Why is Verizon trying to connect to my computer

[barryw2]

I have an IMAC computer. In my console message log, I see that Verizon ( 173.79.214.66:53) is making Stealth connects to my computer every few seconds. These attempts are all being blocked by my Firewall. Why is Verizon trying to make these connects?

[dslr595148]

After looking that IP Address and finding the rDNS, I find it hard to believe that Verizon is trying to connect to your computer.

rDNS for that IP Address is pool-173-79-214-66.washdc.fios.verizon.net

What more likely is happening and I don't know why at this time, is that a Verion customer is trying to connect to your computer.

I can take educated guess(es) as to why the customer is trying to connect to your computer.

#1 Perhaps your computer's public IP Address is listed as a public DNS Server?

For example, the user might be using the tool from

http://www.grc.com/dns/benchmark.htm and is trying to buid a custom list of the top DNS Server(s), based upon their location.

Or the user might be using the tool from

http://code.google.com/p/namebench/

The programer(s) of these tools has not removed your IP Address in the list of IP Address(es).

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For the grc.com DNS tester the list is at http://www.grc.com/dns/resolvers.csv

For the google DNS tester, I found the list by:

a) From that URL that I gave earlier, I clicked on Source,

b) I found the URL for read only access.

c) Went to that URL

d) Browsed to trunk/config,

e) Then clicked on servers.csv

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#2 Perhaps they made a typo when entering in what DNS Server (or DNS Servers) to use?

For example if you look at the list of DNS Server(s) in the Google DNS Tester, you will notice that there are DNS Servers that are blacklisted (or rejected) because the at least one user made a typo.