[magictrick]

Ok I'll try to explain everything that I've done so far

I have Bell Sympatico DSL and I am using a D-Link DI 604 model to connect 2 computers (both on XP). Over 2 weeks ago my internet started disconnecting....i didn't really see the light go off on the dsl which was really weird but my internet would stall, i'd get disconnected from online games and my msn would disconnect. It's been doing this randomly now on a daily basis, its not always a complete disconnect but more like a gigantic lag spike and then it goes back to normal. I phoned Bell and the lady walked me through some steps and came to the conclusion that it was the phone plug outlet in my room that was the problem. So i moved everything to my roommate's room and hooked it up there but I am still getting the same problem. I noticed that when only one computer is hooked up into the router the problem doesn't seem to be occurring. I've been pinging websites and servers to look for timeouts. When both computers are hooked up, the Time Outs constantly occur. But when only one computer is hooked up there aren't any of the Time Outs.
I'm thinking that it might be the router because of this, but I am not 100% sure. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[johnwill]

You might check for updated firmware for the router, that might be of aid. OTOH, it's odd that it just started happening a couple of weeks ago.

I'd consider joining www.dslreports.com and using their ping tests to isolate where the packet loss is happening.

 

[magictrick]

What tests should I run?

 

[HootysHaven]

If that only happens when both computers are hooked into the router then it does not sound like a DSL issue at all. I would plug directly into the DSL modem and run a 10 mg speed test on the DSLreports site. I doubt you will find anything though.

From what you describe it sounds like the router might have gone bad.
Last option that it could be is that one of those computers is infected and generating a lot of traffic. Did you just test one of them on their own or both at different times? If one has been zombied that would destroy your connection.

 

[magictrick]

Well I ran some more tests along with the ones you guys suggested today and apparently its not a router problem as I am getting these disconnects even when I plug straight into the modem. However, they seem to be worse when both computers are on and plugged into the router. One other thing to note, they aren't all "disconnects", sometimes they are just huge lag spikes and interruptions for a couple seconds after which it continues normally.

I'm not sure what to do from here, I've called the DSL company but I'm not sure what exactly to tell them is the problem. Any suggestions as to what I should say?

 

[johnwill]

First off, make sure your local wiring is as good as it can be.

Purchase a DSL splitter and install it at the telco service entrance. Run a direct line from the DSL port on the splitter directly to the DSL modem. Connect all of the other phone instruments to the telephone output of the DSL splitter.

This is as good as it gets for DSL installations, and will usually solve in-house wiring issues.

 

[magictrick]

Well i've done everything that was suggested and here is the odd thing that maybe someone can help me with. After doing everything that was suggested here, I decided to try to plug both the modem box and the D-Link router into an extension cord instead of having them plugged into the surge protected powerbar. I did this last night, and the entire night my connection was perfect, no hiccups and no disconnects. However, when I went on the internet this morning, same problem again! Can anyone explain this? Is this a definite problem on Sympatico's part?

 

[oldmn]

Have you had the phone company check the line to the house. Mine was bad about 150ft from the house so they replaced it. I also run cat5e from the box to a box by my modem. Not a problem since. :sayyes:

 

[JamesO]

Do you have any idea if your roommate is running any PtoP programs??

It seems odd that when the other machine is connected you start having problems.

I would bet there is something running on the other machine that is causing you problems.

JamesO

 

[magictrick]

James, that is what I thought too, but as I said, last night everything was working perfectly the whole night, and during this time my roommate's computer was on as usual, so that's ruled out.

Oldmn I called Sympatico last week and they said they would be testing my line but it will take up to 1 week. This was last Tuesday so I hope that by this Tuesday I have an answer because I'm getting extremely frustrated and angry!!! Also what is cat5e, I'm not familiar with that

 

[HootysHaven]

cat5e cable is the same type of wiring used to make your ethernet cables. Most phone companies are using it to wire houses now due to the amount of lines that it can support throughout the house.

Unless the phone company has something wrong with the wiring there is one other thing I have seen before that was wierd.

Do you have any large sub woofer or speakers around your DSL modem or laying on the cord going to your modem? Amazingly I found this one time and a sub woofer was laying next to the phone line and caused enough noise interference to block the DSL signal to the modem and cause an intermitten connection. That is a wild one but have seen it.

I personnally would go for the other computer running a virus or sometype of P2P software.

 

[Sadwings]

Same thing is happening to me...

I was looking on this thread for an answer to my problem too. The exact same thing is happening to me, but I have a cable connection. We have had alot of disconnects, and huge lag spikes. We solved the disconnection problem by updating the D-Link, but we are still having a lag problem that is driving us up the wall. This only started about a month or so ago.

The only way for us to get rid of the lag is to un-plug the router, wait 15 seconds, and then plug it back in again, and that seems to help it. But, when we do that, all the other puters lose connection, and it disturbes what they are doing (We have my sisters puter, her laptop, PS2, and this puter hooked up to it).

We have anti-virus programs installed, so I don't think it's cause of a virus, and there are no speakers around the D-Link. I'm going to try and run some of the tests that you suggested earlier in this thread, and hopefully it would work.

 

[oshwyn5]

I always recommend that if possible you run a new line from the phone company drop box (where the phone line enters your house) to where you will have your DSL modem, so that it has a dedicated line. I like using CAT 6 cable for future upgradeability even if I only use one pair for the DSL line to the modems wall jack. For most folks, plain old telephone line is fine, just make sure you use the stuff designed for running a line , not the stuff designed for connecting a phone to a wall jack.

DSL basically works by splitting the bandwidth on your phone line. The lower frequencies which you can hear are used for the phone, and the higher ones are used for the DSL . Thus it is best to have filters on all phones so that you do not hear the high pitch noise of the DSL (and stray noise does not get in and cause problems with the DSL signal) . Some providers provide filters with two connectors, one of which lets the high frequencies for the DSL through. If so you use this other connector for your modem (some modems the filter is built in). Often phones which require batteries will cause problems when the battery gets low, so one thing to try is disconnecting all phones , caller ID devices, answering machines etc.

Normally, this kind of disconnection problem is associated with a Router problem. So the first thing to try is removing the router from the picture, and connecting directly to the modem. If this solves the connectivity issue, a new router is probably in order, although it is worth trying to update firmware first.
Since you have done this, we can probably rule out your router.

So the problem is either your modem itself or the line.
If you have not already done so, disconnect the modem from the phone line, unplug it , and wait five minutes. If it has a reset button press that and hold thirty seconds (repeat after you have plugged it back in) . Reconnect and allow it to establish communication.

Often if you call the providers support they can test your modem from their end while you are online and "reinitialize" the connection from their end just as unplugging it causes it to reinitialize from yours. Remember, there is a modem to modem connection and sometimes it just needs to be properly reestablished.

Sometimes modems do fail, so it is worth having them test from their end when you are having problems.

If it is in the line, well, you have to wait for them to come out, test the line and find that it does not meet DSL requirements and either replace it or switch you to a good line. In this case, you should ask them for a discount based on the lost service.

 

[starviper]

magictrick and Sadwings,

I am a Bell Sympatico High Speed (DSL) user with a very similar problem. I run Win Server 2003 as the only other computer on the network. Every half hour almost to the minute I get the "Network Cable Unpluged" balloon for about two seconds. :4-dontkno

I'm thinking it must be a router issue (D-Link DI-524, all wire connections) even though the thing's only a year old; I also get hiccups when playing media off the server on my PC. Any solutions, I'd love to know!

 

[sensitive]

I have a similar situation also. I have sagem 800 dsl. Windows 98 SE. Ram 160. I log on to dsl then I get disconnected sometimes then when I try to log back on I get an error 629 or the no dial tone error. I get these errors 2-3 times a week. Don't know why. I had a tech guy install the sagem 800 and told him about it. He uninstall it then reinstall it again with no luck. I try the splitter and still no luck. Also another problem, when I turn off the computer then later that day or next day when I turn it the computer I click on connect dsl then the screen goes blank. When I restart no problems black screen on restart.