Who is my computer talking to?

[BOBOT]

I see that a lot of data transfer is happening, & assume that it's MSoft sending me their latest patch to their fubar OS, but I have no way of knowing until they tell me. It bothers me that data is going out at a pretty good clip , too. I do have the shields up, but still feel naked.
Know of any way (3rd party software, eg) to identify what site is latched on?

 

[eridanus]

At the command prompt, netstat -a.

 

[BOBOT]

At the command prompt, netstat -a.

Ok, remind me how to get to the DOS screen fro XP? Thx ==

 

[Kwirk]

Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> Command prompt

 

[Brat]

I've gotten an update from MS in the last 24 too.

 

[Khan]

Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> Command prompt

I did not know that.

Thank you very much.

 

[eridanus]

There's also Winpooch (from sourceforge.net, I think). It'll tell you which application is talking to what IP. I use it together with my anti-viral program.

 

[BOBOT]

Eridanus & Kwirk, thanks. Of the IP addresses I see only amazon.com is readily identifiable; I wonder what they're doing.

Is there a site where I can decipher the numerical IP addresses?

Winpooch appears to be an antitrojan type program; I've had trouble with these conflicting with windows firewall.

Speaking of which, why is firewall allowing any traffic? I checked the settings, I don't have any exceptions.

 

[Brat]

IP ID, try

http://ws.arin.net/cgi-bin/whois.pl

or

http://www.geobytes.com/IpLocator.htm

in that order.

 

[CyclingInvestor]

If you have a REAL firewall such as FreeZone (the free version of ZoneAlarm)
installed instead of the garbage Windows provides, it will alert you whenever
a program tries to connect externally, and allow you to extand a one-time
or a permanent yes/no to that program. I was surprised at how many
programs on my computer wanted to talk to rest of the world without my
knowing it.

 

[Leonidas]

If you have a REAL firewall such as FreeZone (the free version of ZoneAlarm)
installed instead of the garbage Windows provides, it will alert you whenever
a program tries to connect externally, and allow you to extand a one-time
or a permanent yes/no to that program. I was surprised at how many
programs on my computer wanted to talk to rest of the world without my
knowing it.

I second the vote for Zone Alarm products. I use the ZA security suite and between that and my router's hardware firewall I never have any problems. ZA, at least the security suite for sure, will not only notify you of who you're computer wants to talk to, but you can click on the warning popup and find out all about what program/IP address is involved, where they are and any known history of problems.

 

[BOBOT]

I actually used to use ZA & some other freeware , but I guess I never reinstalled them when I got the new machine. Havde to look into it.

Recommendations re: disabling windows firewall when/if I install the 3rd party stuff?

Thanks for the info, pointers & tips...

 

[eridanus]

Two other useful command line tools:

tracert <IP or hostname>

nslookup <IP>

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Recommendations re: disabling windows firewall when/if I install the 3rd party stuff?

Yes.

 

[Texas Proud]

This is great... and right on time for me....

I got a new computer and my Nortons has run out and they want me to renew....

I don't think it is the best for the money.... What would you do to protect your computer.. ie all programs to install and remove Nortons

 

[Mr._johngalt]

This is great... and right on time for me....

I got a new computer and my Nortons has run out and they want me to renew....

I don't think it is the best for the money.... What would you do to protect your computer.. ie all programs to install and remove Nortons

I don't have the answer, but I have suspected for some time that my computer troubles (which continue by the way) are largely due to
the jumble of antispam/virus protection software, fighting with the
other software and with each other. This is just a hunch, although
my computer repair guy said he suspected the same thing. Anyway,
the last time I got it out of the shop, he had installed some new
antivirus software (AVG?) along with new e-mail software. I never asked for any of this. I think he was just guessing and hoping to get lucky
and something would work. He sent the patient home but he is not
"cured" by any means.

JG

JG

 

[eridanus]

Clam AV for Windows: http://www.clamwin.com/

WinPooch monitor: http://winpooch.free.fr/page/home.php?lang=en&page=home

I also have a hardware firewall. I no longer use a software firewall because it messed up my net communication but when I did I used the free ZoneAlarm. There's also Kerio Personal Firewall, www.kerio.com.

I use the Firefox browser and Thunderbird instead of Outlook.

 

[Leonidas]

Recommendations re: disabling windows firewall when/if I install the 3rd party stuff?

I'm definitely not a computer expert in that I can't tell you why something works well, but I can tell you about all the nightmare disasters I had before I found the things that do work.

Firefox and Thunderbird rather than Bill Gates' programs. Adblock is a plug in that I installed with Firefox.

ZoneAlarm Security Suite provides software firewall, anti-spam, anti-virus, pop-up blocking, anti-spyware, etc. Whenever I install new software/hardware I usually turn ZA off and then after the install (and a reboot) it comes back on and I almost never have problems with ZA conflicting with other programs.

Hardware firewall in my Linksys router.

I back up regularly, scan for viruses and spyware every morning, and have the system locked down with ZA. All the online scans I do tell me that I'm the next best thing to being completely invisible on the internet (my IP address shows up and that's all).

 

[Lazarus]

Buy a Mac and you can skip all this.

 

[azanon]

I have heard and read that Windows Firewall is garbage. I've yet to hear it substantiated though. Just off-the-cuff comments.
That's not to say that its not exactly that, i'd just like to hear that backed up.

Azanon

 

[azanon]

Buy a Mac and you can skip all this.

Im a gamer, and the lion's share of games are Windows based (original IBM PC), so I think i'll pass.

 

[Texas Proud]

Anybody have knowledge of Bit Defender

I have read it is good and cheap...

 

[BOBOT]

And now I see that MS has a free beta thing called Windows Defender, got a mention in the WashPost tech column. Just downloaded it yesterday so don't have much to relate, other than it seems to be a suite of useful functions & the interface is ok.
MS doesn't say if it's supposed to replace the XP firewall or work in tandem with it; typical of MS to give little or no support dicumentation