My broadbands knackered!

Posted by: garyi on 17 March 2005

I have been having significant broadband problems. Over the past few days it has been appaulingly slow but still kind of works. I think I got it down to the fact I can send out at the normal speed but incoming was down to around 50k.

Today the speed is back to normal but if I don't use the connection for ten minutes I get cut off.

I phoned Metronet who confirmed and said that it could only be a hardware problem with the router or filter, that is causing the my computer to get out of sync with their end???

Thing is how the hell can I check? I have swapped out the microfilter for another and the router is a ZOOM that has only been going a few months, and seems OK, the lights light up and I get connection OK.

If I lose connection all I do is swich the router off then back on, after a while my connection comes on. If I use the connection all the time, such as surfing downloading etc then its fine, if I leave it for ten minutes then bam, I loose connection!

What else can I check? I think I lost the recipt for the zoom box doh!
Posted on: 17 March 2005 by Willy
Garyi,

I have a problem with my router (a 3Com) where it slows, blocks certain sites. Requires one or more hard reboots to sort it (a real pain as it's in an outbuilding). Souds like you've got something similar. Solution? I'll probably replace mine with one of teh pre-N wirless ones in the near future.

Willy.
Posted on: 17 March 2005 by garyi
I'm wondering if its infact the line as I can unplug the phone lead from the wall and plug it back in then after a while the broadband comes back on.

Most frustrating.
Posted on: 18 March 2005 by Willy
Garyi,

Can't help you there as I'm on a satellite link. It did take a bit of experimentation to figure my problem as the router still sort of worked. What I did was to bypass it and hook a laptop directly to the satellite modem. Probably the best way forward is to borrow a different router and try it for a couple of days.

Willy.
Posted on: 18 March 2005 by Aiken Drum
Hi Garyi,

I see you live near my old stomping ground of Andover.

I have a Creative Labs DSL router which plays up and needs resetting. Part of the process I need to follow to reset it is to turn off both Norton virus scanner and the windows firewall. With both turned off temporarily, I can reboot the router and it is fine - for a while.

I am led to believe that the anti virus programs and windows firewall are the bane of broadband routers.

Have a go and see what happens with those two items switched off when you reset the router.

Cheers

Brad
Posted on: 20 March 2005 by Martin Payne
Try logginto onto the router & checking it's configuration. See your manual for details.

You may find that it's setup to disconnect after 10 mins of inactivity, but not configured to re-connect on demand.

cheers, Martin