2 second disconnects / Z-Connect trojan dialler

Cius

Cius

Honorary Master
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
10,589
Reaction score
8,550
Location
Johannesburg
Hi guys

Interesting issue. Recently my 3G modem stopped working on my home PC. I can sit next to that same PC with my laptop and it works 100% every time its just my PC that seems to have the issue. Using Hauwei E220. Initially I had some problems on that PC where it would show it was connected but not transfer data intermittently. Other times it would just randomly disconnect after a period. Now what it is doing is dropping the connection after about 2 seconds no matter what I do. I have tried both the original VMC lite and the Hauwei dashboard with same result. I then tried using a cell phone as a modem and it does the same thing so its not the modem or the software, its my PC. It connects normally then disconnects automatically after a second or two and then says device is in use or no network available. Using XP SP2.

Any ideas on what I can do? I have been searching this forum for about 30 minutes and have a few things to try but nothing definitive so if someone has the same issue and found a solution please let me know. Otherwise advice or links to good things to try would be appreciated.
 
Have you used the twin USB connector cable? Is your BIOS up to date?

If you have done all of that it might just be time for a reinstall.
 
Look under Windows Network Connections if there are connections named z-connect, x-connect etc.
 
It is most definitely time for a re-install but I won't have time till after Christmas and in the meantime my wife is sitting at home internetlessness and very very unhappy about it :D

The cable with the modem just has two ends. USB which goes into the PC and then the little one that goes into the modem. I doubt its anything like the cable that is the problem because I have no issues with it on my laptop. I VPN in to work all the time through it.

Other ideas I have are perhaps:
Firewall or virus scan blocking it (The question then is why now as nothing changed)
Virtual drive issues?
Other software compatibility
Some kind of port clash???

Anyways, still hoping for some more suggestions to try out.
 
sounds like another connection is set to autodial and is trying to take the modem. delete ALL connections in your windows control panel networking options (by all i mean all internet ones) and re-create just one.

Also delete any modems except the Huawei one - and a single instance of it.
 
Cius said:
There is a Z connect.
Click to expand...

Thats your problem right there. You will have to format.

What happens is when you connect, about 5 to 10 secs later your connection is disconnected, and then z-connect starts dialing up with your modem.

I suspect is some kind of spyware/malware/virus. Had quite a few customers with those. Dont know how to get rid of though. Deleting from there doesnt seem to work, coz it just comes back.
 
rurapente said:
sounds like another connection is set to autodial and is trying to take the modem. delete ALL connections in your windows control panel networking options (by all i mean all internet ones) and re-create just one.

Also delete any modems except the Huawei one - and a single instance of it.
Click to expand...

Deleting Z-Connect from Network Connections doesnt help. Once you connect again it just pops back in there.
 
Makes sense actually. My wife downloads flash games from websites that do pop-ups so I think that is probably it. While AVG free protects me from the viruses all the spyware/malware seems to have free reign. I think its time to get a more comprehensive protection package for that PC after I format it.

Thanks for the incredibly swift assistance guys. Will let you know if I manage to get rid of that connection somehow. I have some ideas of how to in the registry in the interim before I fdisk the machine.

Edit: Seems a temp solution is to delete the z-connect connection and then rename your connection to z-connect. The virus can then not create its connection. Note that this will not clean up the virus but it will at least give you a temp solution if you urgently need to connect for something. Seems that few of the current scanners can succesfully remove zconnect viruses and most people recommend a full format and re-install.
 
Last edited:
Problem staying connected...

Hi all,

I really do hope that someone will be able to help me on what appears to be a very baffling problem!

I have a Vodacom 3G card from work, for when I need to go online when not at the office. This worked fabulously well for over a year until it started having problems (seemingly) randomly in December.

The device connects fine but within a short space of time (anywhere from 10 - 120 seconds) it disconnects with the following error:

"Mobile connection not possible. Ensure that no other programs are using your selected device and try again in a short while"

If I try a different device with the same sim I still get the same error and yet if my IT guy uses this sim on his laptop he has no problems what so ever!

I've re-installed the drivers countless time as well as "Vodacom Mobile Connect Lite" and nothing seems to make a difference. It is a Huawei E620 card, but as I said even if I use someone else's USB modem I get the exact same behaviour.

It is an IBM laptop running XP Professional.

As I said, this used to work fine... And our IT support at work has no idea what may be the problem!

Thanks in advance :)
 
Check under Network Connections if you see dial-up connections called z-connect or x-connect or Internet. If so, that is the source of your problem.
 
Hi

I agree , make sure that you don't have any of those connections available under network connections.
 
Thanks for the responses!

I did indeed have a "Internet" and "z-connect". I deleted them and tried connecting again. But what now happens is that I'm not disconnected, but after a few seconds my average up and down speeds are rooted firmly at 0bps and as far as my browser is concerned, I'm not online. And the "Internet" connection has recreated itself...

And I don't know if this is helpful or not, but if I try to "Safely Remove Hardware", 2x "NEC PCI to USB Open Host Contoller" show up. This has always happened (even when it used to work) and clicking on one to remove it removes both.
 
tenrapid said:
Thanks for the responses!

I did indeed have a "Internet" and "z-connect". I deleted them and tried connecting again. But what now happens is that I'm not disconnected, but after a few seconds my average up and down speeds are rooted firmly at 0bps and as far as my browser is concerned, I'm not online. And the "Internet" connection has recreated itself...

And I don't know if this is helpful or not, but if I try to "Safely Remove Hardware", 2x "NEC PCI to USB Open Host Contoller" show up. This has always happened (even when it used to work) and clicking on one to remove it removes both.
Click to expand...

Do a format and re-install Windows. You can try anti-spyware and anti-virus scans and registry cleaners to see if you can get rid of it, but no matter how much times you delete it in Network Connections it will just re-create itself over and over.

IMO, a format will make sure that its gone for good.
 
:( I wasn't expecting such a drastic solution!

Thanks for the info - this is the only place that has helped in deciphering my problem!
 
I have had the problem myself , but unfortunately can't give you confident resolution. i played around with different anti-virus and anti-spyware programs trying to remove it. Eventually it just disappeared and stayed away. I can't say that anything specific fixed the problem though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X