OT (sort-of): Linux used to virus-check Windoze computers? (was Re: LiveCD list)

[kurt at verruckt.org]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jason Clinton" <me at jasonclinton.com>
To: "Leo J Mauler" <webgiant at juno.com>
Cc: <kclug at kclug.org>
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2004 2:57 PM
Subject: Re: OT (sort-of): Linux used to virus-check Windoze computers? (was
Re: LiveCD list)

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> Leo J Mauler wrote:
>
> | I was over at a friend's house a few days ago, trying to figure out why
> | his Internet connection (TimeWarner RoadRunner cable modem, Ethernet
> | connection, WinXP Home, Internet Explorer 6) suddenly would break from
> | time to time.
>
> I have been fighting that exact problem with TWC since I moved in to my
> new house. The TWC techs were never able to find a cause and eventually
> it just stopped dropping off. I assume that they got enough complaints
> that they sent someone out to diagnose the node.
>
> I set up ethereal to watch the connection and was able to show that ARP
> packets continued to be transfered to the system but upstream
> communication was completely non-functional. A DHCP request would reset
> it, usually.
>
> It only breaks about once a week, now.
>

Just so everyone stays in check... Its not exclusive to TW. I also had this
problem with Comcast. Tech Support is worthless. I would have spent the rest
of my life unplugging my lan, and rebooting my pc. Luckily I have a friend
who works for Comcast, and told me what to ask for. After three phone calls
to tech support, he told me to ask for a "line check" (or something like
that, its been a while, sorry). The next time we had this problem, the
lineman on call, came out and hooked up some sort of electronic gizmo to our
box outside the house (i was not home, so this is my wifes literal
translation). It was some equipment in our neighborhood that split the lines
out to all the houses that was failing. Was told later that it was quite
old. It was replaced the next day and have had no problems since. If you are
in an older neighborhood, it might be worth looking into. Just a thought.