Cable Modem, Internet & Router Problem

Simcut · 09-12-2005, 03:48

Hello guys,

First of all, before I go on here is a description of how I have things set up here.

The NTL cable box is in my sister's room, we have 2 PC's in the house, so in order to get internet to work on both PC's I bought a Belkin Router (4-Way Access Point/Router). I am using wired connections via ethernet cable fed from one end of the house to the other through 2 holes in each side of the house at the back (what great fun that was to set up!)

Anyway, at the moment I am experiencing strange problems where my internet will suddenly stop responding, I have the 2 little monitors in the bottom corner of the screen (next to the clock) and quite randomly the lights will suddenly stop flashing, I then go and check the cable modem in my sister's room and see that the Ethernet is flashing as well as the Downstream, the Upstream light is off and the RDY light is solid. Does the ethernet light on the cable modem normally flash?? So once this happens, I cant use internet on either PC and I have to first unplug the cable modem and plug it back in, and then unplug the router and plug it back in, the internet after 2 minutes will start working again.

However, the above keeps happening, again and again, I'm really puzzled of the cause. I phoned the Tech Support line and spoke to a guy in the Indian offices and he was far from helpful, I really really dont have a problem with speaking to Indian offices as they are normally really polite but the guy was really loud on the phone and didnt have a clue! I spent 30 minutes on the phone and did nothing more than what I tried myself, despite saying that to him early in the phone call.

I need to establish if this is an NTL issue or whether my Belkin router has gone "pete tong".

Hope you can help me with this one!

If anyone needs any info from me, please ask!

Thanks guys,

Simon

P.S. Giggidy Giggidy Giggidy Goo!

sj- · 09-12-2005, 03:52

What modem is it?

Simcut · 09-12-2005, 03:53

The silver one.... you need more info than that mate?

By the way, I'm on 10mbit.

sj- · 09-12-2005, 04:00

AFAIK (I may aswell answer seeing as Im about the only one on right now)

The Ethernet, Upstream + Downstream lights flashing is completely normal. They flash on any activity.

The Sync+Ready lights should be lit solid at all times.

If both computers have no net access, that pretty much rules either of them out.

Maybe its a proxy issue?
Or the router - you could check for any firmware updates.

Simcut · 09-12-2005, 04:10

there are no firmware updates on my router, already checked that.

looks like I have to ring tech support again, do you suspect it might be a router issue?

Simcut · 09-12-2005, 11:00

anyone got any other advice?

handyman · 09-12-2005, 11:18

have you tried just resetting the router?

Wakar · 09-12-2005, 12:34

hi Simcut,

First of all what modem do you have? you say its the silver one so im guessing its either the NTL:100 or NTL:120. These boxes have had problems on 10mb most people have requsted replacements. i got mine replaced a few days back and have ha not problems. have you tried removing the router and connecting it to one machine to see if it still happens? if so then a call to NTL is in order. have a look at the following. May help you.. http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...ad.php?t=39161

Let us know how it all goes.

Regards
Wakar

Simcut · 10-12-2005, 10:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by handyman

have you tried just resetting the router?

In order to get the internet back on I have to unplug the modem, plug it back in again, then I have to unplug the router and plug it back in again.

I have gone into the router setup and have already chosen to "reset your router" - have done that but to no avail

I guess the next option is having to test the internet without the router being involved.....

Ive just checked the modem and its the ntlhome 120.....

Moth · 10-12-2005, 11:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simcut

In order to get the internet back on I have to unplug the modem, plug it back in again, then I have to unplug the router and plug it back in again.

I have gone into the router setup and have already chosen to "reset your router" - have done that but to no avail

I guess the next option is having to test the internet without the router being involved.....

Ive just checked the modem and its the ntlhome 120.....

I have had this problem for the past few weeks, when it suddenly cleared itself. I browsed to the modem's web page at root:root@192.168.100.1 after the problem had occurred, but *before* rebooting, and found that NTL were trying to upgrade my modem, but the process had failed. I have a surfboard 4100 btw. I thought I'd saved the page of modem logs, but it seems not. If you have the same problem, you could phone up NTL and ask them to stop trying to upgrade your modem :-)

PS I was lucky with my router - it's an old 350MHz PC running Smoothwall, and didn't complain at all about me rebooting the modem.

Simcut · 10-12-2005, 13:52

I just got off the phone to Broadband Tech Support, spent 40 minutes going over the SAME ground as the previous phonecall, bloody useless, once again the Indian Tech Support office are as helpful as usual.... I am in NO way racist but my god, every phonecall I have there has been no help whatsoever and has just annoyed me even more.

they (of course) suggested it was a problem with my router, despite me saying I had done checks without the router being connected and the problem still occured I was asked to disconnect the router for 2-3 days and to use the internet on 1 PC, they can f**k off if they think I am doing that !

I asked for an engineer to be called out to perform tests on my 120 modem and to replace it with a 250 and was told that a £25 charge would be involved for calling out an engineer.

I AM AT THE END of my tether, can someone help please!?!? this isnt a bloody router problem cause I've used the thing since January without hardly any problems, then in the last week my connection magically drops.....but oh no, its not NTL's fault, its my router :/

Sorry if I'm losing my rag but you cant blame me, I've so far wasted nearly an hour and a half on the phone to "Broadband Technical Support" - both calls covering the same thing, can you do ipconfig, why is your ip strange, are you using a router, oh it's the routers fault". Is it so hard to ask to be put through to someone @ NTL Tech Support that isnt reading from a script and that knows what I'm talking about??

Please someone help me, I can provide my MAC address in PM or whatever, please someone help! :[

---------- Post added at 14:52 ---------- Previous post was at 14:37 ----------

My router is a Belkin F5D5231-4 Router (version 1101)

do you think its my router not being able to handle 10mbit so it keeps disconnecting me?

Chris W · 10-12-2005, 21:32

when the internet connection drops, can you still logon to the configuration page for your router? of the top of my head i think it is http://192.168.2.1/ for belkin routers.

If you can access this then try releasing and renewing the ip address that the router is getting. If you can't access it when the connection drops it suggests a problem with the router.

Also, when the connection drops, try a traceroute from one of the pcs to both fqdn and ip address (one ip for bbc for example is 212.58.224.121). How far does this get?

space_butler · 11-12-2005, 17:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simcut

My router is a Belkin F5D5231-4 Router (version 1101)

do you think its my router not being able to handle 10mbit so it keeps disconnecting me?

I doubt its the router, im having the exact same problem with my 2meg, and have been since before I ever had a router.

Simcut · 11-12-2005, 23:02

I know, try telling that to the Tech Support.... *sigh*

Chris, I am now not having disconnect problems but my internet is running REALLY slow...... I was getting 80kb/sec earlier today when I should be getting 900+ !!!!! its now running @ about 3mbit/4mbit speed.

Here's some results I got from my modem config page:

Type : Ambit ETH/USB Combo Cable Modem
Cable modem : Ambit Cable Modem
Downstream Receive Power Level : -5.89 dBmv
Downstream SNR : 32.83 dB
Upstream Transmit Power Level : 43.00 dBmv