >> incorrectly). Thanks for any explanations.
> >
> > I wouldn't worry too much about the cable modem refresh process
> > if I were you but I might want to know the following.
> > Do you leave the cable modem on all the time or only turn it on
> > when you turn on the PC?
> > What does ipconfig /all say after you boot the PC?
>
> I think I answered this above.
>
> Do you think that when NTL changes my IP address that I will be stuck
> again? How do I set up my PC so that the correct IP address is
> allocated automatically?

Tell XP you connect via a LAN and you want to obtain the IP automatically.
Enable the built in firewall for the network interface connected to the
cable modem.
Disable file and print sharing and netbios for the network interface
connected to the cable modem.

Joe

>
> -------------
>
> >> STEP ONE: Power down PC and remove mains lead.
> >> REASON: To make the ethernet card lose its setting. Some power
> >> supplies still provide a current to the motherboard even when
> >> the PC is "off" some unplugging maybe necessary.
> >>
> >> STEP TWO: Power down the cable modem by removing power plug
> >> from back of cable modem.
> >> REASON: To make the cable modem forget stored values previously
> >> obtained from the cable network???
> >>
> >> STEP TWO: Unplug ethernet cable from modem (or from the PC).
> >> REASON: To make the cable modem forget stored values previously
> >> obtained from the network card in the PC???
> >>
> >> STEP THREE: Unplug cable network's coax lead from the cable
> >> modem. REASON: Don't know. Perhaps to regenerate the IP
> >> address assigned by the newtwork to the cable modem. Is this
> >> right?
> >>
> >> STEP FOUR: Plug the coax lead back into the cable modem
> >>
> >> STEP FIVE: Plug the ethernet lead back into the cable modem.
> >>
> >> STEP SIX: Plug power lead back into the cable modem. Wait
> >> until both 'SYNC' and 'RDY' lights are steady.
> >> REASON: Don't know.
> >> To allow cable modem to swap info with ethernet card???
> >> To allow cable modem to swap info with cable network???
> >> What info??? Where is any info stored???
> >>
> >> STEP STEP: Plug the mains lead back into the PC and boot it
> >> up. REASON: Don't know.
> >> To allow ethernet to swap some other info with ethernet card???
> >> What is this info??? Where is any info stored???
> >
> >
> >
>

"Paul Shirley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In message <R8p1c.7822$(E-Mail Removed)>, Joe Bloggs
> <(E-Mail Removed)> writes
> >You're going to have difficulty browsing the web then, not to mention
> >email. Personally I like to know what outgoing connections to the
> >Internet are
> >likely to be made.
>
> Really? Explain how I'm reading news & browsing right now with outbound
> firewalling active?

It's because you are one of the few people who know how to configure a
firewall and what it does.
You are not one of the vast majority who don't.
But you would still tell the vast majority to install a firewall they've got
no chance of being able to use properly.
That's the impression I get anyway.

>
> The move on to how I can browse through an inbound firewall, since you
> seem to think firewalls must stop all traffic (nothing else explains
> your outbound idea)

The idea was to try to get you to see the difference between someone with
your own experience of firewalls, and the vast majority of users who have no
experience of firewalls and even less desire/ability to learn about the one
they installed or had installed for them. Nothing more.
If you push a complex firewall on to such a user you make them worse off
than they were to begin with.

Joe

>
> --
> Paul Shirley: email anti-spammed

"Jackeline D" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:94A1C9659D50B53F89A@127.0.0.1...
> Joe, thank you for a useful reply. As you can see below I still have
> a little way to go to solve this problem. :-)
>
> This is a bit of a long posting.
>
>
>
> "Joe Bloggs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> > "Jackeline D" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >
> >> "Joe Bloggs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >>
> >> > "Jackeline D" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >> >
> >> >> "Joe Bloggs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >> >>
>
> -- snip --
>
> >> > Next time you boot up and don't connect please do the
> >> > following. In the run box on the start menu put cmd
> >> > In the window which appears type ipconfig /all
> >> > what IP address is given when you are not connected and when
> >> > you are connected?
> >>
> >>
> >> There are no IP addresses the at all. The "media is
> >> disconnected". When I looked at the properties for my ethernet
> >> card > TCP/IP > Properties then I saw all five fields were
> >> blank.
> >
> > Sounds to me like you have mis configured a firewall and the PC
> > is unable to contact Ntl's DHCP server.
>
> This is quite possible. However ... I uninstalled the firewall
> (Sygate) and did a manual check for any remaining componentsas
> instructed by a page on the web . Even after that the problem with
> connecting was no better.

I think you're going to have to reinstall XP after backing up any files you
want to keep.
But see below.

>
> ----
>
> If I look at the XP Services on my problem partition and compare them
> to the XP Services on the new working partition then i see that the
> problem partition does not have the following services started.
>
> DHCP Client
> Error Reporting Service
> Messenger
> SSDP Discovery Service
>
> DHCP wont start manally either: - "Could not start the DHCP Client
> service on Local Computer. Error 1068: The dependency service or
> group."

This might help but no guarantee
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=299357

>
>
>
> >> As NTL tech support have no access to network tools until
> >> Wednesday I decided to find the right values by creating a new
> >> partition on my hard drive and installing XP to it. Then I
> >> booted into the second partition and connected to the net. As
> >> I was using the same hardware and in particuler the same
> >> ethernet card I figured the values I got could be used in the
> >> original XP partition.
> >
> > So you have now proved that the problem is nothing to do with
> > Ntl or the cable modem and is caused by problems with the XP
> > installation in your old partition.
>
> I am not quite ok on that score because I still want to change the
> socket into which I plug the ethernet cable from the modem. There
> are three options for me :
>
> 1. the LAN card plugged into my motherboard
> 2. the LAN socket on the motherboard
> 3. the LAN socket of another different PC I am putting together.
>
> I think I am going to need a better understanding of how to refresh
> the settings on the PC and modem because I don't want to waste ages
> rebooting if it is not needed.

Switching the cable modem to another ethernet interface (LAN card/socket)
requires powering off the cable modem.
Then power it on and wait until sync and rdy are steady
Then do whatever else you have to do.

>
>
> >> I copied what I read there:
> >>
> >> <QUOTE>
> >> IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 81.111.135.190
> >> Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
> >> Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 81.111.135.254 </QUOTE>
> >>
> >> I put them into LAN Connect 5's TCP/IP properties. This didn't
> >> fully do the trick, so I found an old note I had of the IP
> >> addresses of the DNS servers and put those in.
> >
> > Entering the values yourself is a bad idea.
> > When you install XP tell it you connect via a LAN and you want
> > to obtain the IP address automatically.
> > Then turn on the bult in firewall and disable file and print
> > sharing and netbios for the Internet connection.
> > Make regular use of.
> > http://www.safer-networking.org/
> > http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
>
> Haven't been able to properly run the online virus scanner nor SpyBot
> because I can't get online from the affected version of XP. So I ran
> them over the problem partition but booting from another partition.

Good idea.

>
>
>
> > Don't bother installing another firewall which you won't be able
> > to configure properly and which will cause more problems than it
> > solves when you mis configure it.
>
> Too late.
>
> >> >> I have used a proxy DNS server (using BIND-PE as the
> >> >> software to set it up). I took it out but maybe BIND-PE has
> >> >> left traces of itself behind.
> >> >>
> >> >> Similarly, I may have made my add-on personal firewall too
> >> >> restrictive. Or maybe too many XP services have been
> >> >> disabled.
> >> >
> >> > Which add on personal firewall are you using? and why?
> >> > What's wrong with the XP built in firewall?
> >>
> >>
> >> XP's firewall does not detect outbound traffic like trojans.
> >
> > That's not a good way to detect trojans. Much better not to get
> > them on there in the first place.
> > Learn to use
> > http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/source/tcpview.shtml to see
> > what you are connecting to.
>
> Great link. Thank you. I will use this tool.
>
>
> >> > And which XP services have you disabled?
> >>
> >> I need to take a closer look at which services are running when
> >> I have a moment.
> >>
> >> There seems to be something which runs or fails to run at boot
> >> time and which may either clear my IP addresses above or write
> >> something new in there.
> >
> > Most likely your firewall is in the way.
>
> I just took a look at an ol listing I made of a firewall log at boot
> time. I list here only the things which the firewall BLOCKED. These
> are all incoming. The latest is shown first. The first IP address
> is the destination and the second is the source.
>
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.103.145.37 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.106.169.107 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.105.33.88 8
> TCP Incoming 81.105.206.7 4662 62.99.91.121 50503
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.104.7.209 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.102.220.63 8
> TCP Incoming 81.105.206.7 4662 62.99.91.121 50503
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.107.203.197 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.103.17.128 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.107.234.236 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.104.111.31 8
> TCP Incoming 81.105.206.7 4662 62.99.91.121 50503
> TCP Incoming 81.105.206.7 4662 62.99.91.121 50503
> TCP Incoming 81.105.206.7 4662 212.31.238.114 57903
> TCP Incoming 81.105.206.7 4662 62.99.91.121 50503
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.105.194.96 8
> TCP Incoming 81.105.206.7 4662 212.31.238.114 57903
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> TCP Incoming 81.105.206.7 4662 212.31.238.114 57903
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.107.52.244 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.103.218.160 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.106.193.33 8
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.107.82.63 8
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.103.28.189 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.105.213.237 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.102.218.124 8
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 82.2.64.164 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.104.223.157 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.105.202.131 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.103.183.215 8
> TCP Incoming 81.105.206.7 17300 81.102.236.236 2396
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.108.219.86 8
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.102.156.154 8
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.103.73.240 8
> UDP Incoming 81.105.206.7 1434 62.167.59.160 1781
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> ICMP Incoming 81.105.206.7 0 81.104.116.124 8
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
> UDP Incoming 255.255.255.255 68 10.82.32.1 67
>
> Does this help work out what is going wrong?

Yes. DHCP uses ports 67/68
If a mis configured firewall blocks it then you won't get an IP address.

>
>
> >> Sometimes, if I wait for 5 or 10 minutes, I can connect.
> >> Sometimes I never connect.
> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> SVCHOST tries hard to access the network when I boot (50%
> >> >> cpu ofr minutes) and that may be connected.
> >> >
> >> > Yes it may be.
> >> >
> >>
> >> Do you think that SVCHOST is trying to find the IP addresses
> >> for the LAN Adapter for me because XP can tell they are not
> >> right?
> >>
> >> That might explain why SVCHOST keeps trying to do some work.
>
> Since I last posted I have found that SVCHOST (logged on as NETWORK
> SERVICE) only kicks in and uses up all that cpu (mine is a small 900
> MHz) after I launch an application and try to access the net.
>
> SVCHOST starts with Task Manager showing mem usage of 1628K and
> virtual memory of 488. After a short while these go to 1744K & 572
> K.
>
> Then when I try to access the net these two vaues go up in increments
> of what look like 30 or 40 K and the cpu utilisation goes to 90%
> until the memory values reach 6120K & 4904 K. Then SCVHOST stops
> trying. And I still can't connect to the net. :-(
>
> -- snip --
>
> > Reinstall XP then. You clearly know how to do it.
> > Tell XP you connect via a LAN and you want to obtain the IP
> > automatically. Enable the built in firewall for the network
> > interface connected to the cable modem.
> > Disable file and print sharing and netbios for the network
> > interface connected to the cable modem.
>
> I want to keep my original XP partition for now. Can I get brand new
> default comms settings by reinstalling XP over the existing
> partition?

Try the TCP/IP reinstall above. If that doesn't work then try reinstalling
XP on the same partition.
It will not delete your own files (unless you tell it to delete or reformat
the partition).

>
> --snip --
>
> >> Do you think that when NTL changes my IP address that I will be
> >> stuck again? How do I set up my PC so that the correct IP
> >> address is allocated automatically?
> >
> > Tell XP you connect via a LAN and you want to obtain the IP
> > automatically. Enable the built in firewall for the network
> > interface connected to the cable modem.
> > Disable file and print sharing and netbios for the network
> > interface connected to the cable modem.
>
> Currently I have got file & print sharing and netbios disabled. In
> addition I have also got QOS and Client for Microsoft Networks
> disabled. Is this ok?

Yes fine.

Do you have a CD writer in that PC?
If so, copy all the files of your own you want to keep, to a new folder.
Write them to CD
Verify the CD with http://keithdevens.com/files/windiff/
Wipe the partition and reinstall XP.

Joe

>
> >
> > Joe
>
>
> =======================
>
> >> >> STEP ONE: Power down PC and remove mains lead.
> >> >> REASON: To make the ethernet card lose its setting. Some
> >> >> power supplies still provide a current to the motherboard
> >> >> even when the PC is "off" some unplugging maybe necessary.
> >> >>
> >> >> STEP TWO: Power down the cable modem by removing power plug
> >> >> from back of cable modem.
> >> >> REASON: To make the cable modem forget stored values
> >> >> previously obtained from the cable network???
> >> >>
> >> >> STEP TWO: Unplug ethernet cable from modem (or from the PC).
> >> >> REASON: To make the cable modem forget stored values
> >> >> previously obtained from the network card in the PC???
> >> >>
> >> >> STEP THREE: Unplug cable network's coax lead from the cable
> >> >> modem. REASON: Don't know. Perhaps to regenerate the IP
> >> >> address assigned by the newtwork to the cable modem. Is
> >> >> this right?
> >> >>
> >> >> STEP FOUR: Plug the coax lead back into the cable modem
> >> >>
> >> >> STEP FIVE: Plug the ethernet lead back into the cable
> >> >> modem.
> >> >>
> >> >> STEP SIX: Plug power lead back into the cable modem. Wait
> >> >> until both 'SYNC' and 'RDY' lights are steady.
> >> >> REASON: Don't know.
> >> >> To allow cable modem to swap info with ethernet card???
> >> >> To allow cable modem to swap info with cable network???
> >> >> What info??? Where is any info stored???
> >> >>
> >> >> STEP STEP: Plug the mains lead back into the PC and boot it
> >> >> up. REASON: Don't know.
> >> >> To allow ethernet to swap some other info with ethernet
> >> >> card??? What is this info??? Where is any info stored???
> >> >

"Joe Bloggs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>> I am not quite ok on that score because I still want to change
>> the socket into which I plug the ethernet cable from the modem.
>> There are three options for me :
>>
>> 1. the LAN card plugged into my motherboard
>> 2. the LAN socket on the motherboard
>> 3. the LAN socket of another different PC I am putting
>> together.
>>
>> I think I am going to need a better understanding of how to
>> refresh the settings on the PC and modem because I don't want
>> to waste ages rebooting if it is not needed.
>
> Switching the cable modem to another ethernet interface (LAN
> card/socket) requires powering off the cable modem.
> Then power it on and wait until sync and rdy are steady
> Then do whatever else you have to do.


Joe

As an aside to the main exchange we are having in this thread I would
like to ask this:

If I disconnect the co-ax cable (which comes in from NTL's network)
from the modem and reconect it, then do I get assigned a new IP
address?

Firewalls aren't that hard to set up for basic browsing, email and news
reading. I have got Zonealarm and the firewall that is built into my D-Link
router between me and you , and I'm having no problems at all.

Why would you so blindly trust the MS firewall??

It may catch certain inbound things, but it sure as hell won't tell you when
an MS program is "phoning" home!!!

Best to stick with 3rd party firewalls that are objective in the filtering
they do.


"Joe Bloggs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:npq1c.393$54.156@newsfe1-win...
> "Paul Shirley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > In message <R8p1c.7822$(E-Mail Removed)>, Joe Bloggs
> > <(E-Mail Removed)> writes
> > >You're going to have difficulty browsing the web then, not to mention
> > >email. Personally I like to know what outgoing connections to the
> > >Internet are
> > >likely to be made.
> >
> > Really? Explain how I'm reading news & browsing right now with outbound
> > firewalling active?
>
> It's because you are one of the few people who know how to configure a
> firewall and what it does.
> You are not one of the vast majority who don't.
> But you would still tell the vast majority to install a firewall they've
got
> no chance of being able to use properly.
> That's the impression I get anyway.
>
> >
> > The move on to how I can browse through an inbound firewall, since you
> > seem to think firewalls must stop all traffic (nothing else explains
> > your outbound idea)
>
> The idea was to try to get you to see the difference between someone with
> your own experience of firewalls, and the vast majority of users who have
no
> experience of firewalls and even less desire/ability to learn about the
one
> they installed or had installed for them. Nothing more.
> If you push a complex firewall on to such a user you make them worse off
> than they were to begin with.
>
> Joe
>
> >
> > --
> > Paul Shirley: email anti-spammed
>
>

"Joe Bloggs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>> As an aside to the main exchange we are having in this thread I
>> would like to ask this:
>>
>> If I disconnect the co-ax cable (which comes in from NTL's
>> network) from the modem and reconect it, then do I get assigned
>> a new IP address?
>
> No. It will have no effect whatsoever on the Internet IP address
> you are assigned.
>
> You will however find that connecting the cable modem's ethernet
> cable to a different PC or different network interface gets you
> a different IP address. But don't forget to power off the cable
> modem before doing that or you'll get no valid IP address at
> all. And don't try to connect more than two different
> PCs/network interfaces directly to the cable modem in any 24
> hour period or the DHCP server might refuse to give you a new IP
> address until the lease on one of the previous addresses
> expires.
>

Ah yes, I have heard about not being able to put the ethernet plug
into on pc and then another and then back to the first.

Someone on the NTL helpline told me the other day that NTL no longer
took anything like 24 hours to re-set whatever it was that needed re-
setting. He seemed to suggest that it was down to a matter of an
hours or so.

Do you know if it really has changed or was he just trying to guess
at it?

"Paul Shirley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In message <ZAB1c.3173$(E-Mail Removed)>, Joe Bloggs
> <(E-Mail Removed)> writes
> >You are answering me from the viewpoint of another experienced user who
> >inderstands firewalls.
>
> ZoneAlarm is *the* firewall for beginners. Its doesn't get much simpler
> and it correctly defaults to blocking by default so beginners can't
> screw up too badly.

That would depend on exactly what it blocks by default but I'm not going to
give any further arguments in this thread.

> WinXP's firewall needs expert knowledge to properly
> setup, let it pick its own defaults and it screws up.
>
> If you think ZoneAlarm is for experts I can only suggest you're an
> absolute beginner and not qualified to give advice about Internet or
> computer problems.

Could you point out where I said that ZA was for experts please.

You can suggest anything you wish.
I'm not going to give any further arguments in this thread.
There is more than enough in this thread for people to come to their own
conclusions and make their own decisions about firewalls for Windows XP. My
status as an "absolute beginner" or "not qualified" is irrelevant.

Joe

> --
> Paul Shirley: email anti-spammed

"Mark McIntyre" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 5 Mar 2004 01:17:52 -0000, "Colin Reddish"
> <creddish@(removespamblock)freegratis.net> wrote:
>
> >Well personally I'm with Joe on this one. I don't consider myself a
> >beginner.
> ....
> >However, when I recently installed ZoneAlarm I found
> >many of the access questions very difficult to answer.
>
> ????? That must have been an antique version of ZA. I just reinstalled
> and got asked very few questions.
>
> >Generally requests occur at times when I am
> >doing something that could reasonably require internet access so I agree
to
> >it even if I have not understood the specific detail of the request.
>
> Sadly this is typical user behaviour

There's nothing sad about it it's just a fact of life.
Typical users don't behave the same way you would because they're not you.

Joe

> - I dunno, so I'll panic and say
> ok, the computer must know better than me. Rubbish, whenever something
> asks for access, if you didn't tell it to do it, then someone else
> did.
> Say No, but don't make the choice permanent. And if whatever you were
> doing breaks, try again and say yes this time. But THINK about what
> broke, and whether you really needed it.
>
>