Dropped connections, proxies and stuff

magpie03 · 18-03-2006, 15:55

I'm in the NG5 area and for the past several weeks I have suffered from dropped connections, often at critical times when I am working.

(These began long before the DoS evening of problems that have been reported.)

I've followed the threads on this board with interest and come to the conclusion that it is not (a) my router as TS have suggested, or (b) a loose cable connection from the wall to my modem as TS also suggested. I've messed around with the local proxies and still suffered from dropped connections.

However, after installing Firefox and looking at the settings I have the option to set up a manual proxy, automatic proxy, or connect directly to the internet.

Not sure what this third option actually means, do I by-pass the ntl proxies completely? and will it make my connection stable...

Any other advice to make my connection stable would be gratefully received

Graham M · 18-03-2006, 16:23

You can never completely bypass the NTL proxies unless you specify a different proxy on a non-standard port.

magpie03 · 18-03-2006, 16:36

Well, I suppose I should have known that even selecting that option my connection would not last.
It dropped about 2 minutes after sending the message, and took a good 4 minutes before I could get ANY webpage to appear on my screen.

g7pkf · 18-03-2006, 16:38

and it does not matter what you do on your pc if the modem drops the connection thats it.

it could be a faulty modem, incorrect levels both req an eng visit
if that does not fix it then its down to a network engineer as the fault is obviously outside your property.

ask your neighbours if they are having problems (assuming there on ntl)
thats how i found out my area is quite stable.

Graham M · 18-03-2006, 16:58

Magpie, does this drop occur doing stuff like Email, online games, etc?

magpie03 · 18-03-2006, 17:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeph

Magpie, does this drop occur doing stuff like Email, online games, etc?

I don't use the PC for online games, but the drop can be when I am browsing the web - and I get "server too long to respond" message, or when trying to download mail - when I just get my AV popping up with a 'waiting for pop...." message.

And it seems to happen at anytime of the day - early morning, afternoon, evening and after midnight. Basically, whenever I am trying to use the computer!

Graham M · 18-03-2006, 17:23

Well choosing a proxy wont help then, as proxies are only used for Web Browsing. Have you reported this to faults?

magpie03 · 18-03-2006, 17:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeph

...Have you reported this to faults?

Yes - and it's all my routers fault apparently, even though when I connect the modem directly to the PC the same thing still happens.

Graham M · 18-03-2006, 17:32

Try faults again and hope you get a different response this time

Rone · 18-03-2006, 18:54

Unfortunately the next response will be "its your antivirus\firewall\spyware\modem or pc thats at fault".

g7pkf · 18-03-2006, 18:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by g7pkf

and it does not matter what you do on your pc if the modem drops the connection thats it.

it could be a faulty modem, incorrect levels both req an eng visit
if that does not fix it then its down to a network engineer as the fault is obviously outside your property.

ask your neighbours if they are having problems (assuming there on ntl)
thats how i found out my area is quite stable.

when your connection next "drops" post your cm light's status at this point here

(when connection comes back up)

then we will be able to advise better.

also quote your modem type 100,120,200,250 etc

magpie03 · 18-03-2006, 22:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by g7pkf

when your connection next "drops" post your cm light's status at this point here

(when connection comes back up)

then we will be able to advise better.

also quote your modem type 100,120,200,250 etc

OK, well I went out for a while earlier this evening, but the connection just dropped on me (22.40 - at the start of Match of the Day!)
At the time the cable modem had three static green lights (Power, Cable, PC) and the fourth (Data) was flashing slowly (around 2 seconds between flashes).

Once the connection came back I opened a new browser window and noticed the data light was flashing quickly as it pulled my homepage up.

The cable modem is a terrayon TJ210.

Hope that is of some use for you.

sollp · 18-03-2006, 23:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by magpie03

OK, well I went out for a while earlier this evening, but the connection just dropped on me (22.40 - at the start of Match of the Day!)
At the time the cable modem had three static green lights (Power, Cable, PC) and the fourth (Data) was flashing slowly (around 2 seconds between flashes).

Once the connection came back I opened a new browser window and noticed the data light was flashing quickly as it pulled my homepage up.

The cable modem is a terrayon TJ210.

Hope that is of some use for you.

The power and cable light will be solid as will the PC but the data light will flash when data is passsing. As you say the cable light is solid would suggest that it is not loosing the connection with the internet, this would flash,(cable light) if it was loosing the connection. Maybe a fault with the modem itself or...

magpie03 · 18-03-2006, 23:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by sollp

this would flash,(cable light) if it was loosing the connection. Maybe a fault with the modem itself or...

Well, after reading this I spent a while just watching the lights on the modem and the cable light went out 3 times. Each time it flashed quickly before coming back on solid.

Guess it's a call to CS.

g7pkf · 19-03-2006, 19:08

sorry to say yes sounds like it