Comments for Why am I being told I'm connected when I'm not?

Comment from David on 2008-08-21

2008-08-21T19:25:44Z

Connected at 44 bps pretty much guarantees it's a dial-up connection. To makes sure you're "definately not connected", pick up your phone, if you hear a dialtone you're not connected, if you hear beeps and noises, you are...lol

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Comment from Bill Stevenson on 2008-08-13

2008-08-13T22:35:45Z

From the website of magma.ca it appears to be a legitimate ISP. It would really save a lot of conjecture if the OP could tell us whether they actually subscribe to magma.ca for dial-up internet or they use some other ISP and/or delivery. It makes a great deal of difference which internet supplier they are "definitely not connected (to)" when this balloon pops up.

If they actually are on dial-up with magma as their ISP, they are probably connecting to the ISP's 800 number, so there would be no traceable phone records, or potential charges. It would simply be a matter of correctly configuring the 'Options' settings as above, to eliminate the rogue connection. Malware wouldn't enter into it.

Similarly, if they currently have HI SPEED intenet access, checking under 'Options' will reveal whether a previous magma.ca dial-up account was configured on that machine and hasn't been disabled. That, likewise, could be corrected under 'Options'.

There's so much speculation necessary when we don't know if this is a new issue or one that has been around for a while, or it's one that suddenly materialized following some change.

The scary scenario would be if there is no magma.ca connection set up in 'Options'. I would not even think about going there without hearing back on the 'legitimate' scenarios; it would probably be a lot of speculation for nothing.

SpacemanBill

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Comment from Ziggie on 2008-08-13

2008-08-13T14:13:54Z

The "connected" message in Windows simply verifies that there is something on the other end of the line that is responding. It guarantees nothing except that you can communicate to the next device on the network (the one in which you are directly plugged in).

--zigg

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Comment from Fred on 2008-08-13

2008-08-13T07:19:37Z

Often when a computer is connected to an ADSL modem, it will show connected at 100Mbps even if the modem isn't connected to the net.

I don't know what other modems do since I haven't had that much experience.
My sattelite modem only shows connected when it really is, dialup has always done the same to me...

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Comment from dunstergirl on 2008-08-12

2008-08-13T04:52:06Z

The speed definitely sounds like dialup, but is it possible the asker is confusing "connected" with actively being online (i.e., browsing or checking email)? He/she could check this (if on dialup) when the balloon appears by picking up an extension phone on the same line and listening for dial tone vs. distinctive modem noise.

If they are on anything but dialup, unless they have physically disconnected the connection (or they have a broadband connection that shows with lights whether the connection is active or not) they are connected like it or not.

If it IS a malicious program using dialup, I'd unplug the phone line from either the computer or the wall when you don't intentionally want to be online until you get the problem solved.

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Comment from Lynn on 2008-08-12

2008-08-12T22:03:51Z

Along the same line, why, when I'm using the internet and obviously connected to the home network, I occasionally get the bubble telling me that I'm now connected.

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Comment from ruth on 2008-08-12

2008-08-12T19:02:08Z

in the question text, - definitely not connected-, is not in quotes so I would wonder if perhaps the balloon that states "is now connected" is referring to a home network. The statement "definitely not connected", may be her own, meaning that he/she is telling you that there is no internet connection.

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A comment on: Why am I being told I'm connected when I'm not?

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