IE & Messenger freezing problems

[deereyn22]

I first used my computer with a wireless connection at my last residence and everything worked fine all the time. After recently moving and connecting to my new roommates wireless router, I have had nothing but problems with Yahoo messenger freezing up and have seen much slower performance out of Explorer. When I initially connect it to messenger it would work fine for a minute or two then it would freeze up and I could not recieve messages or see messages being posted to chat. I have tried about everything but now I suspect it may be the wireless router.

Are there any settings in the router that would cause this???????

 

[TheMajor]

You can try multiple things:

-Enable DMZ for your IP on your router.
-Scan for virusses and spyware
-Open the ports used by Yahoo IM on your router
-re-install Yahoo IM
-Disable firewalls
-Update Internet Explorer

What Windows are u using?

 

[TheMajor]

Also post your hijackthis log

 

[deereyn22]

First thing, What is DMZ???

I was running spyware and virus scans but they found nothing.

I re-installed yahoo mess several times to no avail.

I am running everything up to date.

I am running windows XP

I think you may be on to something as it hit me early today too, that the firewall on the router is causing the problems. I had originally thought one dimensional and only focused on my windows operated firewall so I will focus on the router firewall next.

Can you think of anything else on the router settings that may cause this??

 

[TheMajor]

DMZ=Demilitarized Zone
It gives ur comp better acces, less things are blocked...also less secure though
I don't know how it tehnically works

 

[mikesgroovin]

Really very simple....
You Cable or DSL connection in not secure.
When the connection is attached to a firewall, gateway or some other device that supports a firewall and NAT, incoming connections are haulted until they are "cleared" by the port numbers that the TCP/IP packets communicate with. When you forward ports through a firewall, you are ONLY allowing traffic come through your firewall by communciating through the same port numbers that you allow through the firewall. The "DMZ" is PHYSICALLY outside of the firewall. The gateway/router designates 1 specific computer to set inside of the gateway's access list BUT outside of the firewall within the gateway/router.
So, let's say you have a PC set in the DMZ.....
If traffic comes through to your gateway/router that is intended for the PC that you have set in the DMZ, the gateway/router will simply allow it no matter which port number it's communicating on.

 

[deereyn22]

Groovin, why are u saying that my cable connection is not secure???

So, if I want to get rid of the problem with my computer then I need to set up my computer in the DMZ on the router?? How do I do it??

How does that affect my security? What about the firewall running on XP? Does that compund the problem?

It makes sense but I just need to know what I have to do in my router settings to get me there. I have a linksys router.

 

[BuckingFastard]

Setting up a DMZ for your computer without a firewall is suicide. It would be analagous to sitting in the middle of a hackers convention and yelling out HEY MY COMPUTER IS INSECURE!!!!!!

If you are having problems with the application freezing or disconnecting after a certain period of time, i can almost guarantee the problem is not with the firewall. If it was, the application wouldn't work at all. What would be the point of a firewall if it only blocks traffic after two minutes?

The only thing the firewall on the Linksys router will do is block incoming connections, like if you were viewing someone else's webcam. Even without opening the ports on the router, you should be able to connect and talk to people without any trouble.

One possibility might be a loss of signal. If you have a lot of 2.4GHz phones being used or you're connecting through multiple walls or from a far distance, your messenger application might just be losing connection to the internet.

I would first try to re-install the application. If that does not work, try installing the application on you're roomates computer and see if he has a problem. If he does, you know the problem isn't with your computer, its something with the router.

You can also try using the application while you're connected with a normal network cable instead of being connected via wireless. If it works while you're connected via network cable, you know its something specifically wrong with the wireless portion of the router.