why does my computer dial itself to the internet every 30 minutes or so? It started doing this recently.?

Answer 1

you got spyware or a dialer and if you let it doing that you will get a large phone bill

Answer 2

Hi!!! May be others are correct but there is one safe answer to it, and that is related with IE Settings. So it might not be case of malware, virus, or worms as feared.

Open INTERNET EXPLORER :

Go to Tools >> Internet Option >> Connection Tab >> Choose Never Dial a Connection.

Now whenever you will open Outlook or IE your system wont dial automatically. You will need to dial before you can actually surf the web.

Second thing that is if you are on network and your system provides internet connection to other then in the dialer setting the option which says Dial whenever a system wants to access internet is CHECKED. Unckecking will also solve the problem.

This can be found under proprties of dialer and advance tab.
CAUTION: Unchecking will not allow othres to access internet if you do not dial manually.

Please let know it helps.

Answer 3

Sounds like you have a "dialer":

Dialers are software that install themselves to your dial-up settings and dials numbers without your knowledge. Once dialer software is downloaded the user is disconnected from their Internet service provider and another phone number is dialed and the user is billed for the time used. They are malicious in nature and can rack up expensive and unwanted bills.

Download and install Windows Defender, it will locate and remove the malicious software.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=435bfce7-da2b-4a6a-afa4-f7f14e605a0d&displaylang=en

Answer 4

You may have spyware, which records your keystrokes and is sending them to someone else. Shut it down and get anti-spyware from Norton or Allume (Clean-Sweep). This is identity theft. They may have gotten your credit card info if you input it on your computer. If you think that they did, stop your credit card and have it changed.
This happened to me twice this year. I now run Allume Clean-Sweep and have to give my computer permission onscreen before it can access a site. It cost $30.
You should monitor your bank accounts daily, and call your bank's fraud department to report suspicious activity.
You also need to call and dispute any wrong charges to your account with the company that they are charged to. They usually return it.
This is not fun. I can't make it that way.
I can tell you that my money no longer disappears due to fraud.
Take action now!

Answer 5

Congratulations you got malware. Hopefully it is not dialing to a 900 number or some country other than the one you live in.

Answer 6

yes other answers are correct

you can do this:

start>run>
then type msconfig
then look at the startup list and see if u can find anything suspicious and uncheck it. they usually put themselves on the list again but you can still try

after u find the name, you can search that file on your computer and delete the whole folder. then u should use virus softwares, adwares etc...

hope this helps

Answer 7

It's trying to connect to something. Do you have something that needs updating?