Downloading a driver ...

diw wrote:
I'd like to download something from NETGEAR - a driver. I'm having issues with this. AFAICS there is no area on this forum for this kind of issue and as it's a wireless SOHO device it can go here ... If someone directs me to a more appropriate place I'll go there.

As there's been no input on that, here goes.
Again, if this is the wrong place, chime in.

Please be constructive and polite.
If that's difficult, please at a minimum address the question asked or please go elsewhere.

Writing I might get some answer to what is to all intents and purposes a very off-topic question if I perhaps asked is not useful in this instance.

It's being Captain Obvious and being impolite about it.

Perhaps if I asked about the size of the workforce I might get some answer for that here ...
... that wouldn't necessarily make it appropriate to ask ... in this section of the forum ... or in this forum altogether ...
... it might lead to thread closure or censure or negative reaction or whatever ...

In my experience, it is common for thread starters to seek feedback.
In my experience, going off-topic without let or hindrance is rarely well received.
I had a choice to proceed or ask first ...

I noticed some unsual things when I try to access the NETGEAR web (specifically to download a driver).
For a start I notice a lot of traffic accessing the http server that doesn't seem to end ... or have a purpose ...

Here's the initial state of my machine after startup:

netstat -a

Active Connections

  Proto  Local Address          Foreign Address        State
  TCP    msi:epmap              msi:0                  LISTENING
  TCP    msi:microsoft-ds       msi:0                  LISTENING
  UDP    msi:microsoft-ds       *:*
  UDP    msi:isakmp             *:*
  UDP    msi:4500               *:*

I go to the generic WG111 page ...
http://support.netgear.com/app/products/family/a_id/1268

Here's the state after that:

netstat -a

Active Connections

  Proto  Local Address          Foreign Address        State
  TCP    msi:epmap              msi:0                  LISTENING
  TCP    msi:microsoft-ds       msi:0                  LISTENING
  UDP    msi:microsoft-ds       *:*
  UDP    msi:isakmp             *:*
  UDP    msi:4500               *:*
  UDP    msi:1025               *:*

Nothing unusual so far.
I go to the v2 web page ...
It appears to load okay ...



... but I notice continuing activity on the blinkenlights.

Here's the state roughly when the page appears to have finished loading:

netstat -a

Active Connections

  Proto  Local Address          Foreign Address        State
  TCP    msi:epmap              msi:0                  LISTENING
  TCP    msi:microsoft-ds       msi:0                  LISTENING
  TCP    msi:1037               gis1-htz.livechatinc.net:http  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    msi:1040               chat.livechatinc.net:http  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    msi:1042               cd.18.7bae.static.theplanet.com:http  ESTABLISHE
D
  TCP    msi:1043               cd.18.7bae.static.theplanet.com:http  ESTABLISHE
D
  TCP    msi:1044               gis1-htz.livechatinc.net:http  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    msi:1045               cd.18.7bae.static.theplanet.com:http  ESTABLISHE
D
  UDP    msi:microsoft-ds       *:*
  UDP    msi:isakmp             *:*
  UDP    msi:4500               *:*
  UDP    msi:1025               *:*

Here's the state more than five minutes later:

netstat -a

Active Connections

  Proto  Local Address          Foreign Address        State
  TCP    msi:epmap              msi:0                  LISTENING
  TCP    msi:microsoft-ds       msi:0                  LISTENING
  TCP    msi:1037               gis1-htz.livechatinc.net:http  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    msi:1040               chat.livechatinc.net:http  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    msi:1042               cd.18.7bae.static.theplanet.com:http  ESTABLISHE
D
  TCP    msi:1043               cd.18.7bae.static.theplanet.com:http  ESTABLISHE
D
  TCP    msi:1044               gis1-htz.livechatinc.net:http  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    msi:1045               cd.18.7bae.static.theplanet.com:http  ESTABLISHE
D
  UDP    msi:microsoft-ds       *:*
  UDP    msi:isakmp             *:*
  UDP    msi:4500               *:*
  UDP    msi:52144              *:*
  UDP    msi:1025               *:*

It's now at thirty plus minutes and still "streaming".
I've looked at a few other pages but netstat says they are closing correctly and the connections from "NETGEAR" are established and the packet count is rising steadily ...

whois livechatinc.net

Registrant:
   LIVECHAT Software S.A.
   ul. Korfantego 30
   Wroclaw, Dolnoslaskie 53-021
   Poland

What's the purpose of this?
Will it end - A.K.A. if I leave this page open and go away for the weekend will I lose a significant portion of my data allowance ...

I'm happy to provide more data.

When I get some more time I'll document the other issues.

Oh, over 1¾ hours now and still "streaming".

Best wishes.