Not updating IP + W2K service issue

[tekno]

Dunno how much of a problem this is, since Outpost seems to work OK regardless. But, with Outpost 1.0.1511.1038:

1. Using W2K SP2 w/ external cable modem connected to ethernet card.
2. For security reasons, external cable modem and ethernet card are disabled at startup.
-- Cable modem disabled by switching off.
-- Network card disabled from previous session by going into Control Panel / Network and Dialup Connections / Local Area Connection, right-click, select "disable"
3. When logging into W2K, Outpost Firewall Service starts as normal. When moving mouse over Outpost tray icon, IP shows up as "localhost".
4. When I enable ethernet card and cable modem, cable ISP allocates DHCP IP address. I can verify this by going to cmd prompt and executing ipconfig.
5. At this point, when I move mouse over Outpost tray icon, it still reveals "localhost".
6. Outpost will not let anything communicate at this point.
7. When I Exit Outpost and then restart it, still nothing.
-- Outpost Firewall Service is still running as normal.
8. When I Exit-and-Shutdown Outpost and then restart it, THEN communications begin and everything functions as normal. Moving mouse over Outpost tray icon now reveals correct IP address.
9. At this point, Outpost Firewall Service is no longer running. When I click on the "Start" button, dialog box says "Could not start the Outpost Firewall Service on Local Computer. Error 1053: The Service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion."

Outpost appears to function OK and it continues to completely pass the GRC "Shields Up" stealth tests. (When Outpost is deactivated, the "Shields Up" tests tell me I have a bunch of ports open -- so Outpost is functioning properly here.)

My concerns here are:

a) Having to shut down and restart Outpost in order to get anything to be able to communicate, which appear to be caused by Outpost not being able to detect an updated IP address when IP address = localhost. (When I log on to AOL, AOL assigns an additional IP address which Outpost does properly detect and update when the mouse is moved over the tray icon -- so I don't think it's an in-general issue, just initially when IP address = localhost)

b) Outpost Firewall Service will no longer run or start up after forcing an exit-and-shutdown and restart, in order to get communications going. Is this an issue even though it appears to be functioning normally otherwise?

tekno

[root]

If you are using PPPoE, take a look at this thread.
http://www.outpostfirewall.com/forum...&threadid=3241
It's the only thing I can think of. I have Win2K and I'm on dialup, and I load Outpost on bootup. There is no problem with it picking up my IP and I am using Wingate.
Excellent presentation of the problem. Thanks.

[tekno]

Not using PPPoE... hadn't even heard of it til just now, but in doing a short investigation on what it was, I've concluded I'm not using it.

My cable ISP is a 2-way direct-connect always-on thing, no proxies or special software needed. It's supposed to automatically assign a DHCP IP at system bootup, hence the security precautions (I don't particularly care for having my PC connected to the Net when I'm not using it.) In this instance, the (usually static) DHCP IP address is automatically assigned when the network card is enabled.

tekno

[root]

Sorry then. This is beyond my scope.
Hopefully someone that has a clue will show up shortly.

[v_profiler]

Originally posted by tekno
[B]Dunno how much of a problem this is, since Outpost seems to work OK regardless. But, with Outpost 1.0.1511.1038:

Hi tekno,
different to others here who have a problem of IP detection with PPPoE may caused by OP (who knows?) you simply do not give it the chance to detect the adapter/IP "the normal way". For this reason I do not realy understand your posting. Sorry. So, like you found out yourself to exit-shutdown/restart Outpost is the only way Outpost is able to detect it. There were several other "real problems" with IP detection announced an for this reason I on time recommend Agnitum to take a look if it is possible to make IP detection work several times during a session to make it as an example less critical for DHCP and/or hibernation problems. I do not see that something has changed here - so "may" they will include this in one of the next Versions which will have another kernel/driver-loading. (but may this is not as easy as I think - I´m no expert)

1. Using W2K SP2 w/ external cable modem connected to ethernet card.
2. For security reasons, external cable modem and ethernet card are disabled at startup.
-- Cable modem disabled by switching off.
-- Network card disabled from previous session by going into Control Panel / Network and Dialup Connections / Local Area Connection, right-click, select "disable"

Ok, like I said before with unpluggin and disabling you take Outpost the chance to detect your IP. The unpluggin here should be the smaler issue because like from what I know problems with hot-pluggin USB-Modem was resolved in one of the last builds. The other thing; to disable the network card I at least do not understand and is for me the main reason that it Outpost will not get the chance to detect adapter/IP. Only for test purpose I would please you one time to:
1) let your adapter be enabled for a bootup (log in, Gui is loaded, etc...) to take a look what Oupost icon will show you (IP) after this and before
2) to plugin the USB-Modem; again to take a look what the Outpost Icon shows (IP) you
3) to try to connect to the net; again to watch the Outpost Icon what it will show you (IP - hopefully the dynamically)

3. When logging into W2K, Outpost Firewall Service starts as normal. When moving mouse over Outpost tray icon, IP shows up as "localhost".
4. When I enable ethernet card and cable modem, cable ISP allocates DHCP IP address. I can verify this by going to cmd prompt and executing ipconfig.
5. At this point, when I move mouse over Outpost tray icon, it still reveals "localhost".
6. Outpost will not let anything communicate at this point.

Of course Outpost will not let you communicate if it doesn´t get/detects the right adapter and for this reason not the right dynamical or any other IP. Why this happens (caused by your disabled adapter and unplugged modem) I wrote already in the first part. Why to disable the adapter is also still the point I do not understand. Ok, what I can immagine is that you think or want that Outpost can hot-detect your adapter and IP. Sorry no, from my knowledge the bootup process witch inlcludes driver loading and detecting is a necessary part. Another possibility I can immagine would be if you could bind Outpost on preconfigured adapter. This feature I think will only get into Outpost Server Version so I think we have to wait until Outpost work with frequently detecting/verifying those existing IP´s. The fact that Outpost also remembers/shows up "old" dynamic IP´s if the exitsting was changed can only verify this problem.

7. When I Exit Outpost and then restart it, still nothing.
-- Outpost Firewall Service is still running as normal.
8. When I Exit-and-Shutdown Outpost and then restart it, THEN communications begin and everything functions as normal. Moving mouse over Outpost tray icon now reveals correct IP address.

To exit Outpost will only shutdown the GUI you can read this in the Manual. To exit-shutdown will exit/unload GUI and Firewall drivers. If you now start it again by hand you will make Outpost load again it´s drivers and for this reason it will now be able to detect the adapter and IP it could not detect during bootup (when your adapter/modem was disabled/unplugged.

9. At this point, Outpost Firewall Service is no longer running. When I click on the "Start" button, dialog box says "Could not start the Outpost Firewall Service on Local Computer. Error 1053: The Service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion."

Sorry, first of all I do not understand this part (you said in 7. it is running), did you try to start the Outpost service again? (second time) If yes, for shure I can immagine that it will cause an error, please do not do this. If no, here you will have to wait for other Mods/Admins answer.

Outpost appears to function OK and it continues to completely pass the GRC "Shields Up" stealth tests. (When Outpost is deactivated, the "Shields Up" tests tell me I have a bunch of ports open -- so Outpost is functioning properly here.)

My concerns here are:

a) Having to shut down and restart Outpost in order to get anything to be able to communicate, which appear to be caused by Outpost not being able to detect an updated IP address when IP address = localhost. (When I log on to AOL, AOL assigns an additional IP address which Outpost does properly detect and update when the mouse is moved over the tray icon -- so I don't think it's an in-general issue, just initially when IP address = localhost)

Please try one time the test I asked for with enabling adapter for the bootup - the modem you can start/plugin later. What should Outpost show you instead of lh, if it is not able to detect the adapter?
I also use AOL but only with ISDN adapter as dialup and haven´t had problems without some times with some dialup-numbers I got which run another protocol type. I don´t know if you need to do the same but for my problems, I needed to move WAOL to trusted applications to get the dynamic IP always without problems. They always run other dynamical IP´s on their server - for this reason there is no possibility to set a ruleset without using many wildcards - in that way WAOL as trusted application is the more secure way.

b) Outpost Firewall Service will no longer run or start up after forcing an exit-and-shutdown and restart, in order to get communications going. Is this an issue even though it appears to be functioning normally otherwise?

Sorry, I do not understand this part.

Not using PPPoE... hadn't even heard of it til just now, but in doing a short investigation on what it was, I've concluded I'm not using it.

I believe you are from USA. Does AOL there come with cFOS driver for DSL?

My cable ISP is a 2-way direct-connect always-on thing, no proxies or special software needed. It's supposed to automatically assign a DHCP IP at system bootup, hence the security precautions (I don't particularly care for having my PC connected to the Net when I'm not using it.) In this instance, the (usually static) DHCP IP address is automatically assigned when the network card is enabled.

For me you suppose the right "BUT" also that you stop it from doing it´s job - or? If you already understand that DHCP make the client get it´s IP during bootup why you try to stop it and even you do not want this connection to be already established (for security reasons, trojan, whatever), why you disable the adapter and not only disable/unplug the modem? Anyway...
It would be very helpfull if you could do the test I mentioned above with letting adapter be enabled for bootup and reply with your results.
Thanks and best regards

Edit: hmmm, I saw from your old threads that you were very helpfull for Agnitum in relation with the AOL 7.0 - DSL bluescreen problem. Also that you later said it works very good for you - - may I do not understand your problem ? ?

[Danil]

tekno, before applying v_profiler's suggestion (which I think will make Outpost to work), please follow the instruction:

1) Please download Debug here, install it and reboot your PC.
2) Reproduce the bug (make sure that Outpost gives you 'localhost' when you are online and put mouse cursor on taskbar icon).
3) Right click on Outpost's icon in the system tray and select "Report a bug".
4) The Outpost Debug plug-in will extract the needed debug information, zip it and will launch your e-mail client with the information as an attachment.
5) Please also include the URL of the thread where this problem was discussed.
6) in email subject add "IP not detected"

I asked to do that before you follow v_profiler's instruction, as we need Debug logs to fix this error. As I know v_profiler's advise will make Outpost work. But as you understand this tip is not a solution. The solution will apear only when we analyse Debug logs.

Thanks in advance.

Awaiting for your logs.

[tekno]

OK, I reproduced the bug and e-mailed the logs as instructed. To (hopefully) minimize confusion I wiped everything clean prior, rebooted and let the logs log what happened. For good measure, I also briefly logged on to AOL to demonstrate how it does pick up the second IP and drop the second IP like it's supposed to, once it gets going.

Now -- to respond to v_profiler, the only difference in allowing the network card to remain enabled vs. disabled is, at bootup W2K assigns a dummy 169.254.xxx.xxx address to the network card instead of "localhost" (0.0.0.0). Everything else functions as described before, and Outpost will not allow communication without exit-and-shutdown and restart.

Another thing I noted regarding the Outpost Firewall Service is, after exit-and-shutdown:

a) Outpost Firewall Service can be started manually if Outpost executable is not running.

b) Outpost Firewall Service can not be started manually if Outpost executable is running.

So, the logical thing to do here is, after exit-and-shutdown, go into Services and manually restart Outpost Firewall Service, then restart Outpost executable.

So what I've been doing as of late is:

a) Network card and cable modem disabled at boot for security purposes;
b) When I'm ready to use the Internet, turn on cable modem, then Control Panel / Network and Dialup Connections / Local Area Connection / right-click / enable. (DHCP IP assigned automatically at this point)
c) Exit-and-Shutdown Outpost
d) Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Services / Outpost Firewall Service / Start
e) Run Outpost executable
f) Everything functions normally at this point.

Thanks for the feedback and info thus far!

tekno