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Dial-up slow/lagging only at night......

C

CorCentral

Banned
Been with my current dial up provider going on a year Jan 07. No problems 'till late Oct this year.
Mornings on the internet are fine and there are no problems with the connection until the later evening 5+pm. I thought it could be just the amount of people online at the time, but I'm online sometimes 'till 4am+ and it's the same...... it just does'nt make sense.

I have a dedicated internet line and phone line and have both exhibited the same symptoms on 3x diff computers with 3x diff. modems. Me and my wife have our own computers but are never online at the same time. The 3rd comp. is now disassembled and parts are being sold.


Called customer support 3 times and they said it could be the following:

1--- Temperature change (very doubtful as I've been online with 19F temps in the morning and 25F at night)
2--- Automatic "sensor" lights like you have in your driveway to detect an car/object and power on. (I don't have one. What range do these have that may effect this?)
3--- Moisture (this is doubtful because I've been online in the morning when it's pouring rain outside for hours with no problems)
4--- Electronic Invisible dog/pet fence (could this really cause problems only at night?) I have a neighbor across the street which "MAY" have one. Just today I heard something outside and looked. It was a UPS truck delivering a package to that house. When it pulled away, the dog ran the whole length of the yard chasing after it, but when it got to the end of the yard, it stopped dead in its tracks. What's the range on these invisible fences?


So can anyone clue me in on what could be causing this? I already went the virus/malware route and it is "DEFINATELY" not it. I not only want to solve this damn mystery, but want it fixed. My Dial-up contract is up on Jan/9/07 and I'm switching to high speed!!!!!!!!!!!! I still want the solution.


Thanks guys/gals.


 
Assuming that all three phone lines are from the same provider, and the problem happens on all phone lines with all computers, I would have to say it is a provider issue. Is your ISP also the telephone company that supports the phone lines? If not, you might be able to narrow down the source by checking the phone lines with a regular analog phone while you are having problems with the Internet connection. If you get static or other noise on the phone at the same time as the Internet issues, then it is a problem with the phone lines themselves and the telephone company should fix it. If the phone lines seem to be OK, then it is more likely an ISP issue.

It is certainly possible that temperature or moisture could cause signal problems on the phone lines, but if that were the case it would not only happen in the evening.

If you were using a wireless network, there is a SLIGHT chance that the neighbor's wireless dog fence might be causing interference, but unless your phone lines are completely unshielded and actually run straight through or immediately under the dog fence I don't see any way it could possibly be causing problems with a dial-up connection.
 
Just 2x phone lines. One for the phone and one dedicated for internet. Not on wireless, just dial-up.

I have a feeling it's a provider issue also, but everytime I call them they tell me I'm the only one that has called and that they would know when was a problem because it's updated in their systems. They must not keep track then, because my wife called 3 times before I called the 3 times after that since Oct.


If anyone can throw me a question or two to ask the ISP when I call, I'll ask them the question/s and post back here with the responses. I'm at a loss here. Never since '94 have I had this problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've had a scheduled appointment "TWICE" for them to come out and check the lines. Both those time they did not show up. Tuesday was one of those days!!!!!

EDIT: Yes, ISP is the phone company.

 
To CorCentral,

I see you are back posting an update on this baffling question---but as I recall, this only occurred with your computer at night---and when you used another computer with another modem it did not occur during either the day or the night.

But the dog fence is a new variable---but since the neighbor seems to have it on day and night---you have to wonder if its the problem?---so I still say look for electric eye devices anywhere in the vicinity that will come on only at night.---but that could be anywhere on the phone network the lines run by. But the other thing that is not clear is what sort of high speed connection you will be getting---but if its DSL--one has to somewhat assume it will be on exactly the same phone lines you are on now---and if anything---DSL is far more sensitive to line noise than dial up---so you may go DSL and get blazing fast speeds during the day---and be even slower than already are at night. But if you get high speed via cable--you are somewhat likely to lose the problem.

But having a phone tech out during the day---when you are not experiencing the problem---does nothing because there is no problem to find---but your problem now looks to be some sort of increased line noise at night---so asking the phone company to come out at night--or alternately that they install some sort of line monitoring noise meter may be all you can ask of your isp.---but because a computer with a different modem is not slowed down you also have to ask why is this only happening on your computer? ---and with a month to go on your contract---it may be cheaper to go with high speed now rather than try the troubleshooting step of replacing your modem.---but its now sounds like the problem is likely to be in the error processing hardware of your modem---increase the noise a little---and it gets overwhelmed.---and regardless of what flavor of high speed you get ---you will need a different type modem.
 
The test I did on the other computer was just a quick test and I thought it wasn't having the problems on it, but it did show the same problems as the main computer after using it for a little bit.

You got me thinking of another possibility on the electric eye devices...... Street Lights. Do these work on the same principle? I noticed we have one that's been flickering at night for a few mths like it's dying or is malfunctioning. I know it's not working properly.

You're right though, I'm going to make sure if I do go the DSL route, that I have a "trial" period that I can back out of if I have problems. Cable will be a good choice then.


Thanks for the input.... 🙂

 
If the street light is flickering---there is a high probability its probably creating electrical noise---and if its power input line runs near to or parallel to your phone lines---simple electrical induction could transfer that noise to your phone line---so its worth the try to explain it to whoever runs the street lights---and see if they can either fix the flickering light---or just disconnect it for the evening.

And sure it works on an electric eye principle---except one electric eye will just turn on a large number of street lights---and if only one light is flickering---you know the noise source is probably not the electric eye itself--but more likely in just the flickering light.

But in that cable vs. DSL question---it may well pay you over time to know something about the noise that is plaguing you (1) Because if the cable line also runs close to the source of the noise--it may also pick up the same noise---but its probable coax cable design may be far more resistant (2) If the electrical noise is under 2000 hertz---it probably won't effect DSL. So even at this late date it may pay to track down the actual noise source and know something about it---which may take some fancy instruments you could not afford to own---but someone in the area may have them and be able to use them to answer that question for a fee.
 
It's a high probability it's the damn malfunctioning streetlight!

Went inside and did a test.......... I started a 30mb file download on the computer (it just finished and took 4.5 hours).

When the file was actually downloading, I had my wife looking outside at the streetlight while I stayed in to monitor the internet connection. When the the light was on she would yell to me "ON"........ (computer continued to download file)........ ..... When the light went dim she would yell "OFF" (file stopped downloading/lagged)

Could this be it? A street light malfunctioning? Not sure on how these work.
I would guess this is the Power Company's responsibility, correct?


PS: I noticed the street light messing up a couple mths ago but just never hit me that this could be the possible cause of the internet lag.
 
Yep, you probably now got it nailed--pretty good evidence its just that one street light---next step is to see if you can be convincing when you tell it to whoever runs the street light. But since a street light can consume a pretty high amperage--it can make quite a bit of electrical noise---and you may get some help from your isp/phone co. also to add weight. But diplomacy and persistence may be needed. But if the soft sell does not work---complaints to local politicians---and everyone from the BBB to the ZZZ may be what it takes to get them off their dead asses and onto ladders to fix the problem.---and more convincing scientific evidence will be helpful also---but that will take something that directly measures the interference to produce proof no one can argue with.

But were it me---I would write something up---regarding the problem and why you strongly suspect its the street light---and then make a appointment with the person in charge---and ask for their help---honey will catch more flies than vinegar.---and also be prepared to realize this will sound like you are some nut if you happen to catch someone who does not understand computers---but a polite request to that person to forward your letter up the food chain may catch someone who does get it.---after all---how hard can it be to fix the light?
And come to think of it---if you know someone with a cam corder---a vcr tape of the light flickering is also hard to argue with.
 
Case SOLVED 😛

Called the Power Company "Late" lastnight. They came out around 10am this morning, knocked at the door and asked what light was at fault exactly and what the symptoms were. He told me it was a bulb and replaced it within' 15min.
Come 5 Pm+ so far............ Zero internet problems or lag!

2 months of paranoia over a 'lil ole' lightbulb :beer:

:thumbsup:

Now it makes sense it only happened at night. And also understand why about 2mths ago it happened later in the eve. towards 7pm........ It got darker later **LMAO**

What a learning experience.

 
Cool if you are right---but the little ole light bulb theory does not yet make sense--because it may be the light bulb and a weak transformer interacting--and as the light bulb gets older,
the transformer can no longer handle the load and overheats--so the light bulb flickers and the transformer just sulks and emit electrical noise until it cools down enough to light the bulb
again.---but with a new bulb the old transformer may handle the load for quite awhile---but if the scenario ever repeats---you will then know enough to suggest the to the power company that both bulb and transformer be replaced.

But I hope I am wrong--and just the bulb does the trick.---and come January you will make the switch to broadband---and I'll still be stuck on dial up---so don't forget me---send me a cup of broadband once in awhile.
 
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