Please Help! Search Engine Redirect Issue-on 4 computers on same router!

[sheada74]

Okay, long story, but basically I THINK I have the redirect bug.

We have Verizon FIOS with a standard WEP that is on the sticker of the router...it's never been changed.

On the router, we have four computers...two hard wired and two wireless. The two wireless computers are the ones I would like to get fixed first-they are my son's and my wife's. Both are Dell Dimensions. The fourth computer is a work laptop on my company's VPN and the other is a Dell Dimension 9200 Desktop which I tried to get help from another computer forum by adding Malwarebytes, superantispyware scanner, otl, tdskiller, rootkiller and a HOST of programs to get rid of the problem. The "original" problem started shortly after I downloaded IE8 on my Dell Desktop. I have FIOS 25kbs and it was considerably slower than before. When I opened IE it would take homepage a long time to open (yahoo). Then I started noticing that my H: Drive which is removable USB wasn't recognizing my iPod when I plugged it in and kept giving me errors. Lastly, every time I shut down, I would get some type of rundll.exe error or something. My wife's Dell laptop and my desktop are protected with McAfee Internet Security Suite complete program.

All of the above issues I learned to live with for a while, although I probably should have got some help then.

Two days ago, all HELL broke loose. I believe it started with a Java update and then some sort of AV automatic scan that was not McAfee. I quickly stopped it and it appeared I was successful however I started noticing that my searches I pull up in google, yahoo or anything would give me the results I wanted but changed the page once it launched. I would typically get some type of very strange, generic advertising. When you hit the back button, it would work the second time.

I tried and tried to clean it off...I tried just about everything on my desktop. malware bytes, SAS, TDS, OTL, McAfee, Microsoft Malicious Software, Search and Destroy Spybot, etc etc etc. It was so bad at one time that non of the .exe, .dll, .sms files would run. Nothing would work...no internet connections in safe or normal modes. I did a system restore and got back to the original problem-the redirect issue and some other minor annoying issues. I unplugged it and powered down earlier tonight after working about 20 hours non stop on it with another forum (not this site). I'm taking a break from it and getting a second opinion from you all on how I can fix my other two laptops for my family, then I'll revisit my issues.

I'm hoping maybe you all think it's not malware, and perhaps a router DNS issue or something.

My wife's and son's computers both have the redirect virus as well. Neither have had any problems until I started having problems. My wife's which has McAfee got the Security Suite scanner thing and she closed it quickly but also had noticed last week that her hotmail account was hacked into that she sometimes visits on this computer as well as one at work. My son's computer also has the security suite issue occassionally, and once you close it, it disappears. You cannot find it.

I downloaded and installed malware bytes on both laptops and cannot get the update-it is giving me 12007 error. The scan showed a trojan one time and we deleted and another time a tracking cookie. Additionally we ran SAS, TDSS and rootkiller and nothing else came up. My wife's McAfee showed nothing on a scan either.

My son's had to have a system restore (same exact patters I experienced two days ago on my desktop) due to NONE of the computers .exe files working, no internet connection even though I was connected and no control panel options. The restore worked fine, but we still have these issues!!!!

Where should we start? If it's not malware/trojans/spyware/virus/worm...is it the router? If it is the router, and my work computer which is plugged in, but on the VPN for my work and is SUPER protected (double security, SecurID, etc etc but still has the redirect problem when not connected to VPN) will this just reinfect these two laptops unless I unplug?

Please help. I am very frustrated that nothing worked with the other forum on my desktop. I'm hoping and praying that my son's and wife's can be fixed without logging in 20 hours like I did on my desktop. Thank you!!!!

By the way, this appears to be somewhat of a computer-epidemic. Thousands and thousands of posts monopolize many searches on these topics of users having the same or very similar issues. Blondie seemed to fix a few of them. I don't know how you choose who works on which posts, but hopefully who I get has some success in clearing this up. I'm no expert, but if all the cleaners don't work, but all computers were infected very quickly---isn't this the router???

[sheada74]

Correction: My wifes and sons laptops are Dell Inspirons (sorry).

[Gammo]

Hi,

Before we begin, you should save these instructions in Notepad to your desktop, or print them, for easy reference. Much of our fix will be done with your internet connection disabled, so you will be unable to access this thread at that time. If you have questions at any point, or are unsure of the instructions, feel free to post here and ask for clarification before proceeding.

It sounds like a case of Zlob/DNSchanger that change the router's DNS settings.

1. Very important: First disconnect your computer from the internet.

2. Router Reset: Next you must reset the router to its default configuration. This can be done by inserting something tiny like a paper clip end or pencil tip into a small hole labeled "reset" located on the back of the router. Press and hold down the small button inside until the lights on the front of the router blink off and then on again (usually about 10 seconds).

3. Reset the IP/DNS settings of your interent connection:

• Go to Start -> Control Panel -> Double click on Network Connections.
  
• Right click on your default connection (usually Local Area Connection or Wireless Network Connection) and select Properties.
  
• Select the General tab.
  
• Double click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
  
  • Under General tab:
    
    • Select "Obtain an IP address automatically".
      
    • Select "Obtain DNS server address automatically".
      

  [*]Click OK twice to save the settings.

  [*]Reboot if you had to change any setting.

4. Flush the DNS cache:

• Click the Start logo in the bottom left corner of the screen
  
• Click on Run
  
• In the command window copy/paste the following:
  

  ipconfig /flushdns

  
  

• Then hit enter.
  
• Exit the command window.
  

5. Reconnect: Once you have followed all the above steps you can reconnect your computer to the internet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After that, please tell me if the redirection problem is gone and if you can now successfully update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware.

[Maurice Naggar]

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