# Anyone With Comcast Internet Access? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 27, 2003, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733 "2003-06-27T11:35:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/1 "2003-06-27T11:35:43Z")
If so, what are you using to stop your pop-ups? I have pop-up stopper (which never worked on Microsoft anyway), but I didn’t know that **Comcast** doesn’t have its own firewall as **BellSouth ADSL** did. This morning I came home and had to clear about 30 pop-ups before I could use my computer, each one bigger and more blatant than the one before it and carrying the same message: “Aren’t you getting tired of these pop-ups…?”:rolleyes: I was told never to press the **OK** button, so I just **x’d**'em out. Thanks for your help. Q ---
**Author:** ![Jdeforrest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@Jdeforrest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jdeforrest)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/2 "2003-06-27T11:45:27Z")
Here’s what you have to do. I’m guessing you have windows 2000 or XP. Right click on the my computer icon on your desktop and choose manage out of the list that appears. Once you get to the manage screen, on the right half of the screen click “services and applications” Next click services on the right half of the screen. On the next screen, scroll down until you see “messenger” Right click on it and choose properties. Halfway down the properties screen, change the startup type to either manual or disabled and stop the service. This should take care of the annoying pop-ups. ---
**Author:** ![Jdeforrest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@Jdeforrest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jdeforrest)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/3 "2003-06-27T12:35:24Z")
Oh and it’s MSN Messenger and not Comcast that’s causing the problem. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/4 "2003-06-27T12:39:07Z")
I have Comcast Cable internet and I don’t notice an unusual number of pop-ups. ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/5 "2003-06-27T14:24:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jdeforrest \* > \*\*Oh and it’s MSN Messenger and not Comcast that’s causing the problem. \*\* That is incorrect. The Messenger Service is designed for one-way communication between network computers, and is not related to MSN Messenger. There are four basic types of “pop-up” advertisements: Web-page pop-ups, messenger service messages, pop-ups generated by spyware (Gator, etc.), and spam instant messages. Web-page pop-ups are stopped with a pop-up blocker, you can stop messenger service messages by disabling the service as mentioned by **Jdeforrest** , spyware can be stopped by cleaning it from your computer with something like Ad-aware ([lavasoft.de](http://lavasoft.de)), and spam instant messages can be stopped by setting your instant messaging client to accept messages only from people on your buddy list. **FCM** , I think he’s referring to spam messages sent through the messenger service. BellSouth could block the messages because they use a different protocol than what is used for web browsing. Comcast, apparently, does not. Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/6 "2003-06-27T18:27:42Z")
Okay, I didedit. I followed **Jdeforrests** instructions, and so far no annoying pop-ups. Thanks very much! Quasi ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/7 "2003-06-27T21:21:57Z")
If youre using IE 5.5+ [google.com](http://google.com) has a new toolbar that has a popup stopper & spam tools, free: [http://toolbar.google.com/install-beta](http://toolbar.google.com/install-beta) I love it cause you can search fast. ---
**Author:** ![bafaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@bafaa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bafaa)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/8 "2003-06-27T21:52:49Z")
OK, so I’m using Comcast and figured I’d check out the thread. Soon as I finish reading the thread I get a popup! This is on a laptop running 2000 that I rarely use and had never gotten a popup before. Crazy coincidence! Anyway, now I’m off to disable the messenger service. Thanks for the advice. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/9 "2003-06-27T22:13:17Z")
I have Comcast. I use the Norton firewall. Small price to pay. **Jdeforrest’s** advice doesn’t work on ME, apparently. Right clicking on My Computer does not get me a “manage” option, not that I need it with the firewall. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/10 "2003-06-27T23:27:26Z")
I spoke too soon. It slowed them down a bit, but they still pop up. **FCM** , what kind of a fire wall, do **you** use? Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/11 "2003-06-28T00:19:04Z")
I use Zone Alarm Pro, besides the firewall it also has a pop up blocker. Works mighty fine for me. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/12 "2003-06-28T00:28:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by racer72 \* > \*\*I use Zone Alarm Pro, besides the firewall it also has a pop up blocker. Works mighty fine for me. \*\* Same setup here. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/13 "2003-06-28T03:48:35Z")
I have Free Surfer on mine, haven’t needed a firewall progarm ever since setting up a Netopia hub. IE6 also has a built-in popup blocker but it doesn’t block everything. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/14 "2003-06-28T04:12:33Z")
I use Windows 98SE, Win2000 and Win XP Pro. I use Opera. I set Opera’s preferences to refuse all popups. I have a router with a built-in firewall. Simple, to the point. No muss. No fuss. ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/15 "2003-06-28T07:47:18Z")
Just to double check, did you do **both** of these things: 1. Set the startup type for the messenger service to manual or disabled 2. Stop the service Setting it to manual or disabled does not actually stop the currently-running service – it only prevents it from starting up next time you boot your computer. You also have to hit the “stop” button to stop the currently-running instance of it. **Jdeforrest’s** instructions were correct, but could be misinterpreted (e.g. if someone told you “click the close box and close the window”, the second action is implied by the first). ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-with-comcast-internet-access/184733/16 "2003-06-28T10:38:04Z")
Well, the **stop** option was “greyed out”, so I didn’t actually have to choose it, and “service stopped” appeared in the window before I closed out of the box and hit OK. Incidentally, I haven’t had a pop-up in about 20 hours now. I tried to download the free trial MacAfee firewall, but it hung my system up so bad I finally took it off. Since then, no pop-ups. Course, I probably just jinxed my dumb ass! 😃 Q