Erractic Network Connection

Hello,

I'm on a brand new Dell Inspiron 530. I unpacked it late last week, and have since had a problem with the internet dropping out continually for a few seconds at a time. So far Dell tech support has been less than helpful, and Google hasn't done much either. I'm at my wit's end here.

First some specs:

PC: Inspiron 530

OS: Vista SP1

Modem: Motorola Surfboard SB5101

ISP: Comcast

 

The PC is connected to the modem directly via ethernet. The old PC works just fine hooked up in this same way.

 

Here's what we have tried:

Completely restored PC to factory defaults (as a last ditch attempt...it was already pretty much at factory defaults.)

New modem (same model as before, but purchased rather than rented from Comcast.)

Turned of IPv6 both in the registry and connection properties.

Connected to modem both via ethernet and USB...same problem either way.

 

So, my conclusions are since another computer works with the modem, it's not the modem. Since the problem is the same for both either LAN and USB, it's not a problem with the LAN adapter. That means it's either some software/firmware setting, or perhaps (though I think unlikely at this point) a hardware issue with the motherboard.

 

To further illustrate the problem, here are some pings that I did. Each of these were taken successively, all within a matter of about 2 minutes. 192.168.100.1 is the IP of the modem.

 

C:\>ping 192.168.100.1

Pinging 192.168.100.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 76.27.109.62: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.100.1: bytes=32 time=1044ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.100.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.100.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.100.1:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 2ms, Maximum = 1044ms, Average = 349ms

C:\>ping 192.168.100.1

Pinging 192.168.100.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 76.27.109.62: Destination host unreachable.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 192.168.100.1:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 1, Lost = 3 (75% loss),

C:\>ping 192.168.100.1

Pinging 192.168.100.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 76.27.109.62: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.100.1: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.100.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.100.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.100.1:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 1ms, Maximum = 13ms, Average = 5ms

 

 

 

 

C:\>ping dell.com

Pinging dell.com [143.166.224.244] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 143.166.224.244: bytes=32 time=76ms TTL=239
Reply from 143.166.224.244: bytes=32 time=85ms TTL=239
Reply from 143.166.224.244: bytes=32 time=74ms TTL=239
Reply from 143.166.224.244: bytes=32 time=73ms TTL=239

Ping statistics for 143.166.224.244:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 73ms, Maximum = 85ms, Average = 77ms

C:\>ping dell.com

Pinging dell.com [143.166.224.244] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 143.166.224.244: bytes=32 time=91ms TTL=239
Reply from 143.166.224.244: bytes=32 time=75ms TTL=239
Request timed out.
Reply from 143.166.224.244: bytes=32 time=75ms TTL=239

Ping statistics for 143.166.224.244:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 3, Lost = 1 (25% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 75ms, Maximum = 91ms, Average = 80ms

C:\>ping dell.com

Pinging dell.com [143.166.224.244] with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Reply from 143.166.224.244: bytes=32 time=98ms TTL=239
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 143.166.224.244:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 1, Lost = 3 (75% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 98ms, Maximum = 98ms, Average = 98ms

 

 You can see how erratic it is. It will go from working perfectly one second, to timing out the next, and then being unable to reach the destination host, almost randomly. So what I can do about this, besides send the computer back and get a HP?

TIA!

 

Edit:  I need to amend my post a bit now that I have learned some new information.  I disconnected the modem from the cable line and pinged it some more.  All pings returned perfectly every time.  I was also able to access the modem status screen via http with no problem.  So maybe at this point we are thinking it is a cable line problem....perhaps.