Network Intruder

[kbcad]

I have been trying for a long time to successfully network my 2 PC's (both Win XP) and today, as I could not get PC2 to connect to the 'Net (PC1 was off), I turned off ZoneAlarm with instant success. However, my Network Magic programme immediateley told me I had an intruder on my wireless network. PANIC! I followed NM instructions to block this intruder (IP address 192.168.2.3 name drew-PC) but am wondering if I now have a major problem. All help to calm my nerves much appreciated. I am sending this through PC1, which appears to be clean. KB.

[Erayd]

Enable security/encryption on your wireless network. That will stop anyone else using it, whether deliberately or by accident.

[utopian201]

I'm not familiar with network magic, but if you just blocked this 'intruder' from your PC, they still have free reign on your wireless network and more importantly your internet bandwidth. They just won't be able to access your PC.

[kbcad]

I have now lost my PC2. Blank screen for hours. Have tried to do System Restore in Safe mode, but just get blank screen. No way of telling whether anything is happening or not. The light that shows disk activity is not doing anything.
Serious problem, as I cannot get to work that I have been doing for a client. Ready to throw computer on the tip. KB.

[gary67]

Take the hard drive out connect to other pc save work to another source

[Renmoo]

PANIC! I followed NM instructions to block this intruder (IP address 192.168.2.3 name drew-PC)

I am not sure whether this applies to your scenario, but on some routers (?) you can configure who can and cannot access your network by the virtue of computer names and / or the maximum number of users per session.

With regards to the latter-developed problem, try hooking up a different display device to PC2. If worse comes to worse, temporarily discard your current not-working network and perform a crossover hookup (read my signature) instead to transfer all your relevant files across.

A few weeks ago I managed to launch "Network Connections", enable LAN, navigate to a folder and share it on a network on a computer whose monitor wasn't working...

Cheers

[kbcad]

Thanks to all who replied. I can now update the situation, having spent most of the night trying to find out what is going on:
Can now access PC2 via F8 and Safe Mode. This has enabled me to recover important data, and do an Avast virus check (clean) and a disk de-frag. Also managed to System Restore to yesterday morning. However, as soon as I try to boot up in normal mode all I get is the initial Dell logo, then the Windows logo, then all disk activity ceases (all this takes about 10 secs) and I am left with a blank screen. Network Magic will not run in Safe Mode, so I can't check whether or not the "Intruder" is still there.
PC2 is a Dell Dimension 4600 Win XP SP2 768Mb RAM 2.4 GHz Pentium 4. Avast anti-virus, Zone Alarm, Crapcleaner, Network Magic All help much appreciated. KB.

[Renmoo]

I am not sure what others think about this, but perhaps reverting to "last known good configuration" under BIOS might help?

Cheers

[kbcad]

Jamuz - tried "last known configuration". No response. KB.

[Renmoo]

Intriguing. Either the "intruder" was powerful enough to cause such a massive change to your system, or something silly has coincidentally happened.

Considering both possible situations, I suggest that you post a HijackThis log on this thread. In case you have not come across this before, HijackThis - in a nutshell - creates a log of all the running processes on your computer. Once created, we can scrutinise the log for nasties that might be lurking on your machine.

At the same time, have you tried reverting to another system restore point just to see if that restores the previous condition?

Cheers and good luck