Intermittent connection

[Squiddy]

Hi, I have recently started using Virgin Broadband, (20 mbit) package.

The problem:

I am getting a very intermittent connection. My connection drops in and out constantly for a few minutes at a time, although when it's working speeds are fine.

I have set up static IP's for the 3 other internet capable devices in my house, but they don't seem to have a problem (I will check this again later as I'm not 100% sure about that), but when assigning my PC a static IP I get this horribly unstable connection.

I have disabled DHCP as well, but even when it was enabled it was still terrible.

When I remove my static IP from the router and the static IP settings on my own PC it works a little better, but I still get connection losses just nowhere near as many as I'm getting now.

This is a problem though because I need to set up static IP's to be able to port forward properly and use applications without fault.

I'm using Windows XP, have a clean and powerful PC, using a Netgear WGR614 v6 wireless router and I live in Worthing, (BN13, South East).

[chickendippers]

When you loose the connection what lights are illuminated on the modem?

Best thing to do is to connect your PC directly to the modem and see if the problem persists. I have a Sky Netgear DG834GT and my wireless connection does drop out occasionally, I think it's just an annoyance of wireless G.

[ceedee]

You do mean that you're setting static LAN IPs to device MACs, don't you?

If/when it happens again, try doing a netstat -b to check that the active connections are correctly open, then do a tracert to a website you're having difficulty connecting to.

I'd guess that, if your other devices aren't suffering the same problem, your cable modem and connection are fine. So the problem is likely to be found with your PC and/or your router.

[Squiddy]

On the modem, my port number flickers as if to show unstable connection, as is the internet icon to the left, but my brothers PC has a stable green light, although he's not using his computer but he has internet applications like msn and skype etc running.

Ceedee, I'm not an expert in networking but I know the basics :P

Uh, I'm setting the static IP's of the other computers and Xbox 360 in the house, i.e. setting their IP to 192.1xx.x.2 192.1xx.x.3 192.1xx.x.4 etc it does list an individual MAC address too, but it was automatically done.

I don't know what to do. It's really, really annoying me!

[ceedee]

Originally Posted by Squiddy

Ceedee, I'm not an expert in networking but I know the basics :P

No need to be an expert -- I'm proof of that!

You'll find basic instructions on netstat and tracerts in Annie's Broadband FAQ -- well worth a read of the whole document!

Uh, I'm setting the static IP's of the other computers and Xbox 360 in the house, i.e. setting their IP to 192.1xx.x.2 192.1xx.x.3 192.1xx.x.4 etc it does list an individual MAC address too, but it was automatically done.

That's fine -- just wanted to check you weren't trying to get external IPs.

[Squiddy]

Yeah, I have put everything back to how it was when I first got it now, still problems of unstable connectivity though. What number should I phone to tell Virgin about this, that doesn't cost money? (What a rip off!! Why should we have to pay to sort out an issue because of a problem on their end?!)

[ceedee]

Originally Posted by Squiddy

Yeah, I have put everything back to how it was when I first got it now, still problems of unstable connectivity though. What number should I phone to tell Virgin about this, that doesn't cost money? (What a rip off!! Why should we have to pay to sort out an issue because of a problem on their end?!)

If I were into betting, I'd wager you £10 that you won't get any joy from the Tech Support phone line.

Recommend you do a netstat -b and tracert, copy the results and post them back here.
Much easier, cheaper and you're more likely to get a solution than the phoneline.

[Gavin78]

I had this problem a while back and I am on a router, although the modem its self was going off affecting my router about 2 mins later which would start flashing...

I phoned Virgin and told them but never told them I had a router because this was the first question I asked and they do most of the time blame it on that and not there fault.

Anyway this instance the light was going off the modem whether the router was connected or not so I phoned them up and they did a trace on the line and it came back that it was coming from the box on the street.

it was fixed the next day, although tonight its started to do it again the same thing so looks like tomorrow there will be another call.

as others have said try the virgin modem on its own for a while and see if the same thing happens again.

Originally Posted by Gavin78

I had this problem a while back and I am on a router, although the modem its self was going off affecting my router about 2 mins later which would start flashing...

I phoned Virgin and told them but never told them I had a router because this was the first question I asked and they do most of the time blame it on that and not there fault.

Anyway this instance the light was going off the modem whether the router was connected or not so I phoned them up and they did a trace on the line and it came back that it was coming from the box on the street.

it was fixed the next day, although tonight its started to do it again the same thing so looks like tomorrow there will be another call.

as others have said try the virgin modem on its own for a while and see if the same thing happens again.

You do know that they have PC tools that can see your Learned MAC address in your modem and they need to do is put it into a MAC finder tool which in seconds tells the Tech what device the modem is actually connected to, be it a router or a NIC.

[Gavin78]

Yeah I know that, thats why the Virgin modem is connected direct to the pc when the call is made.....just incase I have to go through the whole routine of unplug your modem for 30 seconds, then shut off the pc, then reboot the pc etc etc....

like having told them been with them for years so I know the whole routine of what to do when it goes off I tell them when I have called before that I have gone through what they go through over the phone and I dont need to go through it all again for there sake and listen to my problem I am telling you

Originally Posted by Gavin78

Yeah I know that, thats why the Virgin modem is connected direct to the pc when the call is made.....just incase I have to go through the whole routine of unplug your modem for 30 seconds, then shut off the pc, then reboot the pc etc etc....

like having told them been with them for years so I know the whole routine of what to do when it goes off I tell them when I have called before that I have gone through what they go through over the phone and I dont need to go through it all again for there sake and listen to my problem I am telling you

Comment aimed more at anyone who reads this thread especially Newbies

[Squiddy]

Okay so here's where I'm at now.

Nothing works unless I connect the modem directly into the PC. So we can only have 1 PC online now.

1 guy said the router was broken, 2 girls said nothing was wrong with my connection and the other hung up on me after 10 minutes of her wasting my time gettin gme to fiddle around with things.

After the woman hung up on me, I rang back and demanded to speak with a supervisor, she said she would arrange it but she would like to try and help anyway. She told me to do all the same things I'd done about 5 times already today and then she started asking which PC I want to make wireless or was it my xbox I want make wireless, to whch I replied I did not want anything made wireless, so she asked the same thing again. Now, me being EXTREMELY annoyed after just being hung up on, I simply said, look, can I speak to your supervisor please.

She took my phone number and mobile number and apparently he's going to ring me back at some point. Oh and even better, all this cost me money!