Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

Please can someone help? I am using NTL's dial-up for my Internet connection and since yesterday evening I keep getting disconnected every 1-2 minutes. Over and over again. It is still happening today. My phone line is OK.

I checked their server status and there is nothing there that could relate to my problem.

I got on to them just now and explained that I couldn't afford to ring the 0906 number at 50p per minute. The woman said she would put me through to the technical help line and as she was connecting me it wouldn't cost. When another woman eventually answered, she told me she couldn't help as I was not a new user. :-(

I am rushing to type this before my connection goes. Please can anyone tell me what the problem could be or if anyone else is having this problem.

I think there should be a telephone number where we could leave a message and tell of a fault. That way, they could investigate it without the customer having to pay the 50p per minute and if the fault was NTL's they could repair it. :-(

Please, someone help before I go mad.

As I've been typing this I've got disconnected, after two minutes this time. :-(

Thanks in advance,

Carrie

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

When did it start ... ?
Have you changed anything on yor PC ?

Have you checked the Dial up properties ?

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

Hi,

Thanks for replying. It started yesterday evening. I hadn't done anything at all to the computer, nor had I changed anything.

I haven't checked the Dial-Up box, and I'm not sure which it is, but I hadn't changed anything there anyway, and why would it disconnect me after 1-2 minutes anyway? :-(

Has anyone else got this problem? Then at least I'll know if it's a general NTL problem or my problem?

Thanks very much,

Carrie

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

By the way, we have Windows XP, so the connection box is different. I've checked the one we have and it seems fine. :confused:

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

You got any other services on the line ... call waiting etc ?

Might be worthwhile setting up a new Dial up connection, same as the one you already have ... and try it ...

does the same thing happen ?

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

No and it's a separate phone line, anyway.

It's a problem that's occurred without us making any changes at all or doing anything different. That's what makes me think it must be a fault with NTL but without phoning the 0906 number, I can't find out. :-(

Carrie

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

I don't want to go to the hassle of making another dial up connection in case it b*****s the whole thing up even worse. :-(

Carrie

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

Have you tried the other phoneline ?

I only mention about the new dialer because I've had similar situations in the past, where creating a new dialer has fixed the problem, even though I couldn't see anything wrong with the original dialer ...

Hmmm, wonders if someting else may be trying to use the line ...

Have you checked for Spyware/Adware on your PC ?

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

Ah quick disconnections.

OK first thing to do is eliminate your equipment from the equation - try another dialup provider briefly - there are a few 0845 accounts anyone can use. If you can hold a connection without any problems it points to an issue at our end :(

I need to know:

1) Are you using an ntl or a BT phone line?
2) What are is your area code and prefix (all your phone number bar the last 3 digits should be fine)
3) Are you able to surf ok for a while? (This will prove if you are authenticating ok or not)

From these I can see what you are connecting to at our end, and will check it out or will pass to the appropriate people to look at.

Thanks

JAN. (Considering changing sign-in name - feel like a bit of a fool signing posts as JAN when I am in fact male :D )

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

:Yikes: I'll stop chatting you up now then ;)

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

Hi Jan

Thanks for replying. Without sounding like a scaredy cat, I'd rather not change dial-up providers - there it goes again, I've been disconnected after 1 minute AGAIN! - this is getting beyond a joke now. It has never happened before, and only started yesterday evening. The longest time I have been connected today was 6 minutes - amazing!

To answer your questions:

1) I am using an NTL phoneline

2) 01767 222***

3) I am not able to surf for longer than 2 minutes without being disconnected (the 6 minutes mentioned before was a one-off).

This is happening continuously, there is no end to it now. Please can you look at things your end as you suggest? I would be so grateful.

Many thanks,

Carrie

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

Nemesis,

I checked for Spyware/Adware only yesterday and nothing was found, so it can't be that.

I'm getting desperate now. :confused:

Carrie

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

Well, now that JAN is on the Job it should get sorted, as it looks like an NTL issue :D

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

Oh I really hope Jan can sort it as it is beginning to get me down. :-( As I say, this has never happened before, normally everything works fine and if we happen to be on here for 2 hours, we get disconnected, then connect again. Exactly as it should be.

Fingers crossed for Jan solving the problem. :cry:

Carrie

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

I am now being disconnected every 10 seconds and I am tearing my hair out as I can't find the solution.

Has anyone else ever had this problem? If so, how did they solve it plse?

Carrie

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

try switching it to pulse dial instead of tone.

Try using an initialisation string to calm the connection down.

Do you hear noise on the phone line.

Just a few options to try

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

Same thing has been happening to me.
Started yesterday morning, if i'm able to dial up I get disconected within a few seconds. Sometimes the "handshake" goes on for longer than normal (about 15 seconds) and does not connect at all.

I have 0845 accounts with other ISP's and can conect to them without any problem.

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

Are you with NTL lonbk? Is it still happening? I am on my third day with this happening. (Well, 2 and a half to be precise).

Have you been on to anyone about it? Could you possibly keep me updated?

What on earth is an initialisation string Maverick? And how to I change a modem dial up tone to pulse? I am not a newbie, I suppose I am intermidate but I wouldn't know how to do these things. Damn, I've been disconnected again. :-(

Jan hasn't got back to me since yesterday, does anyone know if he's on here regularly? I also sent him an e-mail yesterday as I'm tearing my hair out, thanks to NTL. :-(

Many thanks

Carrie

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

I'm on a BT line, The longest Iwas able to connect today was for 3 minutes. I have been unable to connect since ( I get long "handshakes" or disconnect while the handshake is taking place.

Have'nt contected NTL yet, hoping it sorts itself out. Any developments I'll post back here.

I'm connected with Freeserve at the moment without any problem, so the problem must be at NTL's side

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

Thanks, I'd appreciate it if you could keep me updated, lonbk. :-) For some strange reason, if I connect then check e-mail before opening my browser, it gets to the last of my three addresses then disconnects. Every time. Weird.

I've now found how to change the dial from tone to pulse but doing so made no difference at all, so I've put it back to tone again.

Are you with BT through an NTL line lonbk? Sorry, I'm a bit confused. (Easily done!) It's just that I wondered where your connection with NTL was.

Carrie

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

Lonbk is using what they call "offnet" where you use NTL as your phone service/ISP but via a physical BT telephone line.

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

I am extremely impressed with NTL's customer services.

After writing an e-mail to a couple of the addresses shown on the main page here, I received a call within the hour from a very helpful technical adviser in Swansea. He was able to point me in the right direction regarding the fact that I got disconnected when viewing Outlook Express as it seemed that Norton's Live Update had changed the settings there and disconnected me when it had checked for e-mail. I was of course aware that you could opt for disconnection after sending and receiving but had left that particular box unticked - as you should - if you are not paying by the minute. Live Update, however, had ticked it!

Following that call, I then received a call from the secretary at the Managing Director's office. This man was equally as helpful and it has been left that I will see how things go over the weekend as I am still having the problem when I'm on the Internet, of being disconnected frequently.

I can't praise enough the help I received today from NTL. Many people have moaned about their Customer Service in the past, but I can't fault them as they have been terrific.

Thankyou too for this fab forum.

Fingers crossed that this disconnection problem is sorted soon.

Carrie ;)

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

Glad something is getting sorted, is it still happening every 1-2 minutes ??

Glad you like the forum too :D

Re: Keep getting disconnected - every 1 to 2 minutes - help!
 

As I write this, I have been connected for about 12 minutes, so I'm keeping my fingers, toes and everything else crossed!

If it hadn't been for this forum, I wouldn't have known who to write to, so yes, it is a great forum!

Carrie :)