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AIM opens random Firefox tab


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2 replies to this topic

#1 amykathleen

amykathleen

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Posted 07 October 2009 - 08:47 PM

Hi,

I recently installed the latest version of AIM on my computer. However, whenever it is running, a tab opens in my Firefox window for no apparent reason. This tab displays an OpenDNS error message, saying that the page has been blocked by my network administrator. My father and I are the network administrators, and the error page that we have set up for a site blocked by an administrator is not the same as the one displayed. The URL of the page is as follows (and that's also how I figured out that it had something to do with AIM)

http://block.opendns...=blocked_domain

and the page reads as follows:

66851566858880776615688078166669747183667870162015171622181820151816191918242621
161716141816847491703018191789261728798081708371301828667774668430262019212222222
528768778793026201921222222252885668372708530646777667976286669867380302017172872
838130262326212521172620287874846830262326212521172620
has been blocked by your network administrator.
Powered by OpenDNS.

Is there any reason that this would be happening? It's quite annoying, as it interrupts my other work on my computer, and I do a lot of homework on my computer. I also don't like my computer to do things without my knowledge. I've checked my AIM settings and there is nothing selected there that would cause this kind of a problem. I also opened msconfig and checked to see if anything is starting with my computer without my knowledge, and there is nothing. Having checked Task Manager as well, I don't see anything there either that would open something randomly like this. I don't think it would be a virus, as I run system checks with multiple programs (AVG Free, Ad-Aware, and Spybot S&D) each week and nothing has found anything, in addition to disciplining myself with extreme security rules, since I am paranoid due to a browser redirect that I had last spring.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, even if you can only tell me what AIM is trying to open. Thanks. :)

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#2 Ztruker

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Posted 08 October 2009 - 09:50 AM

Hi amykathleen, welcome to WhatTheTech.

A DNS provides network address lookup (Domain Name Server) resolution, similar to what the post office does. Every internet connection has one or more DNS servers that are queried whenever you try to go to a WEB SITE. For instance, when you try to go to www.google.com, a query is sent to your ISP's DNS server, which returns the actual URL address of that web site: 74.125.45.104.

OpenDNS is a free set of DNS servers that is touted as being safer and faster than other DNS servers. See here for more info: http://www.opendns.com/

Perhaps the latest AIM changed your DNS servers to use OpenDNS????? Shouldn't have, but you never know.

Open Network Connection in Control Panel
Right click on Local Area Connection and select Properties
Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) then click the Properties button

What is the DNS section at the bottom set to. If it's Obtain DNS server address automatically then something else if going on here.

If it's set to Use the following DNS server addresses:

208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220

then you are using OpenDNS. This is not a bad thing, but to test, select Obtain DNS server address automatically then click OK/Apply as needed. Reboot and see what happens (not sure the reboot is needed but it doesn't hurt).

Rich
 

Die with memories, not dreams. – Unknown


#3 amykathleen

amykathleen

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Posted 08 October 2009 - 08:21 PM

No, we mean to use OpenDNS. That's not the problem. I'm simply interested to know why the random tab would be opening.

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