Unwanted access to the internet.

We recently installed a server 2003 at our office. We
have a terminal server and norton antivirus on this. Our
network is configured with a zyxel isdn-router as an
internet gateway on a dial-up connection. The router
connects whenever there is a request for external traffic.

The problem is that server 2003 has a lot of autonomous
request for data from the internet all around the clock.
Out bills have skyrocketed since installation.

How can one configure server 2003 to limit request for
external data to office hours? (0730-1530) ? What
programs/processes are polling the internet all the time?

Things NOT to tip me of:
1. reconfigure your router: done. not possible
2. turn off automatic updates: done.
3. RTFM: done. twice
4. Search MSDN/Support: done intensively. no result.
5. call support: tried that. sour bastard knew nothing.

All constructive help will be appreciated. Please mail
replies to (E-Mail Removed).

-B

Many programs, now a days keep checking on internet for updates, so working
after that thing will be meaningless, all the time any changes done, new
things installed, you will have keep the track that every where that
auto-updates are always disabled
So setup your server as a router. (demand dial).
Connect the zyxel modem to the server comport and setup
RRAS, with demand dial routing. In RRAS for demand dial
routing, you can specify dial out hours. So there you can give
dial out hour from 0730 -1530, and also you can set it
no dial out at all on weekly holidays. Also you can setup the firewall.
Please note this is possible only when you set up RRAS for demand
dial routing. If you put another NIC on the server, and connect to the
router, then you won't have this option of limiting connection for certain
duration.

Other option will be only a third party solution, like changing the router
which support, restrict dial out to specified period. OR have a
programmable
timer, such that it swtiches the power supply to modem on at 7:30 , off at
15:30.

Sharad



"B. Christensen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:698801c3e70f$ddc8b5b0$(E-Mail Removed)...
> We recently installed a server 2003 at our office. We
> have a terminal server and norton antivirus on this. Our
> network is configured with a zyxel isdn-router as an
> internet gateway on a dial-up connection. The router
> connects whenever there is a request for external traffic.
>
> The problem is that server 2003 has a lot of autonomous
> request for data from the internet all around the clock.
> Out bills have skyrocketed since installation.
>
> How can one configure server 2003 to limit request for
> external data to office hours? (0730-1530) ? What
> programs/processes are polling the internet all the time?
>
> Things NOT to tip me of:
> 1. reconfigure your router: done. not possible
> 2. turn off automatic updates: done.
> 3. RTFM: done. twice
> 4. Search MSDN/Support: done intensively. no result.
> 5. call support: tried that. sour bastard knew nothing.
>
> All constructive help will be appreciated. Please mail
> replies to (E-Mail Removed).
>
> -B

On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 01:03:02 -0800, "B. Christensen"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>We recently installed a server 2003 at our office. We
>have a terminal server and norton antivirus on this. Our
>network is configured with a zyxel isdn-router as an
>internet gateway on a dial-up connection. The router
>connects whenever there is a request for external traffic.
>
>The problem is that server 2003 has a lot of autonomous
>request for data from the internet all around the clock.
>Out bills have skyrocketed since installation.
>
>How can one configure server 2003 to limit request for
>external data to office hours? (0730-1530) ?

Pull the cable to the internet when you go home.

>What
>programs/processes are polling the internet all the time?

That's something you'll need to research. Firewall and router logs
may help identify it. Could be DNS transfers, normal broadcasts,
program updates or any number of things.

>Things NOT to tip me of:
>1. reconfigure your router: done. not possible
>2. turn off automatic updates: done.
>3. RTFM: done. twice
>4. Search MSDN/Support: done intensively. no result.
>5. call support: tried that. sour bastard knew nothing.

Best/easiest solution I can think of is a proxy or firewall with
configurable access times. Or switch to a service that doesn't depend
on dial-up and time-related charges.

Jeff