Intermittent disconnections under heavy load (speed OR multiple connections)...

[yllus]

The idea for this topic originally sprang from another post that didn't get much attention, but here's the URL:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=36&threadid=673206

To sum up the problem:

Low bandwidth usage like websurfing is responsive and free of problems, but either putting a heavy load on the line in terms of speed or in terms of connections made cuts out service. At that point, one must unplug and plug the cable modem back into the wall, wait for the modem to reinitialize - and then everything is working just fine again.

Now because another person seems to be resetting the router only and not the cable modem, and getting back online that way, this sounds to me like a widespread problem with Rogers itself. I've had the problem with Windows 95B and 2000 Pro SP2, between two different network cards and two machines. A friend in North York (I'm way over in Mississauga) has the exact same problem in Windows 2000 Pro SP2 as well. My list of suspects goes like this:

1. A problem with Rogers' network that drops us when we get busy.
2. Multiple versions of Windows handling our connections badly.
3. Widespread NIC driver problems.

#2 and #3 are extremely unlikely in my view, so I'm guessing this is Rogers' fault. However I'm also willing to entertain the notion there's something we need to tweak/hack in Windows to get this fixed. For those in the forum familiar with Win2k network architechture, what exactly happens when Windows detects a network disconnection and later a reconnection? I get a little icon in the system tray that indicates Windows DOES know there was a momentary disconnection while I reboot the cable modem. Is Windows resetting something that perhaps messed up that is causing this problem in the first place?

 

[spidey07]

When your loss of connectivity occurs can you ping a known Internet IP address by IP address alone? - If so then no problem with rogers.

Can you ping your WAN ip address of the cable modem/router. If not then problem resides within your network. Stick to IP addresses at this point so you can keep name resolution out of it.

 

[yllus]

<< When your loss of connectivity occurs can you ping a known Internet IP address by IP address alone? - If so then no problem with rogers. >>

Pinging my gateway (24.157.146.1, memorized) or Firingsquad (216.200.57.12) or these forums all give me "Request timed out." when service is cut out. Sounds like an odd problem that you have a solution for but that's not the case here. 🙂



<< Can you ping your WAN ip address of the cable modem/router. If not then problem resides within your network. Stick to IP addresses at this point so you can keep name resolution out of it. >>

As far as I'm aware the address of the cable modem itself on Rogers is hidden from us lowly customers. However pinging the other computer upstairs isn't a problem, same low-assed response time as on any good LAN (10 ms range).

To expand on how my network is set up, I have the cable modem (blue shark-fin Terayon TeraPro) hooked up directly to the machine I'm typing on now. I have a second network card in the machine which runs a line all the way to the upstairs computer to give it its Net access - no routers involved. No software firewalls or firewalls of any kind. I've included an example of a continuous ping to my gateway and the way it cuts out at the bottom of this post.

I'm hoping you're the magic cure to my problems, spidey - you come well-recommended around these parts. Thanks in advance. 🙂


Pinging 24.157.146.1 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 24.157.146.1: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=64
Reply from 24.157.146.1: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=64
Reply from 24.157.146.1: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=64
Reply from 24.157.146.1: bytes=32 time=10ms TTL=64
Reply from 24.157.146.1: bytes=32 time=10ms TTL=64
Reply from 24.157.146.1: bytes=32 time=10ms TTL=64
Reply from 24.157.146.1: bytes=32 time=10ms TTL=64
Reply from 24.157.146.1: bytes=32 time=10ms TTL=64
Reply from 24.157.146.1: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=64
Reply from 24.157.146.1: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=64
Reply from 24.157.146.1: bytes=32 time=10ms TTL=64
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
etc. until ping is cancelled by user...

 

[spidey07]

You can't ping your gateway? That sounds like a problem with your provider. Calling them and griping up the food chain seems like the only way to fix it.

Best way to make sure nothing funny is going on with the IP stack on your computer is to unplug the downstairs computer and reboot - so you just have a cablemodem and a PC and see if you can reproduce your problem.

Might be a firmware update for your modem or these guys are using buggy software on their head-end. All signs point to your provider however, especially 'cause you said resetting the cable modem brings service back.

 

[bozack]

I am having a Similar Problem with Comcast@home in Arlington VA......

I never had this issue before, however I was just upgraded to a New Motorola Surfboard Modem and they changed my account.....

Seems that I will infrequently (becomming more often than not) lose my internet connection and the only way to get it back is either wait a really long time, or to release/renew the WAN Ip address on the router...

Last night it would happen everytime that I Opened Morpheus....and then when I tried having two web browsers open at the same time.

I have tried resetting the Modem, and changing a few config settings in my router to remedy the problem.

I do not see this as being an issue on my end though as I did not have this issue until they had "upgraded" my hardware.

I am at a complete loss as to what I should do, I have sent a letter asking if anything was going on with their DHCP server but as of yet have not gotten a Response.

It is really annoying having to release and renew the Router all of the time as I can only do that via telnet....

Also somtimes when I release and renew it does not pick up the info from the DHCP server on the first try, which leads me to believe that there is something going on that we don't know about.

I have Reset the Modem

Upgraded the Firmware on My Router

Entered the Correct Settings into my Router and Networked Computers (Worked Fine before with the old modem/Computer Name...just not this new stuff)

The last thing that I have to do is hook my Modem directly into my PC to see if I can Duplicate the error I guess.

I am thoroughly fed up.