3 Wireless Broadband - Curious traffic.

SubjectSean

OK so I've cleared out all my cookies and I ran anti-spyware and hijack this and there's nothing lurking on my PC that shouldn't be there and my firewall is on but when I run a packet sniffer (wireshark) during the daytime I'm getting lots of traffic that's initiated remotely. It's all adding up and chipping away at my monthly allowance. Does anybody have any idea what this traffic might be? It doesn't seem to happen at nightime. Is the 3 network using me as a relay of some sort?

formatman

Sykpe ?

SubjectSean

Hey thanks formatman. I had no idea those rascals would set me up like that. I guess I should have thought about how it worked. Cheers!

watty

You need a firewall (separate from PC is best) to stop skype relaying via you.

Cabaal

Skype are hardly setting you up like anything, you agreed to their T&C's

SubjectSean

T&C's? Isn't that just part of the packaging?

SubjectSean

watty wrote: »

You need a firewall (separate from PC is best) to stop skype relaying via you.

Thanks Watty, since formatman hit the nail on the head I've been doing some research and I hear Skype can circumvent firewalls but so far I haven't come across anybody saying how to stop it. I'm getting a Draytek Vigour 2800g sometime soon.

Nehaxak

Ooh Draytek are fantastic routers Get the VG model btw, may aswell get the voip option with it for a few extra euros.

You can disable certain features of Skype, at least with the business version. You can change some advanced settings and turn off the peer 2 peer type routing service it incorporates via the policy editor (START >RUN > gpedit.msc >Click OK) and import the policy settings available from Skype's website.

SubjectSean

Nehaxak wrote: »

Ooh Draytek are fantastic routers Get the VG model btw, may aswell get the voip option with it for a few extra euros.

You can disable certain features of Skype, at least with the business version. You can change some advanced settings and turn off the peer 2 peer type routing service it incorporates via the policy editor (START >RUN > gpedit.msc >Click OK) and import the policy settings available from Skype's website.

Thanks Nehaxak I'll give it go.

watty

SubjectSean wrote: »

Thanks Watty, since formatman hit the nail on the head I've been doing some research and I hear Skype can circumvent firewalls but so far I haven't come across anybody saying how to stop it. I'm getting a Draytek Vigour 2800g sometime soon.

Only for using it your self. If there is a firewall blocking INCOMING port80/443 traffic and only forwarding your "magic number" port to your IP (see Skype network settings) then Skype is fine.

If the "magic number" is not forwarded incoming, then Skype has to use a relay node when you do voice chat. Latency and jitter and packet loss worse.

Skype can use exclusively port 80 outgoing by using an open port 80 incoming on one or two 3rd party PCs that are not firewall protected. Hence Skype ALWAYS works with strictest firewall, if you can web browse. You SHOULD open your OWN "magic/unique" port number if you use Skype voice/video so a s Skype does NOT use a 3rd party PC as a Node.

Only if port 80/ 443 are open incoming to your PC (as they will be without a separate firewall) is your PC able to act as Voice/Video server for other people.

See Tools | Options | Advanced |Connection

There is no need to change registry settings. Everyone should have a separate firewall anyway, or if using a modem directly untick EVERYTHING except TCP/IP in the network interface used (Especially MS Client & File and Printer Sharing).

In contrast VOIP/Video on MSN & echo link can need impossible ranges of ports for a Proxy based rather than NAT based firewall.