Windows XP Internet crashes

[bklyngal305]

Hi!

I'm new to this forum, so please forgive me if I'm not quite articulate or precise enough in my question. I have Windows XP Professional running on a Dell Dimension. My modem is a Toshiba for broadband cable internet access and it's connected to the computer via usb cable rather than ethernet. Until recently, this set up has been working fine for a few years.

Here's my problem: in the last 2 or 3 months, my internet connection crashes CONSTANTLY - and yet, it's got nothing to do with loss of cable. There are 4 lights on the cable modem: cable, pc, data, test and power - with the data light blinking rapidly when everything is working well. When the internet crashes (for want of a better word), all three lights are stationary or the data light is not lit.

I've noticed this problem occurs most often when I'm browsing the internet with Firefox 2.0, which I installed after being disgusted with IE 7 months and months ago. At the risk of sounding like a lunatic, does anyone think IE is attacking Firefox and causing the internet to freeze? I did hear some years ago, at the start of the "browser wars", that Internet Explorer would attack Netscape Navigator & cause the program to crash.

The cable company had me disconnect the modem from the computer, the cable box and the electricity and then reconnect and restart the computer. No help. I am in the market for a new computer for a number of reasons, and this is just the icing on the cake, but I wonder if any of you have any thoughts or advice.

Thanks in advance!
Michelle in Brooklyn

 

[GameMaster]

The cable company had me disconnect the modem from the computer, the cable box and the electricity and then reconnect and restart the computer. No help. I am in the market for a new computer for a number of reasons, and this is just the icing on the cake, but I wonder if any of you have any thoughts or advice.

Well that's just what I wanted to advice you. Seems that it's not about te router...It would help me if you tell me what kind of error is that? Crush I mean?
Is it: ''We are sorry for the inconvinience but the program needs to close''. or is it just freezing and then End Now?
That helps me a lot.

 

[bklyngal305]

Well that's just what I wanted to advice you. Seems that it's not about te router...It would help me if you tell me what kind of error is that? Crush I mean?
Is it: ''We are sorry for the inconvinience but the program needs to close''. or is it just freezing and then End Now?
That helps me a lot.

There is no error message. It just freezes and everything stops responding (if, for instance, I've clicked on a link or etc..)

Also, I'm sorry for the lateness of my reply - I was away from the computer all day. Thanks for your help!

Michelle

 

[GameMaster]

It's ok.
Aha no error message just Not Responding.
Yes I had the same problem with my IE 7.0
Any other sympthons like bugs with formatting ( on forums especially, for couple of moments until you refresh the page, lines get one over the other and you can't read...
did your font resolution change itself...)
If no, and if yes, my answer is the same. Internet Explorer 7.0 is heavy sh*t, unninstall ir and start using Opera or Firefox, or reinstall IE if u want to use it. I did :-(

 

[muckshifter]

If you can, use an Ethernet cable connection ... you will at least be able to "diagnose" any network problems.

While I agree that IE7 ain't the best Browser for rendering web pages, there really is no reason it would interfere with FF ... FF has its own problems.

It is standard procedure to unplug the Modem/Router & power off it & your PC, that at least, resets the Modem/Router.

Any ISP that insists on using USB Modem/Routers really needs to get out of the dark ages and get to grips with technology. They are just being bloody ignorant.

 

[bklyngal305]

Thanks everyone for your advice! Interesting, I JUST GOT a message from Norton Internet Security that "a new network has been detected" and that to join, I should select the location I want to use. What the hell? Also, the data light on the modem has quit blinking again, which means I have to unplug to re-connect to the internet. Pest!

But before I close this window, I will say that the internet provider didn't insist I use a usb cable to connect to the 'net, they just didn't bother to include one in the set-up package and luckily I had the cable from a previous system (and it's worked fine for years til the last few months). I hate to sound like a nut, but I firmly believe the crashes have something to do with some conflict between IE7 and Firefox. I grant that even FF has it's issues, but I really resent the all-encompassing Microsoft.

I guess I will have to bite the bullet and get an ethernet cable to connect this modem. (sigh)

 

[michael555]

You could try removing IE7 and try your other browser.


But i see get the same trouble with IE7 when my net does,nt work.

I get a freeze and it locked up.

 

[amanda223]

if you had not received any error code mssage then it might be problem with your borwser software so try to reinstall it again......

 

[GameMaster]

hey Amanda...are you on ComputerForum too by any case?
I liked the other picture more :rolleye:
Haha, sorry.