reassurance needed

[tophatter]

I am totally paranoid about computers and just need a bit of reassurance.

I have read loads of stories about people computers getting connected to these dialer things without their knowlede and getting charged 500 quid or something.

I am on NTL Broadband and have a silver broadband modem thing with green lights flashing. I do not have a dial up modem attached to my BT phone line. Can my NTL Broadband modem dial up these numbers or dial out any numbers in fact? I suspect the answer is no but would just like one of you techy guys (like Glos ::) to put my mind at rest. The reason I worry is I leave my computer on 18 hours a day and it has always bothered me. I only go to about 10 different websuites anyway but hear these stories about viruses that install these things. Also would another way of checking be to go to my Dial up connections and check there?

Thanks

Tophatter

[bigcumba]

No worries TH - if you're on Broadband diallers can't dial out - need to be connected through your normal modem and phone line for them to be able to do anything

[tophatter]

Ah cheers bigman,

I have been worrying all night about it. I thought that was the case but knew I would get the definate answer here.

[tophatter]

one other question then. How does the info get to my computer through the broadband Modem if it dont dial out. I just take it for granted that it is there.

[butterbean]

You do dial out in a way but... Its a dedicated connection tophatter.. you have nothing to worry about..

[tophatter]

Cheers lads.

I just get these pangs of insecurity when it comes to computers because sometimes they just seem too clever and too good to be true.

[GlosRFC]

Too late....but they're right :)

You'll have a dedicated connection via your modem that provides a number of safeguards. Firstly, the modem will have what's called a NIC installed - Network Interface Card. This is the bit that actually does the transferring of data in and out of your PC. Allied to that is something called a MAC - Media Access Control. In essence, that's a unique 6 byte hexadecimal number which identifies your NIC and only your NIC. And your modem will also have a unique code so that, in combination, the NTL server will know that it's talking to just your modem.

The same thing works in reverse - your cable modem will only identify itself to the NTL server by ARPing or Address Resolution Protocol. In essence your modem will broadcast that it's looking for xxx NTL server and it won't respond until xxx NTL server say's hello, I'm here.

You can also check who you're dialling into at any time by hovering your mouse over the connection icons in your system tray. If they're not visible then click Start, Connect to and you'll see a little tick against the icon of whichever connection is currently live.

[tophatter]

Nice one - cheers Glos :)

[markwales]

Also known as "NIC MAC paddy whack leave my PC alone...this old man keeps an eye on his phone..."

ewwwwwww :D

[tophatter]

Stop posting Eminems lyrics on here Mark. We will have him suing us like he sued his mum!