# Removed Rouge.WinAVPro, now computer is unable to access Internet
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 23, 2011, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853 "2011-11-23T06:08:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/1 "2011-11-23T06:08:48Z")
What it says in the title. Little help, please?
Posting this from A.C.'s laptop.
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### Author:  [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/2 "2011-11-23T08:18:23Z")
Check your browsers proxy settings - many viruses configure a local proxy to filter/track/modify browser requests. Your system may have been cleaned up, removing the proxy, but the browser is still trying to use it.
Si
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### Author:  [@lurcio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurcio)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/3 "2011-11-23T09:35:38Z")
What OS you using? XP? Win7?
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### Author:  [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/4 "2011-11-23T11:37:45Z")
There’s your problem, you removed the rouge, not the rogue.
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/5 "2011-11-23T12:50:14Z")
Before I left for work, I initiated a system restore from the earliest point possible. That’s Friday; the rogue apparently snuck in on Sunday.
> [@si\_blakely](#):
>
> Check your browsers proxy settings - many viruses configure a local proxy to filter/track/modify browser requests. Your system may have been cleaned up, removing the proxy, but the browser is still trying to use it.
The problem is that network discovery will only see the LAN, as if it gets stuck in a loop.
> [@lurcio](#):
>
> What OS you using? XP? Win7?
Vista.
> [@Chimera](#):
>
> There’s your problem, you removed the rouge, not the rogue.
:smack:
Blame a certain [bat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouge_the_Bat).
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/6 "2011-11-23T12:55:18Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#):
>
> The problem is that network discovery will only see the LAN, as if it gets stuck in a loop.
So it is not seeing the wireless network you wish to connect to?
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/7 "2011-11-23T13:08:12Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#):
>
> So it is not seeing the wireless network you wish to connect to?
My computer is connected directly to the gateway. It sees the network but that’s as far as it gets. Network and Sharing Center shows that it keeps searching for the LAN even though it sees it.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/8 "2011-11-23T13:23:10Z")
Do you have a router and a modem, a combined router/modem, or just a modem by itself?
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### Author:  [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/9 "2011-11-23T13:36:14Z")
Try this:
> [@](#):
>
> Start Internet Explorer and go to Menu \> Tools \> Internet options. Click the connections tab and select LAN settings. In the LAN Settings, go to proxy server and uncheck “Use Proxy Server for Your LAN”.
Also try Control Panel / Network Settings (or however you do this in Vista). Right-click your LAN connection and check the properties - the virus may have modified the DNS settings to redirect queries to alternative locations. For a typical system the IP address should be automatically set and there should be no entry for a DNS server.
Also check the file
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\drivers\etc\hosts
This should only contain an entry for
127.0.0.1 localhost
Additional entries may have been added by the virus (unless you use a hosts file adblocker).
Try another browser. Download Portable Firefox from [portableapps.com](http://portableapps.com) and stick it on a USB stick. Use that on your PC to see if that works.
Si
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/10 "2011-11-23T13:37:21Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#):
>
> Do you have a router and a modem, a combined router/modem, or just a modem by itself?
Combined. Other computers on the network, both wired and wireless, have full access.
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/11 "2011-11-23T13:45:30Z")
> [@si\_blakely](#):
>
> Also try Control Panel / Network Settings (or however you do this in Vista). Right-click your LAN connection and check the properties - the virus may have modified the DNS settings to redirect queries to alternative locations. For a typical system the IP address should be automatically set and there should be no entry for a DNS server.
>
> Also check the file
> C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\drivers\etc\hosts
> This should only contain an entry for
> 127.0.0.1 localhost
> Additional entries may have been added by the virus (unless you use a hosts file adblocker).
Thanks, this should help. Aurora was getting redirected whenever I tried accessing removal information and new tabs sometimes came out of nowhere when changing pages.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/12 "2011-11-23T13:49:00Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#):
>
> Other computers on the network, both wired and wireless, have full access.
If this is the case, I agree with **si\_blakely,** check your hosts file. Here is a [Microsoft wizard to reset it.](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972034)
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/13 "2011-11-23T13:57:55Z")
BTW: AFAIK, the source was a Tropes page. At least that’s where I was when the thing managed to sneak in. I did give them a heads-up in email.
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removed-rouge-winavpro-now-computer-is-unable-to-access-internet/603853/14 "2011-11-23T21:07:21Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#):
>
> Before I left for work, I initiated a system restore from the earliest point possible. That’s Friday; the rogue apparently snuck in on Sunday.
That worked! Back on the Net and no sign of AV Protection 2011. I’m going to run AVG just in case.
Thanks for the suggestions; they could help someone else dealing with a hijacker.