weak or loss of connection

[Guest]

Since moving close to the St. Lawrence Seaway two months ago, I have been
experiencing weak DSL connections, even total loss of connections during the
early morning (5am - 7am) and some evening hours. I can sometimes get my
e-mail, but usually cannot access the Web.

My ISP indicates I have a connection, I can see the DNS when I check
"ipconfig". I have switched ISPs, modems and even bought a new laptop, but it
doesn't seem to make much of a difference. I am using a wired router, but
even without that connected, it is still often - not always, wonky. Could
there be some signal intereference (navigation/telecommunications systems)
that cause this problem? I am told some signals are weaker than others during
certain times of the day.

 

[Malke]

Since moving close to the St. Lawrence Seaway two months ago, I have been
experiencing weak DSL connections, even total loss of connections during the
early morning (5am - 7am) and some evening hours. I can sometimes get my
e-mail, but usually cannot access the Web.

My ISP indicates I have a connection, I can see the DNS when I check
"ipconfig". I have switched ISPs, modems and even bought a new laptop, but it
doesn't seem to make much of a difference. I am using a wired router, but
even without that connected, it is still often - not always, wonky. Could
there be some signal intereference (navigation/telecommunications systems)
that cause this problem? I am told some signals are weaker than others during
certain times of the day.

Since you have DSL and you've moved into a new place, have the telephone
company come out and check the telephone wiring. DSL relies on telephone
lines and if the lines are bad, you'll always have trouble with DSL. I
mention this because you seem to have changed everything else out.


Malke

 

[Guest]

Yes, I had thought of that as being a potenial issue. The phone company came
out, added a couple of jacks, tested everything. They said since the phone
works with no problem (as did the connection when they were here) then there
is nothing they can do. I have had very little difficulty with the
phone...maybe two lost calls on a cheap cordless, so they said the line is
not the issue.

Thanks for the suggestion, though.

Pat

 

[Lem]

Yes, I had thought of that as being a potenial issue. The phone company came
out, added a couple of jacks, tested everything. They said since the phone
works with no problem (as did the connection when they were here) then there
is nothing they can do. I have had very little difficulty with the
phone...maybe two lost calls on a cheap cordless, so they said the line is
not the issue.

Thanks for the suggestion, though.

Pat

Sounds like you get your DSL service from a company other than your
local phone company and are getting the typical, "It's the other guy's
fault" response. Your ISP should be able to do a bit more than simply
tell you that you "have a connection." They should be able to determine
the quality of your connection. If you insist, the ISP should be able
to cap the speed of your service in order to provide a more reliable
connection. You'll get slower downloads, but more reliable connections.
You may have to escalate your complaints beyond the first (or even the
second) level of ISP customer service before you get to someone who will
do this.

Intermittent phone line problems are very difficult to diagnose.
Navigation or other signals related to ship traffic should not be an
issue unless they use the same phone lines that you do.

If you are experiencing the same difficulties with two different ISPs,
you may be at the outer fringe of DSL connection range. For DSL, the
distance from your house to the telephone company switching center
(which isn't always the straight line distance), is limited. See this
page: http://www.dslreports.com/distance
There is a lot more info at the same site.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP - Networking

To the moon and back with 4KB of RAM and 72KB of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[Guest]

Thanks, I 'll check it out.

Pat

Sounds like you get your DSL service from a company other than your
local phone company and are getting the typical, "It's the other guy's
fault" response. Your ISP should be able to do a bit more than simply
tell you that you "have a connection." They should be able to determine
the quality of your connection. If you insist, the ISP should be able
to cap the speed of your service in order to provide a more reliable
connection. You'll get slower downloads, but more reliable connections.
You may have to escalate your complaints beyond the first (or even the
second) level of ISP customer service before you get to someone who will
do this.

Intermittent phone line problems are very difficult to diagnose.
Navigation or other signals related to ship traffic should not be an
issue unless they use the same phone lines that you do.

If you are experiencing the same difficulties with two different ISPs,
you may be at the outer fringe of DSL connection range. For DSL, the
distance from your house to the telephone company switching center
(which isn't always the straight line distance), is limited. See this
page: http://www.dslreports.com/distance
There is a lot more info at the same site.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP - Networking

To the moon and back with 4KB of RAM and 72KB of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm