chick7t7
asked on
Loopback address?
Got 2 stupid questions..
Looking at my web history within my firewall I noticed pages of http://127.0.0.1/heartbeat. When I went to Google it said, "Page can't be displayed." I checked out ARIN, they came back with a loopback address. I had to look that up and it said:
Loopback address is a special IP number (127.0.0.1) that is designated for the software loopback interface of a machine. The loopback interface has no hardware associated with it, and it is not physically connected to a network. The loopback interface allows IT professionals to test IP software without worrying about broken or corrupted drivers or hardware.
Seaing as I am not a IT PRO..why would I have this?
Also, when I looked through the system info. within my firewall software it said, "IP address 172.xxx.x.xxx has disappeared and is no longer being protected. Hmmmm? What does the mean?
Just wondering...
Looking at my web history within my firewall I noticed pages of http://127.0.0.1/heartbeat. When I went to Google it said, "Page can't be displayed." I checked out ARIN, they came back with a loopback address. I had to look that up and it said:
Loopback address is a special IP number (127.0.0.1) that is designated for the software loopback interface of a machine. The loopback interface has no hardware associated with it, and it is not physically connected to a network. The loopback interface allows IT professionals to test IP software without worrying about broken or corrupted drivers or hardware.
Seaing as I am not a IT PRO..why would I have this?
Also, when I looked through the system info. within my firewall software it said, "IP address 172.xxx.x.xxx has disappeared and is no longer being protected. Hmmmm? What does the mean?
Just wondering...
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Are you using Comcast and Aol at the same time? You mean you connect to comcast and then go to the AOL website?
The way your internet connection works, each time you reconnect you are given an andress from a range of adresses that are avaiable for the ISP. That's why the old adress has been listed as "removed", you've gotten another one as yopu reconnected. The AOL website does not give you a new adress. And yes, even in a LAN, each computer has this so called loopback device (it's a simulated device but still). It's there so each computer can check if connection to itself are possible (so each computer has the same loopback adress of 127.0.0.1 pointing to itself).
The way your internet connection works, each time you reconnect you are given an andress from a range of adresses that are avaiable for the ISP. That's why the old adress has been listed as "removed", you've gotten another one as yopu reconnected. The AOL website does not give you a new adress. And yes, even in a LAN, each computer has this so called loopback device (it's a simulated device but still). It's there so each computer can check if connection to itself are possible (so each computer has the same loopback adress of 127.0.0.1 pointing to itself).
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A windows firewall will usualy leave the loopback interface alone. But if you see it blocking the interface anyway, you can safely remove the block.
It's most of the time part of the kernel or a loaded drive, so runs on its own indeed. Although I'm not perfectly familiar with windows, you should be able to stop/remove it, but if it's there I'd advice against it. It can't do any harm, while removing it could. :)
It's most of the time part of the kernel or a loaded drive, so runs on its own indeed. Although I'm not perfectly familiar with windows, you should be able to stop/remove it, but if it's there I'd advice against it. It can't do any harm, while removing it could. :)
loaded driveR ofcourse.
stupid typo.
stupid typo.
The only way to remove it would be removing the TCP/IP protocol - and if you want to carry on using your PC on the internet I dont suggest you do that...
I'd just like to reiterate that nothing can arise from leaving 127.0.0.1 as it is...
I'd just like to reiterate that nothing can arise from leaving 127.0.0.1 as it is...
ASKER
<<*This is perfectly OK. Now the other part means: Your PC had once an adress of*>> <<*172.xxx.x.xxx This has changed (if you have dialup or DSL you get a new adress on*>>
<<* each reconnect) and the <<old adress is no longer protected by your firewall.*>>
So that applies to LAN as well? I am assuming since my ISP is Comcast, then I use AOL ( I like AOL features but their search engine sucks), I must first get an IP via Comcast, then AOL? Maybe that is why the 172.xxx has "disappeared"?
boelaars: You also, are quite the wealth of knowledge. If it wasn't for people like you, boelaars, many others from E-E and E-E, I would have given up long ago and be PC-less...
<<*It's installed on almost every system (no matter if it's unix or windows or whatever)* >>
<<*and is best to be non-firewalled at all, since you could damage system processes by* >>
<<*doing so.*>>
So this is installed on most PC's, and it runs on its own? I have never noticed this before. Will my firewall damage the system? Can I stop it? Should I stop it?
Thanks again!!