MS Security Updates and Network?

[hazel m]

This morning I had a notice of updates ready. Also, there was a large window that said "This computer is connected to a Network." "Select a location for Network 5 network."

My computer is not - or should not be - connected to any network. I only have one computer. And (having read the choices) I never take a huge desk top to a public place.

Please explain. Can I ignore this? Thank you.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hazel go to the Network and Sharing centre and open it up and see what is says in there.

In my pic it tells me I am just on the one connection it might be slightly different in your machine as this laptop is on 8 but you should get a readout of what is connected where.

Yes it is ridiculous to have this showing on a desktop so let us know what you have.

 

[hazel m]

Hazel go to the Network and Sharing centre and open it up and see what is says in there.

In my pic it tells me I am just on the one connection it might be slightly different in your machine as this laptop is on 8 but you should get a readout of what is connected where.

Yes it is ridiculous to have this showing on a desktop so let us know what you have.

All right. I did go there. First I did Status and Tasks. It showed Network 5 Public Network; Access Type: Internet; Connections: Local Area Connection.

I then went to View your active network connections and got a long list. Most had a number and "wire" and a number. A couple had "Net Gear. Then something else.

Of all those, I remember always having "Local Area Connections" on previous computers. That came from whatever ISP I was using.

Should I call my ISP? Or, Dell? The people who took care of my computer have gone out of business and I'm "up a creek without a paddle".

Please tell me this. Can this be just a natural way of setting things up? Or, can it be more shenanigans by that online IT company that changed my virus scanner program. Can they have set up some kind of access to my computer? Or am I just being unduly suspicious?

Thank you for some answers.

 

[Shadowjk]

Local Area Connection normally refers to a category cable (Ethernet Cable) locally connected to the machine. Do you have any network cables in the back? Do you have any bluetooth connectivity at all? Are you using any mobile broadband based connectivity?

Unless you physically connect a NIC (Network Interface Card) into the machine it should not be connected to anything as it physically can't.

Josh

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I agree with Josh and what would be good is to see what the network and sharing in control panel is showing.
If you haven't used it before try this.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

 

[Britton30]

If you are using a wireless connection you may be picking up some new people in your area, just choose to connect to your own WiFi router.

What all did the "IT Company" put on your laptop?

 

[hazel m]

Local Area Connection normally refers to a category cable (Ethernet Cable) locally connected to the machine. Do you have any network cables in the back? Do you have any bluetooth connectivity at all? Are you using any mobile broadband based connectivity?

Unless you physically connect a NIC (Network Interface Card) into the machine it should not be connected to anything as it physically can't.

Josh

Josh, there is an Ethernet cable attached to my modem. My ISP would have done that. I made a card about them so I'd know what they were talking about if I was on the phone with them. My modem has three cables: Power cable, Ethernet cable and the cable to the outside of the building. I think those are normal, aren't they?

As for your other questions, I've not put any kind of card in here. It does have to be physically doen, doesn't it? You can do a "virtual" card, can you? This is all "greek" to me. Sorry.

 

[hazel m]

If you are using a wireless connection you may be picking up some new people in your area, just choose to connect to your own WiFi router.

What all did the "IT Company" put on your laptop?

I wish I knew what all they did. I have no idea. As for WiFi, I have no way to even use WiFi so far as I know. I just use a plain, old-fashioned cable hookup.

I have a feeling - tell me what you think - that I should call Dell and let them do a complete cleanup for a fresh start. That is if they'd even do it. My warrenty has apparently run out - if I ever had one. .

More and more, I thoroughly dislike computers! So many things can go wrong. Then I have someone work on one and can't be sure of what they did! I'm whining?

 

[Britton30]

Can you post a snip of the network window you mentioned?

This is the preferred, best way to upload an image or a file to a post.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html#post93869

Press the ALT and PrntScrn keys at the same time, this will capture only the active window to use in Paint or your preferred graphics editor.


You may also upload a photo or image you already have on your PC,as you would a file, without using the Snipping tool.


If you'd like to do a full fresh install we can help with that, or anything else, no need to go to some fly-by-night pseudo-techs.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yep as Britton asks hazel a bit like my bit on snipping it would be good to see that view.

Now just an alternative and only if you are up for it you could do a clean install using the activation code on the machine's sticker that would give you a real clean start and get rid of the Dell bloatware.
See this http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164
However you must back up all the data you want to keep first or even image it using this
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

 

[hazel m]

Can you post a snip of the network window you mentioned?

This is the preferred, best way to upload an image or a file to a post.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html#post93869

Press the ALT and PrntScrn keys at the same time, this will capture only the active window to use in Paint or your preferred graphics editor.


You may also upload a photo or image you already have on your PC,as you would a file, without using the Snipping tool.


If you'd like to do a full fresh install we can help with that, or anything else, no need to go to some fly-by-night pseudo-techs.

I don't know which window you are talking about. And I've never done this sort of thing. I'm not sure I wouldn't just mess up. If you want to see a particular window, I can try to follow your instructions and copy/paste. No harm in learning how.

However, I do have a bit of news. I called my ISP to ask if they could have put that there. I'll probably not tell this exactly right - didn't write it down - but, yes, when they hook up the modem and no setup is indicated, it is possible that Network 5 was automatically chosen. So, this may have come from my ISP although I do wonder why I've never heard of it before.

That said, I just managed to find a gentleman who used to work on my computer and he is coming out to give it a good cleaning. We can get rid of Network 5 if it isn't necessary. I suppose it will depend on my Charter hookup and how I download mail to Mozilla Thunderbird.

I do thank you all for helping me find that so I could make sense. Good that you are here.

 

[Britton30]

This morning I had a notice of updates ready. Also, there was a large window that said "This computer is connected to a Network." "Select a location for Network 5 network."

My computer is not - or should not be - connected to any network. I only have one computer. And (having read the choices) I never take a huge desk top to a public place.

Please explain. Can I ignore this? Thank you.

This window. Click the blue text, they are links to full directions.

 

[hazel m]

This morning I had a notice of updates ready. Also, there was a large window that said "This computer is connected to a Network." "Select a location for Network 5 network."

My computer is not - or should not be - connected to any network. I only have one computer. And (having read the choices) I never take a huge desk top to a public place.

Please explain. Can I ignore this? Thank you.

This window. Click the blue text, they are links to full directions.

Ah, I'm sorry. I no longer have that. It came with the update notice and left when I closed it and went to do the updates. I've not seen it since. I shall, though, make a note about how this is done in case I need to try it another time. Thank you.

 

[TheCyberMan]

It is probably an ethernet connection a wired connection. But would need confirmation of that.

Open a command(cmd)prompt:

Click on start>programs>accessories> cmd prompt type: ipconfig /all press enter. Right click on the screen choose select all and right click in your reply box and choose paste.

 

[hazel m]

It is probably an ethernet connection a wired connection. But would need confirmation of that.

Open a command(cmd)prompt:

Click on start>programs>accessories> cmd prompt type: ipconfig /all press enter. Right click on the screen choose select all and right click in your reply box and choose paste.

I got as far as cmd prompt but see no place to type anything.

Not to worry. I have someone coming to check it out That is safer than me doing it.

 

[TheCyberMan]

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.2.9200]
(c) 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\YourUsername here>

Did you not see that?

 

[Britton30]

Put you cursor in this window, click and type.

 

[hazel m]

Put you cursor in this window, click and type.

I don't think this is what I got the first time. I should maybe do it over but no time now. Thanks for this experience.

View attachment 317796

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Users\Hazel M White>ipconfig/all
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : HazelMWhite-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Dell Wireless 1506 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : B8-76-3F-01-42-A5
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : A4-1F-72-58-CE-A5
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b8c0:8719:7e57:4091%11(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 71.81.147.231(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.248.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, May 14, 2014 05:00:06
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, May 14, 2014 09:00:27
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 71.81.144.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.114.37.12
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 245636978
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-18-CA-A0-F3-A4-1F-72-58-CE-A5
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 24.217.0.5
24.217.201.67
24.247.15.53
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
Tunnel adapter isatap.{5B84AF77-7480-463F-A504-0AD0278E8951}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter 6TO4 Adapter:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft 6to4 Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2002:4751:93e7::4751:93e7(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 2002:c058:6301::1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 24.217.0.5
24.217.201.67
24.247.15.53
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
Tunnel adapter isatap.{1EB055BF-9BCB-4C10-9C0A-CED35D8B4CC9}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:9d38:6abd:3c4b:791:b8ae:6c18(Prefe
rred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::3c4b:791:b8ae:6c18%16(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
C:\Users\Hazel M White>

 

[TheCyberMan]

You have wired ethernet connection there you are connected direct to a modem you are directly exposed to the internet hope you got a good anti-virus and firewall.

Look for a wire bit thicker coming from your computer to the modem.

A router connected to the modem would be best it will give you a measure of protection with its own firewall SPI and DOS protection along with NAT all your ports wont be exposed with a router finances bearing up of course.

 

[hazel m]

It is all fixed and thank you all for teaching me a few things about what is inside my computer. I confess that I don't try too hard to play around with it. I'm so afraid of really messing it up. I do leave it to the experts. They have their skills; I have mine and "never the twain shall meet".

Nos dawch. Good night. Hazel M