modem disconnecting

[deacon]

Hi Guys,
Everytime that I go online I get disconnected after a few minutes and have to reconnect after which it doesn't happen again that session. I'm running W'98.I've checked my mail handling programmes in case one of them was periodically checking for mail and hanging up when finished but this isn't the case.Any of you have any idea what might be going on here? Thanking you in advance.

Deacon.

[tramtwo]

Hello deacon

Are you on a dialup or broadband connection?

[deacon]

Hi Tramtwo,
I am using a dial up connection.

[tramtwo]

You may want to install one of the free firewalls. This will allow you to better "see" what programs are accessing your connection.

Also it is always a good idea with problems like this, to do a complete scan for virus and spyware.

Here is a link for these programs if you need them.

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12901

If you have done all these steps and your connection still is acting up. The easier solution (IMHO) would be to create a new dial-up connection doing away with the old. The reason I say this is because I've got a gut feeling that your problem is software related not hardware. :)

[tb525]

Let's see if there is any 'malware' causing this.
Download 'HijackThis!'.
http://www.spywareinfo.com/files/hijackthis.zip

Unzip and double click HijackThis.exe, and hit "Scan".

When the scan is finished, click "Save Log" and copy and paste it in a reply.

[tramtwo]

tb525
Can you give an example of malware that does this sort of thing? Disconnects the modem upon first sign on and then does nothing on the next sign on...

[tb525]

It could be any of the 'premium rate dialers'.

A dialer is a small program which disconnects your dialup modem and uses it to make long distance calls to foreign countries. The company responsible for the dialer rakes in the long distance fees.

These programs are installed by ActiveX drive-by download or by disguising themselves as picture or movie files. You go to a web site and get bombarded by pop ups, and the next thing you know a dialer is installed. Once installed, the dialer will create registry entries that load it when you restart your PC. etc

http://www.spywareinfo.com/newsletter/archives/feb-2003/5.php

It could also be any 'malware' or 'legit' application that connects but crashes causing the dialup to be dropped. Thus being, it would not be able to connect again until the pc is rebooted.

[tramtwo]

Thanks tb for that information.

[cody580]

i had a 350.00$ phone bill one time a good while back i was lucky at&t took it off my bill i had them put a block on all over seas calls you can also have them put a password protection on over seas calls if you think you will need that service
>cody