Strange Internet Connectivity Issues: A Call for Expert Insights
As an IT professional with a decade of experience under my belt, I thought I had encountered almost every conceivable network issue. However, a current problem faced by one of my long-term clients has left me scratching my head and reaching out to the community for guidance.
Background Context
I’ve been the go-to IT partner for this client for several years. They typically rely on me to resolve their technical challenges, so when they recently contacted me about internet connectivity problems, I assumed it would be a straightforward fix. After all, resetting a modem or updating a network driver usually takes no more than 25 minutes. Little did I know, this issue has now stretched into its second day.
The Problem Unfolds
The client reported that their computers were automatically redirecting all internet traffic to http://msftconnecttest.com, with Windows displaying a “no internet access” message. This behavior usually indicates a lack of connection, prompting Windows to redirect users to a page designed for troubleshooting.
My troubleshooting began with resetting the modem (a Frontier/Verizon device), but this did not yield any results. Next, I attempted to reset the network settings and drivers on all computers. It’s worth noting that both Mac and PC systems were unable to access the network, though only the PCs were being rerouted to the problematic page. Despite my efforts, including disabling msftconnecttest references in the registry, the issue continued. Any attempt to visit a website only resulted in a redirect to the msftconnecttest page, even though the loading progress seemed normal.
Anomalies and Further Diagnostics
Upon conducting a ping test to Google, I was met with a perplexing outcome: the response resolved to an IP address of 172.19.1.254 — a peculiar and incorrect designation that was flagged as potentially problematic. The ping time was astonishingly low, less than 1 millisecond, and this pattern was consistent. Even communications to the modem itself were failing, both over wired and wireless connections.
Desperate for answers, I reached out to Frontier’s tech support. Their representative posited the alarming theory that our modem had been “hacked by Russia”—a claim so bizarre, I found myself wishing I had recorded the conversation. Following their advice, I replaced the modem at a local Frontier store, only to discover
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