Tech Questions

[ManchestrMorgue]

You should be able to see what devices (by MAC address) are connected to your router in your router's DHCP table.

However, if you don't have a wireless router it is pretty unlikely that anyone else is connected to your internet connection.

Is it possible that you have a virus or other malware that is using your connection? Eg as a spam relay? That would use bandwidth that you can't account for.

Try downloading Hijackthis and make a log file. There are places where you can get an automated analysis of the log file (just google "hijackthis analysis") and there are also web forums where you can post the logfile and others will have a look at it for you (if the auto analysis doesn't come up with anything definitive).

I would also go to an online virus scanning site (eg eset.com) and do an online scan.

[cheebacheeba]

Something's definitely up.
Just took about 4 minutes to load this page...on my adsl+2 connection.
To add, a (wireshark) log taken indicates messages being sent to and from, such as "who has 192.168.1.1, tell 192.168.1.8" and shit like that.
Er, this protocol thing before it says ARP.
So yeah I assume what I thought was right - unless you think otherwise?
So, what do you need to block stuff like this?

Thanks for the recos guys, but
eset.com - Downloaded, then wanted a proxy address to download components?
I don't have one as far as I know.

Hijackthis -Download and scanned with a log complete.
Nothing in the result means a thing to me...?

Bandwidth monitor Pro <<<< Site won't let us download.

I dunno, probably just gonna report it to the relevant authorities as neccessary, and have a friend who will be able to make heads or tails of all this shit.

[ManchestrMorgue]

Originally Posted by cheebacheeba

Something's definitely up.
Just took about 4 minutes to load this page...on my adsl+2 connection.

That is definitely not right. Are you shaped?

To add, a (wireshark) log taken indicates messages being sent to and from, such as "who has 192.168.1.1, tell 192.168.1.8" and shit like that.

Addresses that are 192.168.x.x are local addresses (ie on your own local internet) Your router is usually 192.168.1.1 and your connected computers are numbered after that. So this traffic is not suspicious in itself - it is traffic that your router is passing to your PC and vice versa.

eset.com - Downloaded, then wanted a proxy address to download components?
I don't have one as far as I know.

You were using their online scanner?
There are others - most major antivirus websites have online scanners.
Eg. kaspersky.com, housecall.trendmicro.com

Hijackthis -Download and scanned with a log complete.
Nothing in the result means a thing to me...?

Now google "hijackthis analysis" and find an automatic log analysis website. There are plenty. It will give you a rough idea. There are also sites with forums that allow you to post your logfile and real people have a look at it.

[fuglystick]

Vampires in yer interweb

[cheebacheeba]

Anyone else notice the in-reply quote button no longer works?

"That is definitely not right. Are you shaped?"

If you mean, do I have a limit of usage that if I reach, my speed gets cut down significantly, yes - it's 200gb, and the bar was just reset on the 27th.
So yeah, no way in hell should it be that slow.

Things are pretty fast this morning.
Are you sure putting the info onto a forum isn't like an invitation to assholes to target your system, knowing you don't know a hell of a lot?

[ManchestrMorgue]

What I mean is, have you used up all your bandwidth for the month? Sounds like you shouldn't have.

As far as hijackthis logfile analysis, try the site hijackthis.de

They have an automated analyser, and if that doesn't help, they have a forum where you can post your logfile for a real person to analyse. As far as how "safe" this is, check the log to make sure that your external IP address is not in there if you are worried. If it is, just put XXX in place of the numbers. Of course, the website will know your IP address anyway, but random readers won't.

But before you do that, do one of the online virus scans.

Also, if you don't already have antispyware software installed, try installing some. You could try Spybot Search and Destroy.

What does your TPG usage meter say for this month? A lot of unaccounted for downloads?

[Elvis_Christ]

I actually wondering the same thing. I seem to be plowing thru my broadband lately.

[cheebacheeba]

For those of you who don't know, my chick (spal) suffered a horse riding mishap a couple of years back now...so she's got soft tissue damage and at the time, though healed now, spinal fracture.
She's ok, but essentially it'll be an issue for life, was diagnosed with "chronic pain" causing condition. Manageable but not really fixable unfortunately - but yknow, we're getting through it.

The overall condition effects her right arm too, which goes numb and sometimes hurts as well.
She'll be continuing her community services studies next year and we're getting her a laptop/netbook, but the typing has proven to be problematic and a catalyst to the arm-related problems going on.

I'd like to find a (preferably free but doesn't NEED to be) dictation type program, something that will recognise speech instead of typing?
I've had a search around tonight and I'm not having much luck, I was hoping you guys might be able to suggest something.

Thanks.

- B

[Demonique]

Oooh - a question I can actually answer! I have worked in Disabilty Services for years so have run into this issue a few times. There are a lot of speech dictation types of software out there - and some are free yes. But you have to consider the frustration factor. If you have to repeat yourself 50 times to get it to recognize a sentence properly it isn't worth the time.
Most of the people I know use Dragon Dictate (in whatever form it's in now - I have an older version) You have to train it for a while. This means you talk to it until it learns to recognize your specific speech patterns. One of my friends who is blind used it to write his masters thesis.
I know there are other brands out there, but I do know that this one works very well. I think it will also run the mouse on voice command but that can get tiresome.
Hope this helps.

[ferretchucker]

This isn't a recognition software, it's a keyboard specifically desgined for people who have pain in their hands or arms.

Maltron 3D ergonomic keyboard
http://images.pcworld.com/reviews/gr...inal_slide.jpg


This one was made for the same reason, but much more extreme

Orbitouch
http://news.cnet.com/i/bto/20071128/...ch_540x276.jpg