With NIS 2009 In the history section I see this issue. " IP address has disappeared from adapter Atheros AR5009...adaptor is no longer being protected" and also "Protecting your connection thru a newly detected network on Atheros AR5009 etc. and an IP address"
Is this something I should address and can someone explain what this is.
Does it have anything to do with an issue I cannot seem to figure out..So here is the issue as best I can explain"
I have this HP G60 laptop running Vista and desktop PC running XP. I have a Netgear WNDR3300 router connected from my modem from Cox cable to the router with an Ethernet wire. On my HP laptop, when I am at full wireless connection of 5 bars, if I go to Network and Sharing center and view full map the pictures show a path of PC (this laptop) to SSID Network Name to Internet. After some time, I drop to 3-4 bars and when I go again to the Network and Sharing Center and view full map it is different. It takes a path of PC (this laptop) to SSID Network Name to Switch to Netgear WNDR3300 router to Internet. If I disconnect and reconnect to the same SSID Network Name, I am back to 5 bars and to the original full map of only three things. Why does the map path change when the bars are less? Am I bouncing between different networks or is someone hacking in and thus the Norton protecting and unprotecting message above?
With NIS 2009 In the history section I see this issue. " IP address has disappeared from adapter Atheros AR5009...adaptor is no longer being protected" and also "Protecting your connection thru a newly detected network on Atheros AR5009 etc. and an IP address"
Is this something I should address and can someone explain what this is.
Does it have anything to do with an issue I cannot seem to figure out..So here is the issue as best I can explain"
I have this HP G60 laptop running Vista and desktop PC running XP. I have a Netgear WNDR3300 router connected from my modem from Cox cable to the router with an Ethernet wire. On my HP laptop, when I am at full wireless connection of 5 bars, if I go to Network and Sharing center and view full map the pictures show a path of PC (this laptop) to SSID Network Name to Internet. After some time, I drop to 3-4 bars and when I go again to the Network and Sharing Center and view full map it is different. It takes a path of PC (this laptop) to SSID Network Name to Switch to Netgear WNDR3300 router to Internet. If I disconnect and reconnect to the same SSID Network Name, I am back to 5 bars and to the original full map of only three things. Why does the map path change when the bars are less? Am I bouncing between different networks or is someone hacking in and thus the Norton protecting and unprotecting message above?
I followed your link and tried to follow what was said but if I may explain it back to you (and others as inexperienced and I) and see if I understand. I send the signal to the internet through my router with an assigned address but my router (or it's system) can assign a secondary IP path which takes me off the first path-thus giving me the first message that my connection is no longer being protected-and then it puts me through a secondary path that gives me another message that says Norton found another path and is protecting me.
Do I get it or have I just totally shown you how inept I am at this techie stuff? If I understand correctly, then I assume I have nothing to be concerned about and no one is trying to hack into my computer or something like that.
If this forum is for the more educated I understand but I thought I would try as emails to Norton help have given me solutions from "don't worry about it we are protecting you" to "call us and we will go into your computer and see if we can fix this and it is very tricky to try to fix" Neither option was something I was comfortable with so when I found this forum I thought I would try.
Thank you for your patience with me. (and maybe others too)
You kind of have it. What is happening in the wireless world is that the router will act as a private DNS service also. When you first connect to it by providing the proper password and SSID, the DNS side gives your laptop a IP address so that it can direct traffic to your laptop. This address is in the standard ###.###.###.### format (probably something like 192.168.1.2 lets say) . The DNS in the router matches this IP to what is called the MAC ID of the network adapter. Every network device in he world has a unique MAC ID that is loaded into it by the device manufacturer; it is permanent and can not be changed.
After the assigning of the IP address is complete, the router then establishes a two-way "paired connection" with the laptop's network device. This is a partnership that says "I am open to send and receive data from you" and both partner's agree on this (this is done on the TCP [Transmission Control Protocol] side of the connection) .
To increase traffic flow throughput in routing devices, some devices will act as a "switch". When a router receives data from the outside world, it will let it flow to all the connections out from it (this is a true hub which would just keep sending data in and out and not check anything at all) . A "switch" has an internal post office / traffic cop that knows what IP address is connected at each connection. When external data come to a switch, it examines the TCP/IP package to see where the data needs to go. It them sends the package only to that connection thus cutting down on the network traffic delays.
The combination of the private DNS and "switch" is what makes up a router. As you use the wireless connection, the wireless side keeps checking that it can maintain a certain level of connectivity via the "radio waves" with your laptop. Should this fall below a certain level for a period of time, the router will close that connection by sending an message that tells the network device (this can be wired or wireless) to close that connection and accept no more data from the partner on the other end of this particular connection. The wireless adapter in the laptop agrees to this and closes the "two-way" paired connection on its end. This is when you see an adapter loses it's IP address in the logs as it is no longer talking to the router.
After that, the wireless adapter is searching for a connection and finds the router once again. They go through their dance once again and depending on the rules programmed in the router, it may assign a new IP address to this laptop's adapter or it may use the same IP address it just had. The assigning and establishing of the partnership connection and closing of the connection can all take place in milliseconds.
So, in regards to the original question, the messages you are seeing in the log are perfectly normal and yes, Norton is protecting your system every step of the way. Norton tells you that it sees a new network "partnership" connection has been made and it is actively protecting your system by monitoring that connection. When the "partnership" connection is dissolved, Norton tells you that this connection is no longer active and Norton is no longer monitoring that because it does not exist anymore. The wording on the log entries could be a little better but then you wouldn't want a novel when all you need is "Your Safe".
Wow! You have no idea how pleased I am to get your most exact and down to earth explanation. I believe I do get it and in fact I do see when I sign onto Netgear that MAC ip address and see it in the history of Norton as a “trusted” place and thought it odd that a MAC address was involved on my Windows pc. Your explanation was wonderful. So I have no control over where and how my data goes when the traffic gets too busy and it is normal to fluctuate from 3-5 bars. Wish I could keep it at the original connection that keeps me at 5 bars but it seems I also have no control over that. No matter which way my traffic goes I am SAFE and do not need to change any settings in Norton(like make any connection an untrusted place as in the more info section suggests) nor do I have to connect to Norton on line for any corrections to be made. I have learned that if I am going to video conference, I disconnect if I am only 3 bars (the one going through the switch you mentioned on the map view) and reconnect to the same network I go back to the 5 bars and have no problems on the video. A Bit inconvenient but doable for me. Again, thank you so much for taking the time to let me rest and not think of this issue as a threat and again increase my knowledge at my age. I hope others too will read this thread and learn also. If there is anything else I can do , just post here and I will check subscribe to the thread so I will know. Have a great day!
To help others find this thread mark Db's post as the one that answered your question! You (as the original Poster) only can see the green solution button and use it.
I have sharred this with others who have the same issue and one question keeps popping up–why doesn’t the path change back automatically to the one with 5 bars when “traffic” allows but it does go back if you disconnect and reconnect on the same network?
I suspect that as long as it has a connection, it is quite happy, even if there is a better one elsewhere. If it lost the poorer connection, it would search and locate the better one, which is what you are doing by unplugging it.
Wow! You have no idea how pleased I am to get your most exact and down to earth explanation. I believe I do get it and in fact I do see when I sign onto Netgear that MAC ip address and see it in the history of Norton as a “trusted” place and thought it odd that a MAC address was involved on my Windows pc. Your explanation was wonderful. So I have no control over where and how my data goes when the traffic gets too busy and it is normal to fluctuate from 3-5 bars. Wish I could keep it at the original connection that keeps me at 5 bars but it seems I also have no control over that. No matter which way my traffic goes I am SAFE and do not need to change any settings in Norton(like make any connection an untrusted place as in the more info section suggests) nor do I have to connect to Norton on line for any corrections to be made. I have learned that if I am going to video conference, I disconnect if I am only 3 bars (the one going through the switch you mentioned on the map view) and reconnect to the same network I go back to the 5 bars and have no problems on the video. A Bit inconvenient but doable for me. Again, thank you so much for taking the time to let me rest and not think of this issue as a threat and again increase my knowledge at my age. I hope others too will read this thread and learn also. If there is anything else I can do , just post here and I will check subscribe to the thread so I will know. Have a great day!