Static IP Addresses

[JackNaylorPE]

Since forever, we've always used static IP addresses on the LAN for all hard wired PC's / Plotters / printers on the SOHO network (Small Office / Home Office). Most of the devices are laptops / TVs / Consoles phones, etc have their IPs assigned by DNS. All data is stored on one PC, backed up to another daily and backed up to Hot Swap drive for storage off site.

Just this morning, the local PC that receives the backups didn't run the backups scheduled for 5, 6, 7, 8 am schedule ... checking I saw, from the main PC, that the backup network drive was "not connected". Thinking I solved the problem, I noticed that the PC had been changed from a static connection to a DNS assigned connection and that the address has been changed from 198.68.1.4 to 198.68.37.110.

Looking at the router, I saw that the IP address for that PC was still the assigned value of 198.68.1.4 .... changing it back to the 198.68.1.4 / 255.255.255.0 and adding the typical default gateway and rebooting it did not fix it.

So I went to the 2 other active machines w/ static IPs on the network to check their settings and all of them were set to obtain and address automatically via DNS. One other think I noticed was and extra Local Area Connection:

Local Area Connection 2 - Asus Router (GT-AC5300) * network map shows this one as the one being used.
Local Area Connection 3 - Network Cable Unplugged - Kaspersky Security Data Escort Adapter (Red X)

I had never seen that before, guessing it was installed with the latest update. Can't find any info about what it does or how it works but I did disable and uninstall it as a troubleshooting step ... and for a few seconds thought I had it resolved. As the machines was rebooting, the tray icon seems to indicate we had network access but after a few seconds the icon changed to no connection.

1. I can't imagine what would have caused all machines on the network to switch to DNS assigned IP addresses.

2. I get a "network path not found" when I try and access the drive which I am assuming that is not on my end but on the puter receiving the backups. All backups ran fine yesterday, but this morning that PC had no network access

Been at it for 3 hours and can't find a solution. Any suggestions on what caused 1 or how to fix 2 ?

 

[samuria]

Ip come from dhcp not dns remove Kaspersky Security Data Escort Adapter (Red X) the ip your getting ison another subnet some AV use another ip to monitior all traffic as Kaspersky Security is russian and with the war in ukraine it now considered dodgy as they can use malware as part of the war so totally remove

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Ip come from dhcp not dns

My bad used wrong abbreviation ...comes from staring at the window 20 times a day

Static IP Configuration - Windows 7 | Office of Information Technology

remove Kaspersky Security Data Escort Adapter (Red X) the ip your getting ison another subnet

It was gone before I posted. As indicated above .... "I had never seen that before, guessing it was installed with the latest update. Can't find any info about what it does or how it works but I did disable and uninstall it as a troubleshooting step." Did the same on all the other puters on the network not because of any other reason than I have no use for it.

Kaspersky Security is russian and with the war in ukraine it now considered dodgy as they can use malware as part of the war so totally remove

Considered by who ? I am well aware of the propaganda and have no concerns at all here. As was reported in the tech oriented news world .. "no conclusive proof has been offered and no one making the accusations has been willing to speak up in public". We made the switch because it has continued to consistently beat or equal all comers at AVTest.org ... and doesn't give me the admin problems which we have consistently had with BitDefender, Norton and others. We also do network scans using another vendor of all drives nightly. Don't want to spend any time on this going back and forth as it's irrelevant; since it's been disabled and the internet cable unplugged, it in no way has any impact on the problem at hand.

 

[file3456]

I'd have to take deep dive and read all of what you wrote about your static IP "issue." But about anti-virus software and the aforementioned Kaspersky, I can shed some light to. https://www.sevenforums.com/system-...d-free-antivirus-still-using.html#post3504322

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Thx .... Every time the machine reboots have to go thru this process:

1. Go change IP4 properties and change IP address to 198.68.1.4
2. Soft reboot router
3. Change IP4 properties and change IP assignment to automatic

Besides the problem on the SO side of the SOHO network, the HO side has been off .... my Linux Lappie no longer streams anything full screen; I have to shrink window to 4 x 4 inch to get away from the stop action animation looking thing. The Den TV's fire stick continually reboots id you move the cursor before a page finished loading and then even after.

If I can't resolve gonna do a factory reset this weekend and see if it solves the issue

As for Kaspersky, I'm more concerned about Putin's buddy on this side of the pond than I am about Kaspersky. My beef with most of the big names in the AV business (McCafee, BitDefender,Norton) cause more problems with their administration / anti-pirating stuff making me spend more time installing the installation per year than I have spent managing any other software installation.

In last 2 AV Tests at AVTest.org i looked to see who got all 4 tests @ 100 %... and listed the lowest score of the 4

AhnLab V3 Internet Security 9.0 - 99.5
Avast Free AntiVirus 22.1 & 22.2 - 100
AVG Internet Security 22.1 & 22.2 - 100
Avira Internet Security for Windows 1.1 - 11
Bitdefender Internet Security 26.0 - 98.6
F-Secure SAFE 18 - 99.1
G Data Total Security 25.5 - 99.5
K7 Computing Total Security 16.0 - 98.6 / 99.5
Kaspersky Internet Security 21.3 - 100
Malwarebytes Premium 4.5.5 & 4.5.7 - 99.1 / 99.9 / 99.9
McAfee Total Protection 25.5 - 99.5
Microsoft Defender 4.18 - 98.6
MicroWorld eScan Internet Security Suite 22.0 - 96.8 / 96.4
Norton Norton 360 22.22 - 99.5
PC Matic Application Whitelisting 3.0 - 99.5 / 99.9
Protected.net Total AV 5.16 99.5 / 99.0 / 99.9
Trend Micro Internet Security 17.7 -100
VIPRE Security VIPRE AdvancedSecurity 11.0 - 98.6 / 99.5

 

[file3456]

It sounds like this "Kaspersky Security Data Escort Adapter" is messing things up on the computer that has to be given a static IP all the time. On the other hand, static IPs should be issued via the router. You'd use the MAC address to assign an IP from your IP space in the router to that PC's NIC's MAC address, and you'd need to turn off DHCP in the router. Which means everything now needs manual IP assignments. Kind of a pain to manually add everything though.


The rest of your network topography looks like a routing table foul up. That's just based on what I can understand from your post. A hard reset might clear that up. Refer to your router manual. If you have an Asus, I'd encourage you to read about installing the third-party firmware Asus Merlin or DD-WRT for security considerations. You would need to go to the small net builder forums and read about it and the process to prepare the flash - and subsequent firmware updates. It's advisable to always keep a router or modem updated because like an OS or software, it too can get hacked. And once a hacker has gained entry to a router or modem it's game over for all of your Internet/networking privacy and security. Also, a router or modem can be turned into a zombie botnet as a stepping stone for nefarious activity which you WILL be responsible for. Just food for thought.

Make sure the default password/username is changed. UPnP is off, you don't use port forwarding and if you do, consider Zerotier instead.

One other thing about anti-virus software. It DOES intercept your TLS connections... But what ever floats people's boat.