Technical Help?!

[rj_anderson]

So in the last few days my DSL has just started fritzing out intermittently. No rhyme or reason, it's gone for a few minutes and then I click and it's back up again -- about fifty times a day. Rebooting the modem and router doesn't seem to make any difference. XP doesn't notify me when the connection is down, or admit that there's anything wrong with the network, but while it's on the blink, none of my internet-capable programs work (so it's not just a browser issue).

Does anybody have an idea what might be wrong here or where to start troubleshooting?

Comments

[cesario.livejournal.com]

:( I have no idea what's wrong, but I hope you get it figured out. I've missed you lately and been hoping to catch you on AIM for a chat. Not about anything in particular, just feeling the need for an infusion of Rebecca in the tea time of my soul. :-D

[peacockharpy.livejournal.com]

If you have wireless, could it be a wireless issue? We had something similar happen here, and it turned out to be our wireless box.

[countquestions.livejournal.com]

What type of modem are you using and what router?

[superversive.livejournal.com]

Last time I had something like that happen, it turned out the DSL modem had ramped down its speed to half nothing because of intermittently bad line conditions. Resetting the modem to factory default cleared things up — after the requisite calls to two or three different tech-support desks, of course. The electrons are in league against us, my precious, and don’t let us off until we’ve suffered enough.

[avarill.livejournal.com]

You may need to replace your dsl modem -- same thing happened to me a while back and I was told that the modems only have a life expectancy of 2 years.

[alawston.livejournal.com]

I have the same problem and it seems to be the ISP that's at fault in my case.

[zebeej.livejournal.com]

I'm a Unix geek so probably can't be helpful but... Does either your modem or router have any logging? If so, that can be helpful. What lights are on when the connection has dropped? IF your ADSL is like Oz ADSL then you should have a link/adsl light and it should behave differently with connection up compared to down.

If it doesn't, then I'd suspect XP is the culprit and behaving badly in regards to talking to the router/modem rather than the modem/router losing the plot.

If it does, then either the modem itself is cactus or the ISP signal is bad. I'd be inclined to point at the modem myself, they are often the problem. See if you can borrow one from someone to test. On the other hand, if you have had bad weather recently, then it is possibly a line problem to do with water in a pit, or some other physical nastiness.

best is to borrow another modem, or if you can't and have money buy another one. (can always keep it as a spare in case of lightning strike). If you can rule out the modem then you are in a strong position to have a whinge at your ISP to get the line and connections checked.

[jamesbow.livejournal.com]

Well, this doesn't sound good. I quit my DSL provider (Primus) and went back to Rogers Cable Internet just a few months after switching to Primus in the first place because for the last month they gave me an intermittent connection and couldn't figure out what was wrong.

Check your DSL modem. Does it show that it's losing its connection to the Net? When this happens, do you hear on the phone the DSL modem trying to reconnect? If so, your best bet is to call your DSL provider and open a technical support ticket.

dsl dropout

[becominghuman.livejournal.com]

ALAWSTON is right, probably.

One way to confirm it is to keep a browser window on your PC open on the uptime stats/technical-status pages of your dsl router. (for example, open http://192.168.X.Y/ where that's the default route (router address) of your DSL/wireless-router box). You may also be able to see a carrier/SYN light turn off and on again. In which case, it's the ISP end that is dumping you.

Maddening. My mom has the same problem. My sister also, who has Primus.ca. Drat, I say, drat them to heck.

Warren

Re: dsl dropout

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

It turns out it was a router issue, even though I replaced the router just six months ago. As soon as I took the D-Link out of the loop, things were fine.

So now I have to sit on the phone for a zillion hours with D-Link so I can get my parents and the kids networked again. Sigh.