Weird trouble?

[IanKennedy]

You are posting from an IP address of 24.102.128.73 which belongs to someone called PenTeleData Inc, looking at them they've actually got 6 DNS servers:

DNS1.PTD.NET which is 204.186.0.201
DNS2.PTD.NET which is 207.44.96.129
DNS3.PTD.NET which is 204.186.0.203
DNS4.PTD.NET which is 207.44.0.1
DNS5.PTD.NET which is 198.69.185.1
DNS6.PTD.NET which is 198.69.184.1

Are all the numbers you are seeing listed amongst these here. If so then it's working correctly, if not then you've definitely got an issue.

Typically, an ISP will balance the load on their servers by randomly allocating ones to clients. Typically, they will allocate 2 or maybe 3 servers to each client, so that they will continue to work when one of the servers isn't running.

Interestingly enough, none of those numbers correspond. My DNS settings are appearing under "Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection" -- should that make a difference? (I.E. would the numbers for my wirelessly connected laptop differ from the landline connected desktop?)

They should either be the same or perhaps blank. The only final possible correct value is that of your router. It would typeically be the same as your IP Address (seen via IPCONFIG /all) but with the last digit of either 1 or 254. The IP address in these cases would typically start with 10. or 192.168. both of these address ranges are reserved for 'internal' networks, such as those that live behind a home router.

[Sonic Glitch]

Interesting. I did a scan of malwarbytes from an uninfected flash drive as is suggested, nothing changed and earlier this evening the redirect occurred again. Any steps I'm missing?

[IanKennedy]

Malwarebytes will not fix it, it will simply remove the cause. You can then fix it and hopefully be back to normal. You could try and set the DNS manually. Go back and change the option to manual and then put in dns1 and dns2 from the list above. You need to enter the numbers, rather than the names. If you then restart your machine and see if the numbers you set stay put. If not then the root cause is still there.

[Sonic Glitch]

I followed the directions of your past few posts, but when I get to the properties screen my computer actually has two options for TCP/IP "TCP/IPv4" and "TCP/IPv6" do i do the same for both or pick one?

[IanKennedy]

I followed the directions of your past few posts, but when I get to the properties screen my computer actually has two options for TCP/IP "TCP/IPv4" and "TCP/IPv6" do i do the same for both or pick one?

TCP/IPv4 is very much the most likely option. There's hardly any ISPs using v6 yet.

[Sonic Glitch]

I followed the directions of your past few posts, but when I get to the properties screen my computer actually has two options for TCP/IP "TCP/IPv4" and "TCP/IPv6" do i do the same for both or pick one?

TCP/IPv4 is very much the most likely option. There's hardly any ISPs using v6 yet.

Alright. And will manually inputting the incorrect DNS values change anything (i.e. say the current value is correct despite it not appearing on the list) in a negative manner?

[IanKennedy]

I followed the directions of your past few posts, but when I get to the properties screen my computer actually has two options for TCP/IP "TCP/IPv4" and "TCP/IPv6" do i do the same for both or pick one?

TCP/IPv4 is very much the most likely option. There's hardly any ISPs using v6 yet.

Alright. And will manually inputting the incorrect DNS values change anything (i.e. say the current value is correct despite it not appearing on the list) in a negative manner?

You could put 8.8.8.8 as the only dns entry. This is googles DNS service which is quite quick. Once that there restart and see if it sticks and stays the only dns entry. If it doesn't then you are still infected with something that is changing your dns settings.

[Sonic Glitch]

If you open up the control panel and open Network Connections. You can then find you active connection and right click on it and select Properties. In the list that appears in the window find 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)'. Click on it and click the properties button. In the lower half of the window that opens there's a setting that says how to obtain the DNS settings. It will either be 'Obtain DNS server address automatically' or 'Use the following DNS server addresses'. Which is it set to? If it's set to 'use the following' change it to automatic. The Click OK button.

Now open a command prompt (Select Start / Run... and enter 'cmd' and click the run button). In the window that opens type 'IPCONFIG /renew'. It will take a little time to return. Once it's complete type 'IPCONFIG /all' and look for the DNS row. Is it still 'wrong' or has it changed. If it's changed, great. I would then restart your computer and see if that new setting is retained. You can do that by entering 'IPCONFIG /all' in a command prompt once you have restarted.

If it stays the same or is changed and then changes back again after a period of time then there's something running on your machine that is causing it to change back once it's 'fixed'. To be honest that's quite likely, as something must of changed it in the first place. The goal is to kill off that culprit and then you can use the above procedure to repair the settings.

Hm, I tried ipconfig /renew and it told me "no operation can be performed on a local area connection while it has its media disconnected." -- what does that mean?

[IanKennedy]

That your wired ethernet connection isn't plugged in and that you computer isn't recognising the wireless network correctly, at least as far as ipconfig is concerned. You could just change the IP and then restart the machine. That should be sufficient to see if it will be changed away from the fixed value you have put in.

[Sonic Glitch]

Dammit! The redirect to "yeah.com" just occurred again.

[Sonic Glitch]

Ian, I hate to impose, but do you think you could find the time to track down what my DNS settings theoretically should be? The problem seems to have returned, but now I'm on a different wireless network not (As far as I know) hooked up to my home provider.

Also, if anyone would like to kick this to the "Computers' thread, feel free.

[colmquinn]

Have the big red new topic buttons stopped working for everyone (i may have missed the memo that they were off)?

[Nickswitz]

Yeah, they've been not working for a while. I don't think that Ian has gotten around to them yet.

[IanKennedy]

Ian, I hate to impose, but do you think you could find the time to track down what my DNS settings theoretically should be? The problem seems to have returned, but now I'm on a different wireless network not (As far as I know) hooked up to my home provider.

Also, if anyone would like to kick this to the "Computers' thread, feel free.

You posted this from 67.108.95.251, which belongs to xo.net.

xo.net has the following name servers:

207.155.249.180
207.155.253.180
207.88.20.82
207.88.20.30

You can use any two of those. Alternatively you can always user 8.8.8.8 which is Google's free name server.