re: Iexplore crashes with cable modem, not DSL
Saturday, October 16, 2004 at 11:20 am
Windows Me Annoyances Discussion Forum
Posted by Jack Gulley
(5917 messages posted)
First make sure you have the routers built in firewall functions enabled. Second,
make sure you have all of the security updates installed on the systems and
third that you have scanned for Virus, ADware/Spyware, Worms, Trojans and other Malware.
What could be happening to you, is that some Worm/Exploit on systems on the Internet
might have your Cable's IP address, or systems on your Cable ISP's local loop might
have your Cable modems MAC address. They could be sending packets trying to infect
your system and causing it to crash. Cable ISP's are more exposed to this type of
problem and can do less than DSL ISP's about blocking this type of traffic. While
the DSL networks (single point connection to you) can do a lot more to protect you
and usually have less problems like this.
To protect yourself, you have to make sure your system is first clean of any Malware,
Browser hijackers and Internet accelerator products. That you have all of the Security
updates. That your router firewall is working. And that your system is set up to
block attacks with either a software firewall or have it ports closed (see GRC.com).
Another possible cause is that you have one of the browser hijacks or Internet
accelerator products that have altered your system's network support to use their
DNS instead of the default ISP's DNS. In that case, the rogue DNS could be blocked
or difficult to access through the Cable ISP's network, while it works OK through
the DSL ISP's network. Check in the Network settings, TCP/IP --> (network adapter)
properties, DNS Configuration tab. It should show "Disable DNS" selected. If any
IP address shows up here, it could be the cause of the problem. For example, a DNS
hijack, or even your DSL provider supplying software that inserted their DNS IP addresses.
Then with Cable ISP, your system can not reliably reach the DSL ISP's DNS servers
or other rogue DNS servers that your system is set to use.
Last, it is possible you have a bad or noisy Cable connection or more than one
low loss splitter between the pole and your modem. Low signal quality due to noise
on the cable, bad cables at your location, loose coax connections or too many of
them, all can cause signal quality problems. These result in errors and lost packets.
Too many lost packets to the DNS's can cause IE to hang and take down your system.
Cable (and phone DSL) can work OK for phone and TV service, but when the higher power
used by Modems is placed on the lines, bad connections can heat up and degrade the
signal quality. The symptoms of this is usually that it works fine when you first
start using it, but after only a short time it starts to fail and will not start
working again until you have stopped using it for awhile (allowing the connections
to cool off).
Most customer owned Cable modems have status pages that you can reach at http://192.169.100.1
and usually have signal levels displayed. On cable you need the received signal level
power to be between 50 dBmV and -50 dBmV, with 0 dBmV being nominal (a single splitter
drops this from 3.5 dB to 12 dB depending on quality and connector loss). Also you
want the upstream power level
to show below 52 dBmV (low 40's is normal). A higher level indicates a cable loss
problem (bad or broken shields, connectors or too many splitters).
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