DSL on or off?

This is the only place I've been able to get good answers to my
inquiries. Thanks.

Now, I got one that is bugging me.
I'm connected now via a DSL fast access modem.

Some tell me that when "I'm online" that hackers can access my computer at times. I can understand that.

However, some others tell me that as long as that DSL modem
is on and all three green lights are glowing then hackers can access my computer - even though "I am not" accessing the internet (not online).

Is that true?

 

Moving this to the networking section since it is not XP specific.

But it is an excellent question and I suspect other folks have the same idea you did.

You wrote " "I am not" accessing the internet (not online). ".

Problem is, being online is not at all dependent on your having a browser or email or any other application running to actively work with internet content.

Any time your DSL modem is connected and operational and your PC is turned on and connected to the DSL modem, you are on line. Granted, you won't get email virus attacks or browser code attacks unless those apps are running but you are alive and well and on the internet. And available if a hacker wants to mess with you.

Minimum requirements to protect yourself are a good AntiVirus program with current def files and a good firewall. Otherwise you are vulnerable whenever your PC is turned on and connected to the DSL modem.

 

Hmmm, if you have to log onto your DSL service provider with a user name and password, and you log off of their server, then how are you still connected to the WWW?

 

Some DSL connections use PPPoE and authenticate to a RAS server while others, depending on the ISP and/or local policies have an always-on connection.

PPPoE is used as a control device, able to track every packet to and from the user connection, able to restrict certain use of the Internet, and easily used to permit or disallow connection without access to physical connections. Essentially, it makes an Internet connection function like dial-up. This is totally unnecessary, but your provider probably doesn't give you a choice.

Other DSL providers may not employ PPPoE. If you have the choice, pick the provider that does not use PPPoE.

 

Well said Bitbyter

You "splain" well! Smile.

mike

 

It's simple! Get a firewall and "Lock" the net!

ZoneLab's ZoneAlarm is a gem for this!

www.zonelabs.com

If you have a firewall you wouldn't (or shouldn't) get hacked anyway

As a precaution wipe all the programs that you've alowed access to the net from the your firewall every month (or week if your like me and really scared of hackers)

www.trojanscan.com might put your mind at rest a little

Gary

 

"then how are you still connected to the WWW "

No one mentioned the world wide web. The original post dealt with connection to the internet. Very possible to have an internet connection and not be doing anything whatever with the WWW.

 

Hee hee hee

mike

 

Excuse me for using the wrong term............

 

WCOX

You owe no one and apology. It's just un young'uns playing around. Well.... except maybe for Newt, he's old as dirt and his only idea of fun is pulling in a big Crarp.

Mike

 

WCox, (and with all due respect to mflynn who is even older than I am, I think) - it may be me who owes the apology. I may have been a little curt with my response but it is still vaild and your comment indicates the same sort of potentially dangerous idea as jbarker with his initial post.

But if his initial question had been about being connected to the WWW when he didn't have a browser session open, I'm not really sure how or if I could have answered him.

The WWW is simply a (large) collection of servers attached to the internet that serve up web content. Mostly http stuff these days and you do pretty much have to have a browser app open and pointed to some site external from your PC to have a WWW connection alive.

A user is most certainly connected to the large and spread out network called the Internet any time the PC has a valid IP address assigned or is connected to a device like a router with NAT that can translate from a private address to a public one.

The more common ways of being attacked from the outside are certainly emails with infected attachments or web pages with destructive content.

With a DSL connected PC (or any other sort of connected PC) that has no applications open and isn't doing anything, the PC is still available to any hacker who wants to try an attack.

 

Hey, I completely understand where you are coming from. Sometimes my choice of words are not the correct one. All who responded with the explanation, I thank you very much. I now clearly see what you are talking about, you still can be connected, so you need to be very careful.

By the way, I'm no spring chicken.

 

WCox - glad the explanation made sense.

And I am always glad to have Mike (mflynn) posting on here to make me feel younger. I'm not quite 60 and he passed that barrier a while back I think.