Getting disconnected from internet

[8thNote]

As the modem turns!

I recently had my Broadxent DSI V.92 PCI DI3631 modem replaced under warranty?twice. The first time, it wouldn't connect, the second time, it connected WAY too slow. Now, it's disconnecting me.

I can connect to the internet, but at random intervals, I'm suddenly disconnected. I maintain constant internet activity, and I don't have any firewall installed. (Though I did have ZoneAlarm, but have since uninstalled that.) Sometimes, I'll be connected for 1 hour or more, but usually, I'm disconnected within 20 minutes of connecting.

I tried a different modem in my computer, and had similar results. Thus, I think this is a software issue, or something with my hardware.

I'm using the latest modem drivers, and haven't changed those since the original problem.

Windows XP Home, latest updates.

Please help!

(BTW, I was disconnected twice in the few minutes it took to write this message.)

 

[egale]

If this is happening even with a change in modem (different brand?), then possibly there is a problem with your phone line? Is there a way you can try connecting with another computer using the same phone jack to see if the problem is there with the other machine?

 

[waitman]

I used to have the same problem when I was on dialup, tried different modems, tech support through my isp,blah,blah, blah. Never did figure it out. I was using w98se. The only thing i could find to work, was to open outlook express, and set it to check for new messages every minute, and leave it open. That sucks, but it somewhat took care of the problem. good luck!

Anyone else?

 

[Hossenfeffer]

whoops, answered my own question....

Ok, just to fill in... Have you tried different phone cords? Try running a phone line to a different jack?

Here's some tests for line noise, settings to try, etc.: http://www.vee90.net/trouble_linenoise.html

 

[amdskip]

On a dial up connection I would run a seperate dedicated phone line from the box on the outside of the house straight to the computer without it being split off, etc. It tends to help a little and a little is better than nothing.

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: waitman
I used to have the same problem when I was on dialup, tried different modems, tech support through my isp,blah,blah, blah. Never did figure it out. I was using w98se. The only thing i could find to work, was to open outlook express, and set it to check for new messages every minute, and leave it open. That sucks, but it somewhat took care of the problem. good luck!

Anyone else?

I'm not sure if it's the same in OE as it is in the real Outlook, but here in Outlook XP I have an option under Tools > Options... > Mail Setup called "Hang up when finished with a manual Send / Receive." Try unchecking that to see if it helps.

 

[redbeard1]

I've seen this symptom twice recently, and a new modem was not the answer. I had ran windows updates to get the latest IE, made sure there no virus involved, removed and reinstalled dial up networking, and installed a new modem, all with the same result of bad connections. I ran ad aware and spy bot and it fixed both systems.

It's only a guess, but something in the ad pop up programs seems to be screwing up the modem init string, because the one modem made all sorts of odd noises when it tried to make it's connection.

 

[8thNote]

Here's my setup. I have a third phone line dedicated to my computer. The line runs from the wall to a surge protector, to my desktop computer, and then to my notebook computer. I've had my notebook computer bypass the desktop and plug straight into the surge protector, and it stays connected, I tried my desktop computer without the surge protector (straight line to the wall), and still have problems.

My ISP is CleanInter.net. They have a couple connection limits: 10 minutes of no activity is disconnected, five hours on a single connection is a disconnect (regardless of activity). My problem is that it's disconnecting sometimes 30 seconds after connecting.

I use Outlook 2002/XP for e-mail, and it's not set to disconnect. It checks the e-mail every five minutes, and I'm always signed in to IM via Trillian. So I always have some 'net activity.

Suspect a virus or spyware, I already ran Norton Antivirus 2003 and SpyBot Search & Destroy, both with the latest updates. Niether fixed the problem.

I've established that my phone line is not the problem, and I'm not certain the modem hardware is the problem. My original modem was fried by power surge, replacement #1 was dead on arrival (DOA) [BTW, I was just now disconnected after 12 minutes of connection.], and replacement #1 introduced this new problem. I doubt my motherboard is the problem because I tried a few different PCI slots with same results.

I was using August drivers when I got replacement #2 (the current one), but since updated to September drivers but it didn't fix the problem.

My parents' computer is also disconnecting on its own since I tried my modem in theirs. A modem can't be a carrier for a virus, can it?

 

[8thNote]

BTW, while waiting for my replacement modems, I was connecting with a shared connection from my notebook computer. During that time, I installed free ZoneAlarm. When I got replacement #2, ZoneAlarm would disconnect me whenever my notebook tried to use my desktop's shared connection. That ended when I shutdown ZoneAlarm. Suspecting ZoneAlarm to still be the problem, I completely uninstalled it to no avail.

 

[8thNote]

Please, guys! I can't stand only having 30 seconds of online time every few minutes! Forget broadband?it won't be here for years.

Does this sound like hardware or software?