Sporadic Internet Access

Hello!

 

Well, I am running Vista and it might happen sometimes, maybe once every three days, but mostly the reason is the faulty telephone line which is used to connect DSL, so I always discover modem losing Internet, not my computer's fault. This sometimes drives me crazy and I discover my modem being dropped on the floor by me - but it was built tough, so works nicely after being abused.

 

However, your issue interests me, as it is pretty amazing that something can ruin the whole experience. I am not completely getting it whether you are using Wired or Wireless network. Whatever way it is, the problem might be with the Driver. For example, one of the Intel Pro/Wireless drivers were faulty and users were always losing Internet connection for no reason. If you are using Intel Wireless card, either get drivers from Dell Support Web-Site, or go to Intel.com and they offer newer and better drivers. Try downgrading drivers if the drivers you are using are the newest. If you are using Wired network, I would recommend doing the same driver check.

 

If the drivers are found not the ones causing issue, then try connecting to the network by using different approach: if you are using Wireless connection, try connecting your computer with a wire to the router and see if this resolves the issue. If it does, the Wireless card is either faulty or it is possible sometimes that some routers are not well compatible with some WiFi cards (which I personally find crazy, as they are using the same protocol, and manufacturers create stuff which prevents same protocol from working with different devices), also check the signal - but I will assume that it is not the reason.

 

Another case is if you are already going wired - go wireless. Test the connection at Friend's house or at MacDonald's WiFi and see if this changes anything. Just see whether it is your computer and Windows that is faulty, or it might be the poorly compatible router that has trouble working with specific cards and specific operating systems. You might want to change some router settings, such as temporarily disabling NAT and seeing if it has something to do with this. So try troubleshooting this way and it may lead you to the answer of what is ruining the enjoyment.

 

Sincerely,

 

Eugene

 

*EDIT* Also, before you perform anything, download and install Opera browser @ www.opera.com or a Netscape Navigator and see if these browsers work well. If they do, then diagnose what is happening to Explorer.

 

________________________________

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
Dell Inspiron E1705: Centrino Duo Computer
Intel Core Duo T2350 @ 1.866 GHz D-0 (Yonah)
17" WXGA+ Screen by AU Optronics
2 GB RAM at DDR2-533 by Hyundai Electronics
ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 256 MB Graphics Card with Hypermemory
120 GB 5400 RPM Hard Disk Drive by Samsung
Dell Bluetooth 355 + EDR Technology
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 a/b/g 54 Mbps
Sigmatel High Definition Audio
Sony DVD+-RW with DL Support

Thanks for the reply.

 

A couple of points to help here. Firefox behaves the same, so I don't think its the browser. Also the timescale is short. It isn't a matter of one day it is working the next it's not. If I work my way down my list of "favourintes" i might access two sites, and then the third and fourth fail. Then the fifth would be ok. Do it again and sites which just worked now don't and vice versa.

 

Also what is critical is that the pc 5 ft away is connected to the same (wired) modem router and gets every site every time!

 

It does seem improved if the other pc is off line. For example on this site last night with the other pc on line I had no graphics, but after it was powered down all the pics uploaded ok.  This is a new installation on a new pc (about 3 weeks old). I don't think it is the router but i may replace it out of desperation.

 

Should I be using dynamic ip allocation for example? Should I have ipv6.0 installed (it is but I don't think my isp uses it)? Should I throw it out the window (now that IS tempting)?

If I read your post correctly, the computers are all hard wired to the router. If this is the case, your symptoms suggest a hardware problem rather than software (although I wouldn't rule out McAfee completely - there have been many many problems reported with McAfee).

 

In any event, I would try to eliminate the possible hardware problem first. Can you temporarily replace one of the functioning machines with the Vista machine (including the cable)? Does the problem persist? If not, it's possible that the cable on the Vista machine is faulty, the port on the router is faulty, or the port on the Vista computer is faulty. By switching hardware around, you should be able to determine whether or not this is a hardware problem.

Thanks rebel9.

 

All computers connect individually to a hub and that connects to the router by a single cable which is therefore shared by all connections. The hub has just been replaced and because from there on it is all shared in terms of hardware failure there is nothing that would affect all pc's.

 

I have previously replced the cable from the offending pc to the hub so the only element left is the actual computer.  The network connection is via the lan and onboard network adaptor and this is shared with the normal peer to peer networking which seems reliable. If it is hardware it is going to take some pining down to the extent where Dell are going to accept that there is a problem.

 

It almost seems the pc is running when the ASDL signal is walking, and gives up before the data has had time to download.  It is very quick sometimes to say page not found.

Maybe a dumb question, but why are you using a hub at all when you have a router?

 

You say you have replaced the cable from the offending pc to the hub, but have you tried plugging into a different port on the hub? And have you tried switching the offending computer to the same cable as one of the functioning computers?

 

Looking again at your original post, you say that you can access the other computers (shared files & printers) with no problems. This being the case then, it may not be hardware related.

 

Next step then would be to eliminate McAfee entirely from the equation. You said that you disabled McAfee but it might be worth uninstalling it completely and test again.

Hello!

 

I don't really know what kind of BIOS you have, but Dell recently released a new BIOS for computers that showed intermittent Internet connection. See if this applies to you.

 

Eugene

 

________________________________

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
Dell Inspiron E1705: Centrino Duo Computer
Intel Core Duo T2350 @ 1.866 GHz D-0 (Yonah)
17" WXGA+ Screen by AU Optronics
2 GB RAM at DDR2-533 by Hyundai Electronics
ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 256 MB Graphics Card with Hypermemory
120 GB 5400 RPM Hard Disk Drive by Samsung
Dell Bluetooth 355 + EDR Technology
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 a/b/g 54 Mbps
Sigmatel High Definition Audio
Sony DVD+-RW with DL Support

Thanks eveyone for your advice.

 

The reason i have a hub is that the router is downstairs and the pcs are on the first floor. I have a single cat5 cable running from the router to the hub which is next to the computers and distributes the signal to the individual pcs. This has worked for 5 years although I replaced the hub a couple of days ago - no improvement.

 

I will check out the bios issue.

 

I also have borrowed another router to eliminate my own. Yet to try that.

 

Presumably leaving coms set up with ipv6.0 as well as ipv4.0 is not causing any problems?

This article suggest that it MAY be a router problem.

Thanks for that link. Unfortunately the router has passed with flying colours. I have borrowed a wireless router but I am having difficulty configuring it at the moment because it was supplied by one specific isp and it seems to be preconfigured and difficult to change. Otherwise I need to decide if it is the router and buy a new one.

 

The way it's going, i don't expect it will make any difference!