Disconnect/Disable

[johnbee]

How can I set a browser to disable the broadband connection when I exit,
and enable it when I start it? That is, I do not want the cable broadband
always connected.

 

[Bill]

How can I set a browser to disable the broadband connection when I exit,
and enable it when I start it? That is, I do not want the cable broadband
always connected.

Your browser is hardly the only way your computer connects to the Internet.
It you have the Norton Internet Security (program) I think it has a way to
stop all
Internet traffic. Your cable modem probably has an on/off switch in the
back.
I shut my whole system down when I am not going to be using it for a few
days.
This is not difficult with everything on a single surge protector (having an
on/off switch).

Bill

 

[Moiv]

How can I set a browser to disable the broadband connection when I exit,
and enable it when I start it? That is, I do not want the cable broadband
always connected.

Broadband isn't like old dialup connections where you use dial on demand.
Best way to disable broadband when you're not using it is unplug it.

 

[Chuck]

You can try using such things as the Zone Alarm program. Some P/Cs have an
interface that will not re-enable until the P/C is rebooted.

 

[Conor]

How can I set a browser to disable the broadband connection when I exit,
and enable it when I start it? That is, I do not want the cable broadband
always connected.

What the hell for? Doesn't cost you anything.

 

[Gordon]

How can I set a browser to disable the broadband connection when I exit,
and enable it when I start it? That is, I do not want the cable broadband
always connected.

Any particular reason why you would want to do this?

 

[Stephen Wolstenholme]

How can I set a browser to disable the broadband connection when I exit,
and enable it when I start it? That is, I do not want the cable broadband
always connected.

It's nothing to with your browser. You need to be able to control
whatever hardware you are using to make the cable connection.

Steve

 

[relic]

How can I set a browser to disable the broadband connection when I exit,
and enable it when I start it? That is, I do not want the cable broadband
always connected.

Broadband Connections are called "Always On" ...why?

 

[Bill Bradshaw]

My cable modem (RCA DCM425) has a little button I push to disconnect when I
am not using the internet. I just push the button again for internet
access.

 

[johnbee]

My cable modem (RCA DCM425) has a little button I push to disconnect when
I am not using the internet. I just push the button again for internet
access.

Thanks very much for the replies. It was a good point about the other
applications which access the Internet; the browser enable/disable query
was so as to ensure the connection only operates when the browser is
running i.e. when I want it to be connected, and I don't want to
inconvenience other users (my wife).
My modem does not have an on/off switch, and I would not like switching
it on and off a lot and I certainly don't want to frequently remove the
connections. In XP there was a little telephone icon on the task bar
which
could be used to disconnect the phone but of course on cable that is not
relevant.
In previous versions of Windows, one could access Control Panel by commands
from what I still call the Dos prompt. On the MS web site these commands
are not mentioned in the Windows 7 support parts, and it specifically states
in the section about using Control Panel from the dos prompt that the
remarks do not apply to Windows 7 and I have not bothered to check yet.
Of course I will find a way to do what I want but it might take a while and
I wondered whether anyone else had already done it.

As for the reason: I am not sure what proportion of people realise
quite how simple it is to access other peoples' machines on a network
as long as one knows the IP address and they are not very careful.
Perhaps I am being paranoid.

 

[Char Jackson]

My modem does not have an on/off switch, and I would not like switching
it on and off a lot and I certainly don't want to frequently remove the
connections. In XP there was a little telephone icon on the task bar
which
could be used to disconnect the phone but of course on cable that is not
relevant.

Sure it is. The same thing applies. Just go to your network
connections and enable the taskbar icon for your wired Ethernet
connection. Then you'll have easy access to an icon that you can click
to disable, enable, or repair, etc.

As for the reason: I am not sure what proportion of people realise
quite how simple it is to access other peoples' machines on a network
as long as one knows the IP address and they are not very careful.
Perhaps I am being paranoid.

Unless you have a service running (intentional or not) that's
listening for inbound connections, then outsiders can send you data
packets 24x7 and nothing will happen. A NAT router helps (since it
blocks unsolicited inbound connections be default), and a firewall
also helps, but again, if you don't have something running that
accepts connections, then no one can connect to you. You're being
paranoid.

 

[johnbee]

Sure it is. The same thing applies. Just go to your network
connections and enable the taskbar icon for your wired Ethernet
connection. Then you'll have easy access to an icon that you can click
to disable, enable, or repair, etc.

Thanks for that. It does not enable itself so is not as simple as I'd like.

 

[Char Jackson]

Thanks for that. It does not enable itself so is not as simple as I'd like.

What doesn't enable itself? The icon or the connection?

 

[johnbee]

What doesn't enable itself? The icon or the connection?

I did not express it very well. Using Windows XP and dial-up broadband,
when one disconnected by clicking on the little picture of a rather old
fashioned telephone on the right hand side of the taskbar (assuming the
taskbar was at the bottom of the screen) effectively the phone was
hung up and the internet disconnected. The PC could not be affected
in any way using the internet by any other computer using any type
of contact method via any port. As soon as Internet explorer was started,
the line was immediately reopened automatically.
That does not happen when, using cable broadband, the connection is
cut off by disabling it. The connection remains closed until it is
specifically re-enabled which is a bit of a nuisance for any other users
of the PC. I could easily set up the excellent method which you
suggested; but of course I would sometimes forget to re- enable the
connection.
Because the other user of my PC (my wife) is set up as a separate user,
and always logs in and out and does not use the PC for anything
other than for internet business purposes, I have got as far as deciding
that the best method for us would be to have a batch file running for
her on logging in, or perhaps for me on logging out though I am not
certain that is catered for.