BT Broadband basic disconnects whilst downloading

Set my mum up with BT broadband basic, and what performance it has
been...mainly with svchost.exe problems which can be cured by a service
pack upgrade and patch from Microsoft.

So, I needed to upgrade the OS and download a service pack from the
Microsoft website and the line just dropped with no real warning. It
seemed as though prior to dropping, download speed seemed to fall and
the data was coming in fits and starts.

It did this several times and it has peed me off mightily to say the
least as it is a 40 minute download. In all cases, I needed to
disconnect the modem off the USB (as instructed by BT's New Delhi
office) and start again. I ended up with a variety of error codes in the
process of trying to reconnect.

My question is if it is a known problem with BT broadband, or might
there be some internal (as in somewhere in the connection from junction
box to modem) that is the problem? Saying that, she managed to browse
for a couple of hours on Friday morning no problem. As this was Saturday
pm, was the system overloading on people checking football results?

As she is non-techie to say the least, I don't want to spend hours
chasing problems she might have when browsing. This Broadband connection
meant she had to give up her low user line rental discount and I don't
want her to think she has been short changed.

Thanks

Steve

If you are using a USB modem make sure it is the only device on that USB
port. Also check in settings that there is no power saving feature
selected.

Explanation:
1. the USB modem needs voltage to be stable and if another device is
connected to the same port i.e.. printer it will drop the voltage to the
modem and it will stop.

2. If power saving is selected and you are not using the computer and it is
just downloading it may shut itsself off.


"Newsgroupie" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:voqWd.2372$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Set my mum up with BT broadband basic, and what performance it has
> been...mainly with svchost.exe problems which can be cured by a service
> pack upgrade and patch from Microsoft.
>
> So, I needed to upgrade the OS and download a service pack from the
> Microsoft website and the line just dropped with no real warning. It
> seemed as though prior to dropping, download speed seemed to fall and
> the data was coming in fits and starts.
>
> It did this several times and it has peed me off mightily to say the
> least as it is a 40 minute download. In all cases, I needed to
> disconnect the modem off the USB (as instructed by BT's New Delhi
> office) and start again. I ended up with a variety of error codes in the
> process of trying to reconnect.
>
> My question is if it is a known problem with BT broadband, or might
> there be some internal (as in somewhere in the connection from junction
> box to modem) that is the problem? Saying that, she managed to browse
> for a couple of hours on Friday morning no problem. As this was Saturday
> pm, was the system overloading on people checking football results?
>
> As she is non-techie to say the least, I don't want to spend hours
> chasing problems she might have when browsing. This Broadband connection
> meant she had to give up her low user line rental discount and I don't
> want her to think she has been short changed.
>
> Thanks
>
> Steve

It's Me wrote:

> If you are using a USB modem make sure it is the only device on that USB
> port. Also check in settings that there is no power saving feature
> selected.
>
> Explanation:
> 1. the USB modem needs voltage to be stable and if another device is
> connected to the same port i.e.. printer it will drop the voltage to the
> modem and it will stop.
>
> 2. If power saving is selected and you are not using the computer and it is
> just downloading it may shut itsself off.
>

All that was on the USB was a 128mb flash memory stick that was not
being accessed as the Service Pack files had unpacked onto the hard
disk, but I'll remove it and see what happens.

No screen saver, or any other power saver modes had been activated. When
it did shut off the one time I was sat there, nothing was going on other
than the download.

Can you buy mains powered modems and if you can, are they more stable
than USB powered ones? Hers is a BT Voyager 105.

Thanks

Steve

> All that was on the USB was a 128mb flash memory stick that was not
> being accessed as the Service Pack files had unpacked onto the hard
> disk, but I'll remove it and see what happens.

USB modems rely on the processing power of the host PC, so depending on
how fast the PC is you may sometimes hit problems (I had disconnect
problems on a 1Ghz Duron when playing games with heavy 3D gfx)

> Can you buy mains powered modems and if you can, are they more stable
> than USB powered ones? Hers is a BT Voyager 105.

Yes and yes. Also generally regarded as "safer" if you buy an adsl
modem/router - the router will help stop port scans which may be the
first step in compromising the computer (in a nutshell, it remembers what
info the computer asked for and from where, and will ignore attempts to
access the computer from anywhere else)

Note an adsl modem/router is not the same as a cable router, so if you`re
unsure which type to buy you could always check here first.

--
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--- My new email address has "ngspamtrap" & @btinternet.com in it ;-) ---

Colin Wilson wrote:

> USB modems rely on the processing power of the host PC, so depending on
> how fast the PC is you may sometimes hit problems (I had disconnect
> problems on a 1Ghz Duron when playing games with heavy 3D gfx)
>
> Yes and yes. Also generally regarded as "safer" if you buy an adsl
> modem/router - the router will help stop port scans which may be the
> first step in compromising the computer (in a nutshell, it remembers what
> info the computer asked for and from where, and will ignore attempts to
> access the computer from anywhere else)
>
> Note an adsl modem/router is not the same as a cable router, so if you`re
> unsure which type to buy you could always check here first.
>
Thanks for that

I use a NTL cable modem and a wireless broadband router on my PC that I
am using to trawl for info so I know the differences. It is just down to
some recommendations from the people who have used the kit.

Given the current svchost.exe error means the processor ramps up to 100%
capacity, this might be the root problem. I have now downloaded a hard
copy of the Service Pack fixes onto CD and will do an OS upgrade that
way rather than via the MS website.

Steve

I had problems with a USB modem when I first got ADSL, It had me foxed for
ages.

What I did was put the modem on a powered 4 port USB hub and all my problems
went away.

Then I knew it was a power issue. Just because you do not have a device
physically plugged into the same area does not mean it not on the same port.
You need to go into control panel / system / device manager and at the
bottom look at USB devices. In the properties of that it will tell you what
is connected to each port and the power used by each device.

Does disconnection happen in a specific time?

If so then look for power saving items not just monitor. But Modem and
cards.


"Newsgroupie" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:8GCWd.3279$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Colin Wilson wrote:
>
> > USB modems rely on the processing power of the host PC, so depending on
> > how fast the PC is you may sometimes hit problems (I had disconnect
> > problems on a 1Ghz Duron when playing games with heavy 3D gfx)
> >
> > Yes and yes. Also generally regarded as "safer" if you buy an adsl
> > modem/router - the router will help stop port scans which may be the
> > first step in compromising the computer (in a nutshell, it remembers
what
> > info the computer asked for and from where, and will ignore attempts to
> > access the computer from anywhere else)
> >
> > Note an adsl modem/router is not the same as a cable router, so if
you`re
> > unsure which type to buy you could always check here first.
> >
> Thanks for that
>
> I use a NTL cable modem and a wireless broadband router on my PC that I
> am using to trawl for info so I know the differences. It is just down to
> some recommendations from the people who have used the kit.
>
> Given the current svchost.exe error means the processor ramps up to 100%
> capacity, this might be the root problem. I have now downloaded a hard
> copy of the Service Pack fixes onto CD and will do an OS upgrade that
> way rather than via the MS website.
>
> Steve
>

It's Me wrote:
> I had problems with a USB modem when I first got ADSL, It had me foxed for
> ages.
>
> What I did was put the modem on a powered 4 port USB hub and all my problems
> went away.
>
> Then I knew it was a power issue. Just because you do not have a device
> physically plugged into the same area does not mean it not on the same port.
> You need to go into control panel / system / device manager and at the
> bottom look at USB devices. In the properties of that it will tell you what
> is connected to each port and the power used by each device.
>
> Does disconnection happen in a specific time?
>
> If so then look for power saving items not just monitor. But Modem and
> cards.>
>
There was no specific disconnection time. Once it went about half way
(20 minutes) through the download and then when there was only 8 minutes
to go.....!!!! Then I got peed off and decided to take another tack.

No other devices are connected. When I upgrade or re-install an OS, I
unplug all the peripheries and do the set up with just mouse, keyboard
and monitor, then install PCI cards and the rest in a step-by-step
manner so if something hiccups, I've got a pretty good idea as to the
culprit.

I'll check out the powered hubs as they are probably cheaper than an
ADSL modem\router package.

Thanks

Steve

> I'll check out the powered hubs as they are probably cheaper than an
> ADSL modem\router package.

The adsl modem/router packages are quite possibly more likely to work
though, and give you a little added NAT security. Having owned one, I
wouldn`t want to go back to not having one.

--
Please add "[newsgroup]" in the subject of any personal replies via email
--- My new email address has "ngspamtrap" & @btinternet.com in it ;-) ---

Newsgroupie wrote:
> It's Me wrote:
>> I had problems with a USB modem when I first got ADSL, It had me
>> foxed for ages.
>>
>> What I did was put the modem on a powered 4 port USB hub and all my
>> problems went away.
>>
>> Then I knew it was a power issue. Just because you do not have a
>> device physically plugged into the same area does not mean it not on
>> the same port. You need to go into control panel / system / device
>> manager and at the bottom look at USB devices. In the properties of
>> that it will tell you what is connected to each port and the power
>> used by each device. Does disconnection happen in a specific time?
>>
>> If so then look for power saving items not just monitor. But Modem
>> and cards.>
>>
> There was no specific disconnection time. Once it went about half way
> (20 minutes) through the download and then when there was only 8
> minutes to go.....!!!! Then I got peed off and decided to take
> another tack.
> No other devices are connected. When I upgrade or re-install an OS, I
> unplug all the peripheries and do the set up with just mouse, keyboard
> and monitor, then install PCI cards and the rest in a step-by-step
> manner so if something hiccups, I've got a pretty good idea as to the
> culprit.
>
> I'll check out the powered hubs as they are probably cheaper than an
> ADSL modem\router package.
>
> Thanks
>
> Steve

If you're determined to go that route you could try a PCI USB 2 card
(prefferably Belkin but any should do)......

If it still falls over you'll have some spare USB sockets to plug everything
else into, but it was the standard fix in the old days with the 'frog'...