For Dial Up users: If you are a dial up user then you use a
modem either internal or external kind to get online. If you have
an external modem then this tip is easy. If you look at the
modem you’ll see lights on the front of it.
When you’re doing anything on the net you’ll notice lights
blinking that indicate that you are Sending Data, and Receiving
Data. Depending on how often the lights blink and how fast they
blink gives a rough idea of how much activity is going on between
your computer and the net.
Here’s where a little perception comes into play. If you are
connected to the internet, and are just sitting by your system
doing absolutely nothing, those lights have no business to be
blinking rapidly. They will flash periodically indicating it’s
checking it’s connectivity, however there should be no heavy data
transfer of any kind if you are not doing anything on the net.
For Example: If you have your email program open and you are
just sitting there reading your mail, you may notice that every 15
sometimes 20 mins that the lights will blink back and forth
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indicating it’s sending and receiving data. This is normal because
chances are you have your email program configured to check
your mail every 20 mins.
If by chance you notice the lights on your modem is blinking
consistently for let’s say a period of 2mins non stop be extremely
suspicious.
If you have an internal modem, you will not be able to see the
lights on your modem, instead you can rely on the two tv looking

Any data being sent and received will be noticed by the blinking
of the lights rapidly.
If you are on cable or dsl, the same applies. There should never
be any form of heavy data transfer of any kind from your system
to anything unless you are authorizing it. Some examples of
activity that can justify heavy data transfer are as follows:
• Legitimate Programs running that may need to access the
net occasionally. (ie, Email programs)
• If you are running an FTP server where people purposely
log into your machine to download files you have given
them access to.
• If you are downloading files off the internet
Things of that nature will generate a lot of data transfer.