Internet connection "gives up"

[Rocky]

I don't know if this is the way disconnects from the net occur or if there's something wrong with my computer.
I can almost predict whenever I'm about to get a disconnect from my ISP.

1. First send/receive lights flash constantly. Everything seems to be fine.

2. Then only the send light flashes

3. After a short while the connection just "gives up" and I get disconnected.

And, you guessed it, it's EXTREMELY annoying! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif
Is there a way to stop it from giving up so quickly or is it an ISP problem.

[tjaymadison]

Are you using one of the "free" ISP's? They can be a bit flaky. If not, some providers are somewhat intolerant if you just navigate around within one site for quite a long time. Their software perceives this as someone who is trying to use their service as an "always on" connection. Otherwise I think it's time for a complaint.

[mjc]

A couple of things to try are:

1. Goto Internet Options (control panel or Tools in IE) and then the Connections tab. Settings -> Advanced and see what your "disconnect if idle for...." is set at, if you want you can uncheck the box to (hopefully IE sometimes ignores the box and disconnects anyway), set it to max (60 minutes, I think) first.

2. Try to keep what is running in the background to a minimum while on line. This is especially vital if you have a slower CPU and a Winmodem. (You have an external, right...... you said lights flash?)

3. Check your modem settings (also under Internet Options -> Connections -> Settings -> Properties Configure -> Connection). Check with your ISP to see if they require any special configurations here.

4. If you are using a big, national ISP like AOL see if they have an alternate number that you can dial in to, there may be too much traffic on your current number.


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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/highrise/11/index.htm)

Does Bill Gates use WindowsME?

[This message has been edited by mjc (edited 03-26-2001).]

[Rocky]

Internal modem. The lights that I was referring to were the green ones on the little connection icon on the taskbar [the 2 little computers].

The IE disconnect option is unchecked. I'm not in the US. But I checked with the ISP and their suggestion of turning off error correction didn't work. They suggested that it may have been my phone line [same, lame old story]. Nothing seems to be wrong with the line. I'm using a Jaton ISA {harware} modem.

I guess I may have to change ISPs but I just wanted to make sure that my computer (ie modem, software, etc.) were not contibuting to the problem.

[mjc]

Well a hardware modem is a good start, it could be the phone line, but more likely I think ISP overload (too few lines too many users). Usually when it is doing that it is either trying to retrain(find a better rate to transfer data-- usually phone line) or timing out (usually ISP). The best way to find out for sure is to try it at several different times throughout the day over an extended period (maybe a week). If it happens more at certain times of day (like evenings or weekends) then it definitely is ISP.

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/highrise/11/index.htm)

Do Vulcans even have to debug?

[Rocky]

Well, I guess it's the ISP. I almost can't get on at primetime and disconnects happen more often. I also notice that disconnects almost never happen whenever the connection is continially used such as during downloads.

Originally posted by mjc:
Well a hardware modem is a good start, it could be the phone line, but more likely I think ISP overload (too few lines too many users). Usually when it is doing that it is either trying to retrain(find a better rate to transfer data-- usually phone line) or timing out (usually ISP). The best way to find out for sure is to try it at several different times throughout the day over an extended period (maybe a week). If it happens more at certain times of day (like evenings or weekends) then it definitely is ISP.

[Randy_tx]

Oftentimes oversubscribed ISP's have a VERY quick idle time trigger.

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"As hard as a rock & dumb as a brick"...Windows CEMeNT

[mjc]

Yep, sounds like ISP, see if your current ISP has another local number or go shopping......

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/highrise/11/index.htm)

Do Vulcans even have to debug?