Keep losing AOL Broadband Connection - Why?

Keep losing AOL Broadband Connection - Why?

Author
Discussion

rgracin

Original Poster:

601 posts

211 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
We are on AOL wireless broadband at home using the Netgear router provided. Over the last month or so, when on line, we keep losing the connection. sometimes it will re-connect itself with no issues, other times it says it can't find a connection.

I called the helpline, they told me it was my ADSL filters as they should be changed every 6 months!! Really? Why so often? Anyway, bought new filters, connected them up and geuss what? Yep. still got the same fault. They did a line check and could find no faults.

Help. It's possible it could be the router itself, but unless I borrow someone elses, how can I tell?

Just signed up for another 18 months in January, can I get out of it?

Thanks

-Z-

5,980 posts

205 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
I would first only use the net through a physical Ethernet connection directly into the router. If problem solved then your wireless is dodgy/being interfered with.

rgracin

Original Poster:

601 posts

211 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
Not tried that yet.

Have been monitoring the wireless connection between laptop and router and there are no drops in signal when the internet connection goes.

Would that suggest that the wireless part is ok?

-Z-

5,980 posts

205 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
Wireless can have weird probs, so try it just to eliminate.

If you still get probs buy a router from Argos so you can take it back if needed.

itsnotarace

4,685 posts

208 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
As above, connect using ethernet cable and then run a continuous ping to google

Open a commmand prompt and type: ping www.google.com -t

This will set a continuous ping going, leave it going for a couple of hours. Press CTRL+C to stop, then look for packet loss in the statistics and report any loss back to your ISP as loss indicates a fault with the line.

rgracin

Original Poster:

601 posts

211 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
Thanks for the advice so far. I'll coonect with the ethernet cable tonight.

Excuse my ignorance, but what's this "ping" test? When you say open up a command, do you mean type "ping etc" into the web address line?

Thanks

Sixpackpert

4,538 posts

213 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all

lestag

4,614 posts

275 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
what model netgear router?
if you turn the router on and off does it fix it?

You could try upgrading the firmware on the router

http://www.netgear.co.uk/product_support.php

SS2.

14,455 posts

237 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
ADSL filters on all telephone devices ?

For instance, its not unheard of for a Sky box to be overlooked when filters are being fitted / replaced..

lestag

4,614 posts

275 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
SS2. said:
ADSL filters on all telephone devices ?

For instance, its not unheard of for a Sky box to be overlooked when filters are being fitted / replaced..
or house alarm

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
You could also try different channels on the router, a lot of people don't bother changing so if loads of house are on the default channel you could be getting interference

I had this issue before and in the end it was my DECT house phones causing interference, I just ended up hardwiring everything

rgracin

Original Poster:

601 posts

211 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
lestag said:
what model netgear router?
if you turn the router on and off does it fix it?

You could try upgrading the firmware on the router

http://www.netgear.co.uk/product_support.php
I'm at work at the moment, so can't get the model number. Turning it on and off will allow us to get back on, but will lose connection at some point again.

Filters are on all phone sockets in use. don't have Sky or the like, so nothing else other than phone and internet.

Last silly question I promise. I'm with you on the DOS now, but how do I get into DOS so I can type the ping command? Is it during power up?

Sixpackpert

4,538 posts

213 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
To find it on a PC, press the 'Windows' key + R and then type "cmd" and press enter. In Windows 7 and Vista this procedure can be replaced by only pressing the Windows key and then typing "cmd" and then pressing enter.

This will open the command prompt in a window for you.

Edited by Sixpackpert on Wednesday 24th March 11:00

rgracin

Original Poster:

601 posts

211 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
Great. thanks for that. I'll give it a go tonight and report back.

Silverbullet767

10,680 posts

205 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
rofl ADSL filters changed every 6 months!

Never heard so much st in my life.

bogie

16,342 posts

271 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
interesting as im on AOL too ...have been trouble free for many years, and recently started to have a disconnect issue

I dont think theres any prob with your router - I have 5 different routers here and keep trying them when I have an issue

I think its more like AOL are doing some upgrades and causing probs with certain router chipsets

ADSL may be a "standard" but it still requires good software tweaking/interoperability between the modems/software each end

if they change something their end, and your end is still the same, likely its not your problem

This is a continuous game i.e. maintaining software interop on the modem chips and occasionally they get out of synch

Maybe it will all come right in another few months ...usually sticking to a modem on their supported list (like the NETGEAR)

is fine, as thats what they test with ....other ISPs give away a controlled model of router with a hope to catching probs

before they happen

so in short - I wouldnt worry about it too much. May be worth reporting it to AOL so they can correlate - if they get reports

from users all on the same model of DSLAM that just had a software upgrade, they will know where the problem lies

Dogwatch

6,222 posts

221 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
AOL here too. Downstairs lappy is wi-fi, upstairs is wired to the adjacent Netgear DG834G. Issues with wi-fi which may well be due to almost every other house in the street having it - and probably all on channel 1 (some have SSIDs of Linksys or Netgear which says a lot - one broadcasts what appears to be his wep key rolleyes).
Fewer issues with wired system but not entirely problem free. Sometimes I have problems with email when the web responses are fine. I generally avoid the AOL site like the plague and use Windows Mail with Imap.aol.com

4hero

4,505 posts

210 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
aol laugh

plg101

4,106 posts

209 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
Channel conflict with a neighbour?
Too many devices on the phone extensions?
A non standard device on the phone line (eg an imported phone, or a very old one causing a short?)

We had a funny problem with the connection cutting (DSL and phone) - only when it was windy. Turned out the phone line was going through the branches of a tree, which had worn away the outer cable. When it was windy it was pushing the branch against the frayed line and causing problems...

Sixpackpert

4,538 posts

213 months

Wednesday 24th March 2010
quotequote all
rgracin said:
We are on AOL
Stop there.

Right there is your problem.

Those 3 letters in that particular order!