Network Activity Tool

I get calls from people all the time about "funny" stuff happening on their computers.

Many times it's due to adware, malware or viruses hiding out.  Heck even stuff down in the systray phoning home (Acrobat, Java, etc.) can load a system temporarily causing things to slow and studder.  So how can you tell what's happening?  Well I use netstat.  It's an old tool both on Windows and Linux that can reveal quite a bit about what's happening.  So let's to this Q & A style....just like I get on the phone. :)

Q:How can I tell who my computers talking to?

A: netstat -a
This will list all listening ports and established connections.

Q: What program is using that port shown as listening?

A: netstat -b   or   netstat -bv (windows)
    netstat -p  (Linux...but you gotta be root)
This will show the windows executable holding the port open or with the -v switch the .dll's used as well.  The linux switch -p shows the process, not necessarily the executable but hey....that's really what you want anyhow right?!??

That covers the basic topic I think.  There are a slew of tools for stuff like this if you look around a little. I'll try and point some out and how they are used as questions arise.

Lenovo Thinkpad RANT

<Begin Rant>
Lenovo laptops require way too many complicated drivers.  We are adding the T400 to our supported models on our MDS server for automated builds and man...what a pain Thinkpads are.  Not only does it require like 25 separate installations (many of which are .exe's), most require a reboot and probably shouldn't be chained together with silent switches.  Plus, once you get them all up and running on an image, your processor gets dinged with a performance hit booting and shutting down.  Heck, there's more icons in my systray then there is illegitimate babies in the Palin family.

Note to Lenovo:   Please make it easier to use unattended installations with your drivers.  Good Lord what ever you do separate the driver from the handy dandy (and utterly useless) apps in the control panel. 
<End Rant>

Dell 910 - Awesome mini computer

So I've spent the last 2 days in the hospital with my oldest son.  Seems he has viral meningitis.  Thankfully he will be just fine and we hope to leave tomorrow. This of course was really really bad timing because I'm supposed to be in Denver setting up the computer room for our new office.  I'm blessed that my network administrator still was able to make the trip and he's been doing a great job getting it all up and running.  I've been able to jump on the wireless connection here at the hospital and VPN in to help out.  This is the first time I've used our Dell 910 mini laptop and it's been working great.  What a lifesaver. 

Now I didn't over load the box at all because I've followed the kiss principle setting up the box.  It's XP Home Edition SP3 with watered down Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Skype.  Most of the time I'm remoted into my desktop at work over our SonicWall VPN4000...another awesome device.  The keyboard is my biggest complaint because it's so cramped but hey...it works.  I think I'll trade my Thinkpad in for one of these.