Internet dis-connect switch

[Robert L Stewart]

Thank you all for many good points.

Thanks, Robert

[glenn bradley]

I believe Jim is just pointing out that a switch would violate the spec, not that it can't be done. There are all sorts of commercially available electronics that trick or bend the specs and there have been since way before Ethernet ;-)

As to Roberts question, just disable your NIC(s) if you want to terminate your connection with the outside world temporarily. You could probably whip up a quick macro or customize a key to do this as well. Here's a quick and dirty I just Googled:

1. Create a batch file to execute the command below:
2. netsh interface set interface name="Local Area Connection" admin=disabled
3. Substitute the actual network connection name if it isn't "Local Area Connection".
4. Copy the batch file and change "disabled" to "enabled" for reactivation.
5. Use "Create shortcut" on both, right-click and set "Shortcut" > "Advanced..." > "Run as administrator".
6. Proper icons can be changed using "%SystemRoot%\system32\imageres.dll" in "Shortcut" > "Change Icon...".
7. If you prefer white use "%SystemRoot%\system32\pnidui.dll" instead.

My keyboard of choice has no 'sleep' button so I made a key-combination activated shortcut for this. Same for a 'mute' function as my preferred music player has an inelegant solution and although my keyboard has volume buttons, it has no instant mute button(???). That's the great thing about computers; they do the work for you

[Doug Garson]

Just wondering why you are concerned that your computer wakes up in the middle of the night, as others have suggested it may be to check for and download updates or maybe email. Are you sure you don't have a backup set to run overnight?

[Jim Becker]

There seems to be a contradiction here. Using a physical switch is the same as unplugging an ethernet cable.

Not exactly because you cannot likely maintain the required twisting on the connections to/from a physical switch and still test out cleanly for Cat 5 or above. The cable you're unplugging as an alternative it built to the close specification that matches it's standards designation. But like anything, the physical switch may work just fine in many situations. As a network engineer for so many years, I get "itchy" when standards may not be followed because of how they can introduce puzzling and intermittent fun...

[Frank Pratt]

Not exactly because you cannot likely maintain the required twisting on the connections to/from a physical switch and still test out cleanly for Cat 5 or above. The cable you're unplugging as an alternative it built to the close specification that matches it's standards designation. But like anything, the physical switch may work just fine in many situations. As a network engineer for so many years, I get "itchy" when standards may not be followed because of how they can introduce puzzling and intermittent fun...

There are too many things to go wrong with a network without adding 'illegal' components & methods. It's not bad if it's just a small home network, but the more complex, the more important is is to stick to the spec. One of my favorite peeves is when male RF45 jacks are terminated onto the solid conductor structured cables, rather than terminating in a female jack & using a patch cable to complete the connection. That is neither approved nor reliable. It's probably the most frequent points of failure that we come across when trouble shooting network wiring.

[Jim Becker]

I agree, Frank.

[Jerome Stanek]

When I first read it I thought that He didn't want the computer waking in the middle of the night. That is why I said just to disable wake on lan.

[Jim Becker]

When I first read it I thought that He didn't want the computer waking in the middle of the night. That is why I said just to disable wake on lan.

Yes, this is similar to my mention of making sure that automatic updates are not causing the wake-up, too. That and what you mention are the least expensive and easiest solutions.

[Jerome Stanek]

If the computer is off it will not update

[Kev Williams]

^^^ yup! ^^^

I'm going to download this Windows Update Blocker and try it--
https://www.sordum.org/9470/windows-...-blocker-v1-6/

I am of the understanding (from trusted sources) that Microsoft still updates Win7 computers regardless of whether or not you have automatic-updates turned on or not, AND that Microsoft has admitted that these updates are slowing down the computers (not on purpose mind you, but just because the computers "are doing more work"-- uh huh --Makes sense to me because 3 of my 4 Win7's have become nearly useless slugs within the past year. But the 4th that's still working okay, isn't connected to the internet.

[Richard Hart]

^^^ yup! ^^^

I'm going to download this Windows Update Blocker and try it--
https://www.sordum.org/9470/windows-...-blocker-v1-6/

I am of the understanding (from trusted sources) that Microsoft still updates Win7 computers regardless of whether or not you have automatic-updates turned on or not, AND that Microsoft has admitted that these updates are slowing down the computers (not on purpose mind you, but just because the computers "are doing more work"-- uh huh --Makes sense to me because 3 of my 4 Win7's have become nearly useless slugs within the past year. But the 4th that's still working okay, isn't connected to the internet.

Very nice program and it works.