dsl modem light flickers when idle???

spyghost · Post by **spyghost** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 8:37 pm

hi,

i noticed something when i am connected to the internet through dsl and i am not doing anything (i am not surfing, downloading or anything - everything is idle)

my 100m lights flicker approximately once a minute followed by a short blink of the act light.

i scanned with ad-aware pro and spybot and there are not adwares or anything else...

i am using a stand alone pc... no network of any sort beside the internet

is this a normal thing to happen or not?

qball15j · Post by **qball15j** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 8:54 pm

Yes, that's normal. It's just a little network activity, possibly ping, port scan, etc. Once a minute isn't bad at all compared to my constant activity ligh flicker with Comcast HSI

EDIT----
Nothing to be alarmed over, script kiddies (want to be hackers) run port scans over a wide range of IP addresses which pings your modem on each port.

wee96 · Post by **wee96** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 10:54 pm

Yep, as stated before lots of scripties out there scanning for useless trojan ports that you dont need to worry about (unless you happen to have a trojan obviously). The modem is constantly talking to the head-end as well, telling it "hello, im still here". There is ALWAYS activity, if not you know you have a problem

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 6:20 am

Also consider normal activity prompted by your computer and its software. Antivirus automatic update looking for new definitions, Windows Critical updates, depending on how you have it set. I have mine set to download updates automatically when it finds them, and notify you when they're downloaded...letting you install at your conveniece. But downloading them, it will trickle download them at a slow rate when available. Windows XP net time service...depending on if you have it set to keep your clock accurate via time servers. With todays software, daily activity coming from your unattended computer can be normal.

spyghost · Post by **spyghost** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 9:11 am

yes i got your point guys, but the flicker only takes place in a win98 system, not on an xp or linux...

Joel · Post by **Joel** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 1:40 pm

hi,

i noticed something when i am connected to the internet through dsl and i am not doing anything (i am not surfing, downloading or anything - everything is idle)

my 100m lights flicker approximately once a minute followed by a short blink of the act light.

i scanned with ad-aware pro and spybot and there are not adwares or anything else...

i am using a stand alone pc... no network of any sort beside the internet

is this a normal thing to happen or not?

yes i got your point guys, but the flicker only takes place in a win98 system, not on an xp or linux...

I'm confused - I thought you only had one computer on a network by itself. How do you know that it doesn't happen on the other version. Not really a significant question, I was just wonering.

spyghost · Post by **spyghost** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 8:47 pm

yes, i have a single pc without any network of any sort, but this single pc is multi boot...

cyberskye · Post by **cyberskye** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 9:41 pm

The only way your OS could affect the modem activity is via sw running on your box. If you have spybotted adn anti-trojaned and antivirused, then it is probably an updater or the like.

Run sygate personal firewall on that OS and see what (if anything) is connecting outbound.

DHCP or static? If DHCP where do you get your ip from - a router or your isp?

If you don't have a router, you better be running a sw firewall anyway.

Skye

qball15j · Post by **qball15j** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 9:53 pm

Just remember any firewall is better than none but keep in mind a firewall is only as good as the OS sitting under it.

spyghost · Post by **spyghost** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 1:03 am

Originally posted by cyberskye
The only way your OS could affect the modem activity is via sw running on your box. If you have spybotted adn anti-trojaned and antivirused, then it is probably an updater or the like.

Run sygate personal firewall on that OS and see what (if anything) is connecting outbound.

DHCP or static? If DHCP where do you get your ip from - a router or your isp?

If you don't have a router, you better be running a sw firewall anyway.

Skye

i already norton-ed, pccilined, spyboted, and adadwared my box. i also have sygate... no problems whatsoever

i get my ip from my isp.