I use OS X 10.4.8 on an Intel Mac. Since installing Boinc, I have noticed that my computer is SENDING a stream of packets about every 20 secs. I do NOT have Boinc startup at login. I am using it for seti@home

A tcpdump shows some 400+ iterations of the following packet. I am wondering if this is a part of Boinc/SETI or if I have picked up some malware?

TIA,

Bill

09:53:45.335370 IP dialup-4.244.180.18.dial1.stlouis1.level3.net > 239.255.255.253: igmp v2 report 239.255.255.253
...!F.. .......&....................

The & is replaced by a different characters in each iteration.

A whois of 239.255.255.253 gives:

OrgName: Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
OrgID: IANA
Address: 4676 Admiralty Way, Suite 330
City: Marina del Rey
StateProv: CA
PostalCode: 90292-6695
Country: US

NetRange: 224.0.0.0 - 239.255.255.255
CIDR: 224.0.0.0/4
NetName: MCAST-NET
NetHandle: NET-224-0-0-0-1
Parent:
NetType: IANA Special Use
NameServer: FLAG.EP.NET
NameServer: STRUL.STUPI.SE
NameServer: NS.ISI.EDU
NameServer: NIC.NEAR.NET
Comment: This block is reserved for special purposes.
Comment: Please see RFC 3171 for additional information
....

RFC 3171 assigns 239.0.0.0 - 239.255.255.255 (239/8) Administratively Scoped Block

Whatever that means??

239.255.255.253 points to my own computer, so I guess it's some sort of 127.0.0.1. It could be SETI communicating with BOINC. Nothing is being sent out of your computer.

EDIT: in fact, it 'redirected' into my router's IP, not my computer's...

Found it, it's some thing Mac uses to configure the network. Not related to BOINC (try stopping BOINC and it would be sent anyway).

Search that IP address on Google.

SLP provides a way for clients to dynamically discover network services.
Multicast: 239.255.255.253 (Administratively Scoped SLP Multicast).
224.0.1.22 (Service Location General Multicast Address).
224.0.1.35 (Directory Agent Discovery Multicast Address).

Thanks Nicholas. I shall rest easy.

Bill