Weird connection loss

I got ADSL in January, working fine. About a month ago I started getting "disconnections" - connection becomes dead (can't even look up an address or ping anything), but synch is NOT lost.

My line loss varies from 57-61dB, and BT can find no faults on the line or at the exchange. I'm using plusnet if that makes any difference.

The disconnections can happen at any time of day, and seem to gather in bunches - it'll either be fine for hours or go wrong every 20 minutes.

To fix it, I can either wait 2 to 5 minutes, or re-logon (don't have to unplug the modem).

Tried several modems and routers of different makes - same problem.

Any idea what this could be? Could XP be screwed up? Seems an odd symptom for a windows problem. Having said that when fiddling with another PC to test, sharing the connection etc, weird stuff happened with the network control panel - for example the control panel would lock up when I changed the NIC's IP address.

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Peter Hucker wrote:
> I got ADSL in January, working fine. About a month ago I started
> getting "disconnections" - connection becomes dead (can't even look
> up an address or ping anything), but synch is NOT lost.
> My line loss varies from 57-61dB, and BT can find no faults on the
> line or at the exchange. I'm using plusnet if that makes any
> difference.
> The disconnections can happen at any time of day, and seem to
> gather in bunches - it'll either be fine for hours or go wrong
> every 20 minutes.
> To fix it, I can either wait 2 to 5 minutes, or re-logon (don't
> have to unplug the modem).
> Tried several modems and routers of different makes - same problem.
>
> Any idea what this could be? Could XP be screwed up? Seems an odd
> symptom for a windows problem. Having said that when fiddling with
> another PC to test, sharing the connection etc, weird stuff
> happened with the network control panel - for example the control
> panel would lock up when I changed the NIC's IP address.

Don't worry to much about your line loss, get worried about you SNR
(compares the signal level to all other electrical noise on the line)...

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 17:59:16 +0100, Kráftéé <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Peter Hucker wrote:
>> I got ADSL in January, working fine. About a month ago I started
>> getting "disconnections" - connection becomes dead (can't even look
>> up an address or ping anything), but synch is NOT lost.
>> My line loss varies from 57-61dB, and BT can find no faults on the
>> line or at the exchange. I'm using plusnet if that makes any
>> difference.
>> The disconnections can happen at any time of day, and seem to
>> gather in bunches - it'll either be fine for hours or go wrong
>> every 20 minutes.
>> To fix it, I can either wait 2 to 5 minutes, or re-logon (don't
>> have to unplug the modem).
>> Tried several modems and routers of different makes - same problem.
>>
>> Any idea what this could be? Could XP be screwed up? Seems an odd
>> symptom for a windows problem. Having said that when fiddling with
>> another PC to test, sharing the connection etc, weird stuff
>> happened with the network control panel - for example the control
>> panel would lock up when I changed the NIC's IP address.
>
> Don't worry to much about your line loss, get worried about you SNR
> (compares the signal level to all other electrical noise on the line)...

That was just over 20 I think.

--
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"Peter Hucker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
> I got ADSL in January, working fine. About a month ago I started getting
"disconnections" - connection becomes dead (can't even look up an address or
ping anything), but synch is NOT lost.
>
> My line loss varies from 57-61dB, and BT can find no faults on the line or at
the exchange. I'm using plusnet if that makes any difference.
>
> The disconnections can happen at any time of day, and seem to gather in
bunches - it'll either be fine for hours or go wrong every 20 minutes.
>
> To fix it, I can either wait 2 to 5 minutes, or re-logon (don't have to unplug
the modem).
>
> Tried several modems and routers of different makes - same problem.

Whilst Internet communication via Plusnet is lost:

If you use a router, can ping the router, and maybe access its configuration via
a Web page you can be fairly certain that the fault lies outside you PC.

If the router shows that the DSL connection is active then logically there is a
fault with the BT ATM network back to Plusnet, or Plusnet itself.

Plusnet will know if their own netork has had failures (or been deliberately
shutdown). Likely they publish details somewhere. I image they can find
details of any reported failures on the BT network.


Michael Chare

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 19:32:15 +0100, Michael Chare <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> "Peter Hucker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I got ADSL in January, working fine. About a month ago I started getting
> "disconnections" - connection becomes dead (can't even look up an address or
> ping anything), but synch is NOT lost.
>>
>> My line loss varies from 57-61dB, and BT can find no faults on the line or at
> the exchange. I'm using plusnet if that makes any difference.
>>
>> The disconnections can happen at any time of day, and seem to gather in
> bunches - it'll either be fine for hours or go wrong every 20 minutes.
>>
>> To fix it, I can either wait 2 to 5 minutes, or re-logon (don't have to unplug
> the modem).
>>
>> Tried several modems and routers of different makes - same problem.
>
> Whilst Internet communication via Plusnet is lost:
>
> If you use a router, can ping the router, and maybe access its configuration via
> a Web page you can be fairly certain that the fault lies outside you PC.

That's what I would have thought - it's just that I've had freaky things happen, like:

Two networked PCs (crossover cable) connected fine, sharing the internet conneciton with a USB modem on one of them. Try to view one using remote access (windows XP) with the other. Immediately the network connection between the two dies completely. Restarting both PCs does not help. I have to reinstall the network card drivers on both machines. It's as though remote access was changing a setting in the connection in some way.

Or maybe I'm blaming things in the wrong direction. Perhaps I've upset XP by continually un/installing drivers for many modems?

> If the router shows that the DSL connection is active then logically there is a
> fault with the BT ATM network back to Plusnet, or Plusnet itself.
>
> Plusnet will know if their own netork has had failures (or been deliberately
> shutdown). Likely they publish details somewhere. I image they can find
> details of any reported failures on the BT network.

Plusnet seem pretty organised (I'm glad I'm no longer with BT Openworld!), so hopefully they can work out where it's sticking.


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On 22 Oct 2004, in uk.telecom.broadband, "Peter Hucker" wrote:

>Two networked PCs (crossover cable) connected fine, sharing the internet
>conneciton with a USB modem on one of them.
>Try to view one using remote access (windows XP) with the other.
>Immediately the network connection between the two dies completely.
>Restarting both PCs does not help. I have to reinstall the network
>card drivers on both machines. It's as though remote access was
>changing a setting in the connection in some way.
>
>Or maybe I'm blaming things in the wrong direction. Perhaps I've
>upset XP by continually un/installing drivers for many modems?

I'd recommend a router, every day of the week, as it will allow either
PC to connect independently, and avoids USB altogether. After 2 months
when I did have some problems with USB, and got myself a router for ~90
quid ( now you'd pay under 40 (qtds.com - 24.99 + 6.75 delivery +VAT ).

>Plusnet seem pretty organised (I'm glad I'm no longer with BT
>Openworld!), so hopefully they can work out where it's sticking.

From the usertools section you can sign up for info by e-mail (lots per
week, but include details of BT reported problems with phone exchange
area codes affected in most cases). Peter M.
--
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30 day free trial... <http://web.vfm-deals.com/runbox/>

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 22:56:22 +0100, Peter M <us-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> On 22 Oct 2004, in uk.telecom.broadband, "Peter Hucker" wrote:
>
>> Two networked PCs (crossover cable) connected fine, sharing the internet
>> conneciton with a USB modem on one of them.
>> Try to view one using remote access (windows XP) with the other.
>> Immediately the network connection between the two dies completely.
>> Restarting both PCs does not help. I have to reinstall the network
>> card drivers on both machines. It's as though remote access was
>> changing a setting in the connection in some way.
>>
>> Or maybe I'm blaming things in the wrong direction. Perhaps I've
>> upset XP by continually un/installing drivers for many modems?
>
> I'd recommend a router, every day of the week, as it will allow either
> PC to connect independently, and avoids USB altogether. After 2 months
> when I did have some problems with USB, and got myself a router for ~90
> quid ( now you'd pay under 40 (qtds.com - 24.99 + 6.75 delivery +VAT ).

I can't get any of the routers to work now. I think XP is completely confused. One day MS will get networking to work? Besides one of the routers only has one ethernet jack, hence I can't fork it to two machines.

>> Plusnet seem pretty organised (I'm glad I'm no longer with BT
>> Openworld!), so hopefully they can work out where it's sticking.
>
> From the usertools section you can sign up for info by e-mail (lots per
> week, but include details of BT reported problems with phone exchange
> area codes affected in most cases). Peter M.



--
*****TWO BABY CONURES***** 16 parrots and increasing http://www.petersparrots.com
93 silly video clips http://www.insanevideoclips.com
1259 digital photos http://www.petersphotos.com

If trains stop at train stations, what happens at workstations?

"Peter Hucker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 22:56:22 +0100, Peter M <us-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> > On 22 Oct 2004, in uk.telecom.broadband, "Peter Hucker" wrote:
> >
> >
> > I'd recommend a router, every day of the week, as it will allow either
> > PC to connect independently, and avoids USB altogether. After 2 months
> > when I did have some problems with USB, and got myself a router for ~90
> > quid ( now you'd pay under 40 (qtds.com - 24.99 + 6.75 delivery +VAT ).
>
> One day MS will get networking to work?

My theory is that since probably every business PC is on a network, when it
comes to IP over Ethernet, they did this when they introduced Win 95.

(USB is a different matter!)


Michael Chare

On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 01:36:59 +0100, "Peter Hucker"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 00:21:46 +0100, Michael Chare <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> "Peter Hucker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 22:56:22 +0100, Peter M <us-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>
>>> > On 22 Oct 2004, in uk.telecom.broadband, "Peter Hucker" wrote:
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > I'd recommend a router, every day of the week, as it will allow either
>>> > PC to connect independently, and avoids USB altogether. After 2 months
>>> > when I did have some problems with USB, and got myself a router for ~90
>>> > quid ( now you'd pay under 40 (qtds.com - 24.99 + 6.75 delivery +VAT ).
>>>
>>> One day MS will get networking to work?
>>
>> My theory is that since probably every business PC is on a network, when it
>> comes to IP over Ethernet, they did this when they introduced Win 95.
>>
>> (USB is a different matter!)
>
>That's another pet hate of mine - ever used a printer on one port, then plugged it into another USB socket? Damn thing installs the driver again, you get two printers, and of course your default printer is now "offline". Hello??? It's the same bloody device!
Even worse is a poster who can't set the line length!

--
l

On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 00:21:46 +0100, Michael Chare <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> "Peter Hucker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news(E-Mail Removed)...
>> On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 22:56:22 +0100, Peter M <us-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>> > On 22 Oct 2004, in uk.telecom.broadband, "Peter Hucker" wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> > I'd recommend a router, every day of the week, as it will allow either
>> > PC to connect independently, and avoids USB altogether. After 2 months
>> > when I did have some problems with USB, and got myself a router for ~90
>> > quid ( now you'd pay under 40 (qtds.com - 24.99 + 6.75 delivery +VAT ).
>>
>> One day MS will get networking to work?
>
> My theory is that since probably every business PC is on a network, when it
> comes to IP over Ethernet, they did this when they introduced Win 95.
>
> (USB is a different matter!)

That's another pet hate of mine - ever used a printer on one port, then plugged it into another USB socket? Damn thing installs the driver again, you get two printers, and of course your default printer is now "offline". Hello??? It's the same bloody device!

--
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