Connection to cable constantly lost
I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also
have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. He solved one problem but not the other. I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. He solved that problem. However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. As I said, they are on a separate UBS. The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. Does anyone have any ideas? I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL |
Connection to cable constantly lost
On Nov 16, 9:33*am, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER
wrote: I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. *My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. *He solved one problem but not the other. *I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. *He solved that problem. *However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. *That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. *This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. *When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." *I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. *As I said, they are on a separate UBS. *The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. *Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. *This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. *He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. *Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. *Does anyone have any ideas? *I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." *They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. There is no reason you need a network tech at your house to set up a wireless router. Millions do it right out of the box. There is no security that a network tech is going to enable beyond that which comes with the equipment and the std setup can be used to enabe. The key is to make sure you put security keys into the wireless router and any wireless connected PC's and make sure the encryption is turned on. *So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. *Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. *He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. *Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. *He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. *My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. *It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL First question is what exactly goes through the surge protector. Does it include the coax cable from the cable modem, or just the power? For protection against surges, both should go through the same surge protector. I have not heard of any issues related to surge protectors and cable performance. Also, since the cable folks were out there, they should have been able to measure the signal strength at the cable modem. Actually, that can be done right from the PC or remotely as well. In any case, if you want to rule out that it has anything to do with the surge protection, just temporarily eliminate the one you may have the cable modem routed through. For that matter, you could just eliminate all the ones connected to any of the PC, router, etc. Also, cable modems have status lights on the front. What do they show when you're having this problem? If there is a signal problem between the cable modem and the cable network, the online, send, receive ligts wlll generally go out. Then the modem recovers and you'll see the receive, transmit, then online lights come back on in that order. If that is happening, then something is wrong either with the signal from the cable system to the modem or the modem itself. If it's not happening, then it suggest it's probably not the modem and something could be wrong with the router. Also, look in the manual for the cable modem, their website or google online. The cable modems have an IP address that you can just put into your browser and pull up the internals for the modem. That will show you many things, including it's error log. The error log will show what time it lost signal, last rebooted, etc. This is also accessible remotely, so the folks at the cable company should be able to tell you if the modem shows hickup when you're seeing the connection loss at your PC. Consider how many splits you have on the cable signal coming in. Where possible it's recommended that the incoming signal be divided once, with one leg then going to the cable modem, the other gets split as needed for TV. |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote in message . .. I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. He solved one problem but not the other. I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. He solved that problem. However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. As I said, they are on a separate UBS. The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. Does anyone have any ideas? I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL Far from an expert on the subject but will share the little I know more or less as random comments. Wireless routers are subject to interference from 2.4 GHz phones and some microwaves. Really from any device in that general bandwidth. Routers are generally the failure or problem point in a lost cable connection. Try a direct connect to a single computer and see if the problem goes away. I don't use wireless I have wired. even so I have to reboot the router every now and then. I can't see where an AC surge protector would affect anything. Running the cable connection through a suppressor might. Newer wireless routers are fairly easy to lockdown if you can read and follow directions. There are in fact two different levels of encryption I do not recall the names. (/?wep and wap?) Colbyt |
Connection to cable constantly lost
MaryL wrote:
One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. Well, there you are. Your microwave worked after you discarded the surge suppressor. Obviously surge suppressors can fail. So ditch the surge suppressors on your computer equipment and see if the problem goes away. If the problem disappears, add the surge suppressors back, one at a time, until the problem reappears. If you have the "cheap" surge suppressors (less than about $30), they will degrade. |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"HeyBub" wrote in message m... MaryL wrote: One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. Well, there you are. Your microwave worked after you discarded the surge suppressor. Obviously surge suppressors can fail. So ditch the surge suppressors on your computer equipment and see if the problem goes away. If the problem disappears, add the surge suppressors back, one at a time, until the problem reappears. If you have the "cheap" surge suppressors (less than about $30), they will degrade. The surge suppressor on the microwave did its job. It "absorbed" the shock during the storm (obviously, not a direct hit), so the suppressor was then burned out but the microwave still worked. As for the computer equipment, it's definitely not the surge suppressors unless there is some reasonable explanation for why the cable company would prefer that we not use *any* surge suppressors. I have one surge suppressor (Philips) for the laser printer, Zoom modem, phone, router, and small TV. I have an APC backup USP for the CPU, monitor, and cable connection. Both of those units are new, and the problems I described pre-date them. In fact, the only thing on my current system that is *not* new is the router. So, it does seem likely that the router is the problem, and I am willing to buy another one. However, I am concerned because the technician tested it when he was here, and it was fine. The cable company could also "ping" it when I called them. Nevertheless, the technician suspects the router. I am going to follow the advice of one of the people on this group and try to call LinkSys before I try to change out the router. MaryL |
Connection to cable constantly lost
On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 08:33:46 -0600, "MaryL"
-OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. He solved one problem but not the other. I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. He solved that problem. However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. As I said, they are on a separate UBS. The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. Does anyone have any ideas? I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL Try and re-install the software drivers for the hardware devices. The drivers can become corrupted. Reset the router, via the small button, if necessary. If the ISP changed, what are the DNS server IP numbers. Are they set in the router? |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"Oren" wrote in message ... On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 08:33:46 -0600, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. He solved one problem but not the other. I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. He solved that problem. However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. As I said, they are on a separate UBS. The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. Does anyone have any ideas? I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL Try and re-install the software drivers for the hardware devices. The drivers can become corrupted. Reset the router, via the small button, if necessary. If the ISP changed, what are the DNS server IP numbers. Are they set in the router? All of that has been done. My ISP number changes every time I log on (or maybe every time I access the Internet) -- a dynamic ISP number, not static. MaryL |
Connection to cable constantly lost
That plug-in protector did nothing useful. It failed. A grossly
undersized surge protector that does nothing useful also fails so that the naive will promote it. How many other appliances in the kitchen were destroyed by that surge. If the surge protector did anything useful, then the blender and dishwasher (without protectors) were damage. Why were each not damaged? Because protection inside a microwave, dishwasher, and blender protected themselves. A grossly undersized and obscenely overpriced protector was so pathetic as to be destroyed by a surge that could not even damage other appliances? So how many GFCIs in the bathrooms and kitchen were destroyed. Where is surge protection that protected those electronics? Even GFCIs are more robust than that grossly undersized protector? Cable guy was 100% correct. This from an engineer who also did this stuff. That protector did nothing useful but may degrade TV signals. Cable companies constantly recommend removing those obscenely overpriced protectors that ... do not even claim to protect from a type of surge that typically causes damage. Don’t take my word for it. Post numeric specs where the protector manufacturer actually claims protection. Little hint. You cannot. The manufacturer does not make those protection claims in numbers. The honest claim comes with numbers. Those protectors do reduce TV and computer signals. Reduced signals mean some channels and internet may drop out periodically. Are those your symptoms? Well, your cable signals may still be weak also due to protectors that don’t even claim to provide surge protection. Does that UPS provides protection? Where does it also list each type of surge and protection from that surge? Again, massive profits when they get you to *know* without first learning facts. The informed consumer always needs numbers. APC claims what protection in its manufacturer specs? Post those numbers here. Again, you can’t because APC does not make those claims. One number that the UPS is required to provide is joules. How many joules? Your reasoning assumes a surge protector or UPS stops or absorbs surges. Fine. How many joules? 300 joules? Lets see. Surges are tens or hundreds of thousands of joules. Why did that power strip fail? It was so grossly undersized (but probably not as undersized as APC UPSes) as to provide ineffective protection. With numbers provided by that manufacture, you again know why the surge protector failed. So grossly undersized as to not provide protection. So grossly undersized that a surge too small to harm a microwave, instead, destroyed a grossly undersized protector. Why do they grossly undersize that protector in a power strip or UPS (both contain the same protector circuit)? Less joules means an even greater profit. And a failed protector will get the naive to recommend more ineffective protectors. Even here, the grossly undersized protector got recommended. Where is a spec number that claims protection from a typically destructive type surge? Never posted above. Where is a joules number sufficiently sized to absorb that surge? Does not exist. Where is the manufacturer spec that even claims to provide protection from typically destructive surges? Does not exist. Even the cable guy accurately recommended removing that protector because properly installed cables already have superior and effective surge protection - installed for free. Review what you have posted. You have assumed your power strip (or a UPS) will stop or absorb what even three miles of sky could not stop. Effective protectors don't claim to stop or absorb surges. Effective protection means a surge does not enter a building. Effective protectors cost about $1 per protected appliance. You have a 'whole house' protector and still had a damaged plug-in protector? Canary in the coalmine. A most easily failed item was damaged by a surge that should have never been inside the building. What any protector must connect to may be improperly installed, missing, or insufficient. Protection is not a magic box - a concept even understood 100 years ago. Protection is earth ground – a concept that plug-in protectors and APC will do anything to avoid. An effective protector connects surge energy short to earth. Follow that wire from that 'whole house' protector (from fuse box) to earth ground. It should be less than 10 feet. No sharp bends. If that bare copper wire goes up over the foundation and down to earth, then that wire is installed improperly - too long and too many sharp bends. If your earthing violates those principles, then that would explain why grossly undersized protector was damaged. Cable must also make a short (ie less than 10 foot) connection to the same earth ground. Why? What must absorb surge energy? What dissipates hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly - without damage? Earth ground. That required common connection from both fuse box and cable may also make your TV and computer connections more reliable. Why was a grossly undersized (and obscenely overpriced) plug-in protectors damaged? Your installation let a surge into the house. That correction might (not likely but might) also correct a cable problem. But moreso, that correction provides massive and superior surge protection for tens or 100 times less money per protected appliance. The APC is for temporary power when AC power is lost – nothing more. It claims surge protection. But again, look at its numbers. Nothing is known without numbers. It has near zero joules. Well, it is not zero joules. Therefore it can claim surge protection on color glossy sales brochures - to intentionally deceive the naive. Near zero joules means all but no surge protection inside that APC. Two suggestions to make your cable more reliable. Verify earthing is correct where that cable enters the building. Improper earthing can be one reason for signal loss. Disconnect those obscenly overpriced plug-in protectors, as all cable companies recommend, because those protectors degrade cable signals. On Nov 16, 5:32 pm, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: Thesurgesuppressoron the microwave did its job. It "absorbed" the shock during the storm (obviously, not a direct hit), so thesuppressorwas then burned out but the microwave still worked. As for thecomputerequipment, it's definitely not thesurgesuppressors unless there is some reasonable explanation for why the cable company would prefer that we not use *any*surgesuppressors. I have onesurgesuppressor (Philips) for the laser printer, Zoommodem, phone, router, and small TV. I have an APC backup USP for the CPU, monitor, and cable connection. Both of those units are new, and the problems I described pre-date them. In fact, the only thing on my current system that is *not* new is the router. So, it does seem likely that the router is the problem, and I am willing to buy another one. However, I am concerned because the technician tested it when he was here, and it was fine. The cable company could also "ping" it when I called them. Nevertheless, the technician suspects the router. I am going to follow the advice of one of the people on this group and try to call LinkSys before I try to change out the router. MaryL |
Connection to cable constantly lost
On Nov 16, 9:33*am, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER
wrote: I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. *My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. *He solved one problem but not the other. *I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. *He solved that problem. *However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. *That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. *This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. *When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." *I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. *As I said, they are on a separate UBS. *The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. *Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. *This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. *He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. *Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. *Does anyone have any ideas? *I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." *They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. *So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. *Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. *He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. *Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. *He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. *My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. *It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL A couple of things come to mind. One is a general comment on testing routers, the other is more specific to your problem. General comment: You said: "I frequently...lose connection to cable and to the Internet." Which obviously means that sometimes you have a good connection. You said: "He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. " Which means the router was working when the tech tested it and when the cable company pinged it. Has the tech tested the router (from your side) when the cable/ internet *wasn't* working? Has the cable company pinged it (from their side) when the cable/ internet *wasn't* working? Not finding something wrong when the system is working doesn't mean the router is OK. If it has an intermittent problem, the problem may only show up - ready? - intermittently. :-) Now, specific to your problem: I'm assuming you have 2 routers: The LinkSys Wireless-G that you own, and the cable company's router, right? OK, you said "I frequently...lose connection to *cable* and to the Internet." If you are losing your cable connection at the same time, it can't be your LinkSys router can it? Your cable TV doesn't go through the LinkSys does it? If that's correct, then tell the cable to change their router whether it passes their tests or not. |
Connection to cable constantly lost
Once the peripheral problem (see other post) is removed as a reason
for your problem (earthing is properly connected to a common ground electrode and protectors removed everywhere from the cable), then we move on to solving the problem using facts rather than speculation. For example, do you have multiple computers on the same router? Then setup a task so that both ping each other continuously. Ask if you don't know how to do this. (ie ping -t 192.168.1. x) When internet is lost, do both machines still see (ping) each other? Do ping response times remains constant? I am not completely sure what you do and do not have. For example, I assume your Linksys connects to a cable mode which in turn connects to the cable. So how is each box setup? Is the cable modem operating as a router or only as a bridge? That gets answered by how the Linksys is setup. Even Linksys will need those facts before saying anything, so you may as well get those facts (especially the numbers) now. To answer the above question, information such as the Linksys in PPPoE mode (or what other setting) is necessary to get anything other than wild speculation (it could be this or could be that). Did the cable guy come with a meter to measure signal strength? Cable companies should provide that $5000 device to every tech. Many do not leaving the tech to also swap splitters without first learning where the signal is diminished. In fact some cable guys buy their own $5000 meter because without it, they too can only wildly speculate (no numbers). Well, you can also get useful information doing a tracert (which means ‘trace route’). For example, tracert wwww.suddenlink.com or tracert www.cox.com provides a list of IP addresses (numbers) and response times so that the better informed know what exists (rather than speculating). Cable TV is actually frequencies all over the place. Specifically which channels (which numbers) do and do not work during the intermittent failure. Again, numbers that would say which frequencies do and do not cut out. On Nov 16, 5:32*pm, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: Thesurgesuppressoron the microwave did its job. *It "absorbed" the shock during the storm (obviously, not a direct hit), so thesuppressorwas then burned out but the microwave still worked. As for thecomputerequipment, it's definitely not thesurgesuppressors unless there is some reasonable explanation for why the cable company would prefer that we not use *any*surgesuppressors. *I have onesurgesuppressor (Philips) for the laser printer, Zoommodem, phone, router, and small TV. *I have an APC backup USP for the CPU, monitor, and cable connection. *Both of those units are new, and the problems I described pre-date them. *In fact, the only thing on my current system that is *not* new is the router. *So, it does seem likely that the router is the problem, and I am willing to buy another one. *However, I am concerned because the technician tested it when he was here, and it was fine. *The cable company could also "ping" it when I called them. *Nevertheless, the technician suspects the router. I am going to follow the advice of one of the people on this group and try to call LinkSys before I try to change out the router. |
Connection to cable constantly lost
clipped
If you are losing your cable connection at the same time, it can't be your LinkSys router can it? Your cable TV doesn't go through the LinkSys does it? If that's correct, then tell the cable to change their router whether it passes their tests or not. I don't know anything about the system being discussed, but wonder about the cable company. I have dial-up internet and satellite TV. Of course, the satellite signal disappears whenever a storm blows through. When at my daughter's home, I use their cable TV and internet, which has fairly frequent drops of internet connection and unavailability (this was on comcast). The cable company probably sends/receives everything by satellite, right? A friend of mine, when her cable TV service was iffy, called the cable TV folks and they could communicate with her cable box. Have you called cable folks when the stuff is not working? One other thought, and this is recollection of something I read long, long ago.......when I owned my first UPS, it said that it should not be plugged into a plug-in strip with surge protection. Any such warning with yours that might apply to the whole-house surge protection? |
Connection to cable constantly lost
On Nov 16, 8:10*pm, Norminn wrote:
clipped If you are losing your cable connection at the same time, it can't be your LinkSys router can it? Your cable TV doesn't go through the LinkSys does it? If that's correct, then tell the cable to change their router whether it passes their tests or not. I don't know anything about the system being discussed, but wonder about the cable company. I have dial-up internet and satellite TV. Of course, the satellite signal disappears whenever a storm blows through. *When at my daughter's home, I use their cable TV and internet, which has fairly frequent drops of internet connection and unavailability (this was on comcast). *The cable company probably sends/receives everything by satellite, right? *A friend of mine, when her cable TV service was iffy, called the cable TV folks and they could communicate with her cable box. *Have you called cable folks when the stuff is not working? One other thought, and this is recollection of something I read long, long ago.......when I owned my first UPS, it said that it should not be plugged into a plug-in strip with surge protection. *Any such warning with yours that might apply to the whole-house surge protection? One thing the cable tech should have done is measure the signal level at your cable modem and TV. This can also be done using some cable boxes. F connectors are notorious for being bad. He should have gone through the installation, cut all the ends off the cables and replaced the connectors. Sometimes this doesnt help because its the female part of the connector thats bad. Usually it only takesa small improvement in signal quality to cure the problem. My problem went away with only a 1 db improvement and he continued working on it and managed to get a 3 db improvement. No problems for over a year now. Jimmie |
Connection to cable constantly lost
On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:32:05 -0600, "MaryL"
-OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: In fact, the only thing on my current system that is *not* new is the router Look into FLASH [ing] the EPROM, updated software. Know what you are doing when you do this. Do not kill the device. EPROMS loose memory and the router fails. Install the router software, is a good - first start. |
Connection to cable constantly lost
MaryL wrote:
If you have the "cheap" surge suppressors (less than about $30), they will degrade. The surge suppressor on the microwave did its job. It "absorbed" the shock during the storm (obviously, not a direct hit), so the suppressor was then burned out but the microwave still worked. The microwave didn't work until you removed the surge suppressor, did it? Doesn't that tell you that a problematic surge protector can interfere with the proper operation of that which is connected to it? As for the computer equipment, it's definitely not the surge suppressors unless there is some reasonable explanation for why the cable company would prefer that we not use *any* surge suppressors. There IS a good reason, goddamnit! Evidently you belong to that fairly large group of blonde non-electrical-engineers. Cheap surge suppressors contain two or three MOVs (metallic oxide varistors). These act like reverse fuses: when the detected potential is greater than the nominal voltage, they short the two conductors to which they are connected. MOVs fail in several ways: If the surge is large enough or long enough, they will simply melt, smoke, and heat up. At that point, they have acted exactly like a reverse fuse - they no longer work and will provide no further protection. The other way they fail is they degrade such that they "leak" voltage from one conductor to another. This generates "noise" on the line and other undesirable things. Further, the complete and catastrophic failure of a cheap surge suppressor - as was the case with your microwave - is abnormal. Usually cheap surge suppressors weaken or simply fail to do their job. I have one surge suppressor (Philips) for the laser printer, Zoom modem, phone, router, and small TV. I have an APC backup USP for the CPU, monitor, and cable connection. Both of those units are new, and the problems I described pre-date them. In fact, the only thing on my current system that is *not* new is the router. So, it does seem likely that the router is the problem, and I am willing to buy another one. However, I am concerned because the technician tested it when he was here, and it was fine. The cable company could also "ping" it when I called them. Nevertheless, the technician suspects the router. I am going to follow the advice of one of the people on this group and try to call LinkSys before I try to change out the router. Sounds like something you can do to keep busy. When you eventually get around to removing or swapping out the dodgy surge suppressors, check back. Maybe we can find something else to try. |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"HeyBub" wrote in message m... MaryL wrote: If you have the "cheap" surge suppressors (less than about $30), they will degrade. The surge suppressor on the microwave did its job. It "absorbed" the shock during the storm (obviously, not a direct hit), so the suppressor was then burned out but the microwave still worked. The microwave didn't work until you removed the surge suppressor, did it? Doesn't that tell you that a problematic surge protector can interfere with the proper operation of that which is connected to it? As for the computer equipment, it's definitely not the surge suppressors unless there is some reasonable explanation for why the cable company would prefer that we not use *any* surge suppressors. There IS a good reason, goddamnit! Evidently you belong to that fairly large group of blonde non-electrical-engineers. Cheap surge suppressors contain two or three MOVs (metallic oxide varistors). These act like reverse fuses: when the detected potential is greater than the nominal voltage, they short the two conductors to which they are connected. MOVs fail in several ways: If the surge is large enough or long enough, they will simply melt, smoke, and heat up. At that point, they have acted exactly like a reverse fuse - they no longer work and will provide no further protection. The other way they fail is they degrade such that they "leak" voltage from one conductor to another. This generates "noise" on the line and other undesirable things. Further, the complete and catastrophic failure of a cheap surge suppressor - as was the case with your microwave - is abnormal. Usually cheap surge suppressors weaken or simply fail to do their job. I have one surge suppressor (Philips) for the laser printer, Zoom modem, phone, router, and small TV. I have an APC backup USP for the CPU, monitor, and cable connection. Both of those units are new, and the problems I described pre-date them. In fact, the only thing on my current system that is *not* new is the router. So, it does seem likely that the router is the problem, and I am willing to buy another one. However, I am concerned because the technician tested it when he was here, and it was fine. The cable company could also "ping" it when I called them. Nevertheless, the technician suspects the router. I am going to follow the advice of one of the people on this group and try to call LinkSys before I try to change out the router. Sounds like something you can do to keep busy. When you eventually get around to removing or swapping out the dodgy surge suppressors, check back. Maybe we can find something else to try. Look, it's obvious that you enjoy being rude. I simply don't have the technical knowledge to follow through with some of the information that has been given on this group (most, with good intentions, I believe). However, have you not noticed that I said this problem *pre-dates* both of the surge suppressors. So, it began before I had the regular surge suppressor and the backup USB, and the same problem continues with them in place! MaryL |
Connection to cable constantly lost
MaryL wrote:
I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. He solved one problem but not the other. I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. He solved that problem. However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. As I said, they are on a separate UBS. The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. Does anyone have any ideas? I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL Hi, Both you and your tech did not do most simple basic things. Did he measured aseband signal level? Every connector incurs ~2db loss when connection is proper. Is your router properly configured and does it have a lastest firmware loaded? Utilized ping and ipconfig command to see what is going on? Eliminated all the gadget accessroies and tried basic TV or/and Internet hook up? Use common sense, think logic. Replacing this and that is a good method of trouble-shooting. When you replace something you must have a valid reason. Good luck, |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"Tony Hwang" wrote in message ... MaryL wrote: I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. He solved one problem but not the other. I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. He solved that problem. However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. As I said, they are on a separate UBS. The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. Does anyone have any ideas? I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL Hi, Both you and your tech did not do most simple basic things. Did he measured aseband signal level? Every connector incurs ~2db loss when connection is proper. Is your router properly configured and does it have a lastest firmware loaded? Utilized ping and ipconfig command to see what is going on? Eliminated all the gadget accessroies and tried basic TV or/and Internet hook up? Use common sense, think logic. Replacing this and that is a good method of trouble-shooting. When you replace something you must have a valid reason. Good luck, Unfortunately, I don't have any idea how to do most of what you described. I can tell you that the tech measured signal level (but I don't know what "aseband" is). He measured at each connection point and also went outdoors to check the entry into the house. My computer is only a few months old, and I hired tech support to set everything up, including wireless for the laptop (but the desktop is not wireless). That person went through a number of ipconfig commands. The cable company was able to ping the router. Gadget accessories? Unless I miss your meaning, I don't have any. I have the CPU, monitor, printer, and a small TV. And, of course, there is the router and cable modem. The tech support I hired downloaded all drivers. I'm not even sure what you mean by "basic" TV and/or Internet hook up. I went through a routine -- numerous times -- where SuddenLink had me unhook just about every cable and connect and re-connect components. Finally, they sent someone out as I described in my original message. We did lose Internet access on one occasion while he was here, so he saw it but still did not solve the problem. He did call the home office, and they could ping the router and modem. The technician they sent "suspects" that it is the router even though they could ping it. MaryL |
Connection to cable constantly lost
MaryL wrote:
.. Sounds like something you can do to keep busy. When you eventually get around to removing or swapping out the dodgy surge suppressors, check back. Maybe we can find something else to try. Look, it's obvious that you enjoy being rude. I simply don't have the technical knowledge to follow through with some of the information that has been given on this group (most, with good intentions, I believe). However, have you not noticed that I said this problem *pre-dates* both of the surge suppressors. So, it began before I had the regular surge suppressor and the backup USB, and the same problem continues with them in place! I apologize for sounding rude - I only meant to be impatient. If you refuse to try the most obvious diagnostic (swapping or removing the surge suppressors), you are, frankly, incapable of accepting help. The only legitimate excuse you can have is lack of sufficient technical knowledge to operate a plug. I admit that is possible. Do you know any 12-year old males? |
Connection to cable constantly lost
On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:57:59 -0600, "MaryL"
-OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: Look, it's obvious that you enjoy being rude. I simply don't have the technical knowledge to follow through with some of the information that has been given on this group (most, with good intentions, I believe). However, have you not noticed that I said this problem *pre-dates* both of the surge suppressors. So, it began before I had the regular surge suppressor and the backup USB, and the same problem continues with them in place! MaryL Anyone that says the surge suppressor is the problem is a complete idiot who has no knowledge of networks. Replace your dodgy router and be done with the problems. |
Connection to cable constantly lost
On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:29:30 -0600, "MaryL"
-OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: I would also post your question to 24hoursupportdesk.help Lots of computer geeks over there. |
Connection to cable constantly lost
On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:29:30 -0600, "MaryL"
-OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: Sorryy, that's 24hoursupport.helpdesk |
Connection to cable constantly lost
On Nov 17, 2:05*am, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER
wrote: "Tony Hwang" wrote in message ... MaryL wrote: I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. *He solved one problem but not the other. *I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. *He solved that problem. *However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. *This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. *When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." *I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. *As I said, they are on a separate UBS. *The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. *Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. *He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office.. Does anyone have any ideas? *I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. *So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. *Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. *He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. *Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. *He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. *My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. *It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL Hi, Both you and your tech did not do most simple basic things. Did he measured aseband signal level? Every connector incurs ~2db loss when connection is proper. Is your router properly configured and does it have a lastest firmware loaded? Utilized ping and ipconfig command to see what is going on? Eliminated all the gadget accessroies and tried basic TV or/and Internet hook up? Use common sense, think logic. Replacing this and that is a good method of trouble-shooting. When you replace something you must have a valid reason. Good luck, Unfortunately, I don't have any idea how to do most of what you described.. I can tell you that the tech measured signal level (but I don't know what "aseband" is). *He measured at each connection point and also went outdoors to check the entry into the house. *My computer is only a few months old, and I hired tech support to set everything up, including wireless for the laptop (but the desktop is not wireless). *That person went through a number of ipconfig commands. *The cable company was able to ping the router. Gadget accessories? *Unless I miss your meaning, I don't have any. *I have the CPU, monitor, printer, and a small TV. *And, of course, there is the router and cable modem. *The tech support I hired downloaded all drivers. I'm not even sure what you mean by "basic" TV and/or Internet hook up. *I went through a routine -- numerous times -- where SuddenLink had me unhook just about every cable and connect and re-connect components. *Finally, they sent someone out as I described in my original message. *We did lose Internet access on one occasion while he was here, so he saw it but still did not solve the problem. *He did call the home office, and they could ping the router and modem. *The technician they sent "suspects" that it is the router even though they could ping it. MaryL- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Gadget accessories? Unless I miss your meaning, I don't have any I believe that Mr. Hwang is referring to the surge supressors, UPS, etc. Calling them "gadgets" might be excessive, but a fairly standard troubleshooting technique is to get the "system" (all components from input to output) down to it's simplest configuration and get it working. If the problem goes away, you can start adding "gadgets" back in to see which one is causing the problem. In your case, you might want to start with just one computer and the cable modem, then add in the LinkSys router, then add other devices to the router, then add in the surge supressors and UPS's, one at a time. BTW - and don't take this wrong way, I'm only trying to help... In various posts, you have used both UBS and USB. I believe you mean UPS as follows: UPS - Uninterruptible Power Supply, essentially your battery backup system. UBS - An investment firm headquartered in Switzerland USB - Universal Serial Bus, the modern day standard for connecting peripherals to a computer. |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"HeyBub" wrote in message m... MaryL wrote: . Sounds like something you can do to keep busy. When you eventually get around to removing or swapping out the dodgy surge suppressors, check back. Maybe we can find something else to try. Look, it's obvious that you enjoy being rude. I simply don't have the technical knowledge to follow through with some of the information that has been given on this group (most, with good intentions, I believe). However, have you not noticed that I said this problem *pre-dates* both of the surge suppressors. So, it began before I had the regular surge suppressor and the backup USB, and the same problem continues with them in place! I apologize for sounding rude - I only meant to be impatient. If you refuse to try the most obvious diagnostic (swapping or removing the surge suppressors), you are, frankly, incapable of accepting help. The only legitimate excuse you can have is lack of sufficient technical knowledge to operate a plug. I admit that is possible. Do you know any 12-year old males? Haven't *you* listened? This all started *before* I had the surge suppressors. It continued through one set of surge suppressors, and these two are *new* -- with the same problem. The SuddenLink tech did not suggest that they were at fault. He was responding to one of my own questions and simply said that the cable company prefers that *no* surge suppressors be used. But he is primarily suspicious of the router. Finally, I have swapped all of the cables on directions from their tech support -- disconnecting from the wall, disconnecting from the surge suppressors, bypassing the router, etc. I was worn out from all the connecting and disconnecting because it is extremely difficult to get to the back of my computer. I even labeled each cord simply because it was so difficult to find the various ends. Nothing worked! MaryL |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"MCSE" wrote in message ... On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:57:59 -0600, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: Look, it's obvious that you enjoy being rude. I simply don't have the technical knowledge to follow through with some of the information that has been given on this group (most, with good intentions, I believe). However, have you not noticed that I said this problem *pre-dates* both of the surge suppressors. So, it began before I had the regular surge suppressor and the backup USB, and the same problem continues with them in place! MaryL Anyone that says the surge suppressor is the problem is a complete idiot who has no knowledge of networks. Replace your dodgy router and be done with the problems. I think that's what I am going to have to try, but that does take me back to my original question - setting up security that I had paid for originally. I know one responder said that's "easy," and I will call LinkSys if the manual doesn't help. The "manual" with my current router was simply a leaflet that showed how to connect it, but there was no information on security. Of course, the router is several years old. Ironically, it is the only component that is not new -- so, the "weak link," I suppose. Thanks, MaryL |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"MCSE" wrote in message ... On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:29:30 -0600, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: I would also post your question to 24hoursupportdesk.help Lots of computer geeks over there. Yes, I have used them in the past. That should probably be my next step. Thanks, MaryL |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"DerbyDad03" wrote in message ... On Nov 17, 2:05 am, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: "Tony Hwang" wrote in message ... MaryL wrote: I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. He solved one problem but not the other. I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. He solved that problem. However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. As I said, they are on a separate UBS. The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. Does anyone have any ideas? I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL Hi, Both you and your tech did not do most simple basic things. Did he measured aseband signal level? Every connector incurs ~2db loss when connection is proper. Is your router properly configured and does it have a lastest firmware loaded? Utilized ping and ipconfig command to see what is going on? Eliminated all the gadget accessroies and tried basic TV or/and Internet hook up? Use common sense, think logic. Replacing this and that is a good method of trouble-shooting. When you replace something you must have a valid reason. Good luck, Unfortunately, I don't have any idea how to do most of what you described. I can tell you that the tech measured signal level (but I don't know what "aseband" is). He measured at each connection point and also went outdoors to check the entry into the house. My computer is only a few months old, and I hired tech support to set everything up, including wireless for the laptop (but the desktop is not wireless). That person went through a number of ipconfig commands. The cable company was able to ping the router. Gadget accessories? Unless I miss your meaning, I don't have any. I have the CPU, monitor, printer, and a small TV. And, of course, there is the router and cable modem. The tech support I hired downloaded all drivers. I'm not even sure what you mean by "basic" TV and/or Internet hook up. I went through a routine -- numerous times -- where SuddenLink had me unhook just about every cable and connect and re-connect components. Finally, they sent someone out as I described in my original message. We did lose Internet access on one occasion while he was here, so he saw it but still did not solve the problem. He did call the home office, and they could ping the router and modem. The technician they sent "suspects" that it is the router even though they could ping it. MaryL- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Gadget accessories? Unless I miss your meaning, I don't have any I believe that Mr. Hwang is referring to the surge supressors, UPS, etc. Calling them "gadgets" might be excessive, but a fairly standard troubleshooting technique is to get the "system" (all components from input to output) down to it's simplest configuration and get it working. If the problem goes away, you can start adding "gadgets" back in to see which one is causing the problem. In your case, you might want to start with just one computer and the cable modem, then add in the LinkSys router, then add other devices to the router, then add in the surge supressors and UPS's, one at a time. BTW - and don't take this wrong way, I'm only trying to help... In various posts, you have used both UBS and USB. I believe you mean UPS as follows: UPS - Uninterruptible Power Supply, essentially your battery backup system. UBS - An investment firm headquartered in Switzerland USB - Universal Serial Bus, the modern day standard for connecting peripherals to a computer. You're right, I did mean UPS. "Starting with one computer" is easy. I have a laptop with networking capabilities, but it is seldom used. So, this all relates to my desktop computer. It also started with my previous computer (replaced just a few months ago) and continues with the current computer. All peripherals or "gadgets" are new and have been replaced since the problem started *except* the router. We did bypass the router as a "test." That did not have an effect. Following instructions by phone, I also disconnected the surge protector and used the wall plug. Again, no effect. And you can't imagine how difficult it is for me to do that because I have to crawl on the floor under a very heavy desk to get to the outlet, and it is difficult to see the back of the CPU. That's not a problem that anyone on a newsgroup can alleviate, of course, but it does mean that I get very tired of doing the same thing over and over again as each person I contact instructs me to go through the same routine -- and the results by then are predictable. That is, we still have not eliminated the problem. Thanks, MaryL |
Connection to cable constantly lost
On Nov 17, 12:34*pm, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER
wrote: "MCSE" wrote in messagenews:p273i4pmvjkavehoa1pp3fc2h2j9bddl27@4ax .com... On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:57:59 -0600, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: Look, it's obvious that you enjoy being rude. *I simply don't have the technical knowledge to follow through with some of the information that has been given on this group (most, with good intentions, I believe). However, have you not noticed that I said this problem *pre-dates* both of the surge suppressors. *So, it began before I had the regular surge suppressor and the backup USB, and the same problem continues with them in place! MaryL Anyone that says the surge suppressor is the problem is a complete idiot who has no knowledge of networks. Replace your dodgy router and be done with the problems. I think that's what I am going to have to try, but that does take me back to my original question - setting up security that I had paid for originally.. I know one responder said that's "easy," and I will call LinkSys if the manual doesn't help. *The "manual" with my current router was simply a leaflet that showed how to connect it, but there was no information on security. *Of course, the router is several years old. *Ironically, it is the only component that is not new -- so, the "weak link," I suppose. Thanks, MaryL- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - I did not see a response to something I said earlier: If, as you stated, you are losing your cable connection also, how could it be your LinkSys router? Your Cable TV does not go through the LinkSys. |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"DerbyDad03" wrote in message ... On Nov 17, 12:34 pm, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: "MCSE" wrote in messagenews:p273i4pmvjkavehoa1pp3fc2h2j9bddl27@4ax .com... On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:57:59 -0600, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: Look, it's obvious that you enjoy being rude. I simply don't have the technical knowledge to follow through with some of the information that has been given on this group (most, with good intentions, I believe). However, have you not noticed that I said this problem *pre-dates* both of the surge suppressors. So, it began before I had the regular surge suppressor and the backup USB, and the same problem continues with them in place! MaryL Anyone that says the surge suppressor is the problem is a complete idiot who has no knowledge of networks. Replace your dodgy router and be done with the problems. I think that's what I am going to have to try, but that does take me back to my original question - setting up security that I had paid for originally. I know one responder said that's "easy," and I will call LinkSys if the manual doesn't help. The "manual" with my current router was simply a leaflet that showed how to connect it, but there was no information on security. Of course, the router is several years old. Ironically, it is the only component that is not new -- so, the "weak link," I suppose. Thanks, MaryL- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - I did not see a response to something I said earlier: If, as you stated, you are losing your cable connection also, how could it be your LinkSys router? Your Cable TV does not go through the LinkSys. Sorry, I did not mean my cable TV. I meant that I lose the Internet and also lose capability to send or receive e-mail. I use Eudora for e-mail, and of course that needs access to the Internet to function -- so I did not describe it correctly. I go directly to Eudora from the desktop, and I didn't think about the fact that it was really "one and the same" when I wrote that statement. The TV continues to function during those periods. MaryL |
Connection to cable constantly lost
On Nov 17, 12:42*pm, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER
wrote: "DerbyDad03" wrote in message ... On Nov 17, 2:05 am, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: "Tony Hwang" wrote in message ... MaryL wrote: I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. He solved one problem but not the other. I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. He solved that problem. However, he was not able to do anything about the other one.. That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. As I said, they are on a separate UBS. The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"DerbyDad03" wrote in message ... On Nov 17, 12:42 pm, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: "DerbyDad03" wrote in message ... On Nov 17, 2:05 am, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: "Tony Hwang" wrote in message ... MaryL wrote: I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. He solved one problem but not the other. I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. He solved that problem. However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. As I said, they are on a separate UBS. The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. Does anyone have any ideas? I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL Hi, Both you and your tech did not do most simple basic things. Did he measured aseband signal level? Every connector incurs ~2db loss when connection is proper. Is your router properly configured and does it have a lastest firmware loaded? Utilized ping and ipconfig command to see what is going on? Eliminated all the gadget accessroies and tried basic TV or/and Internet hook up? Use common sense, think logic. Replacing this and that is a good method of trouble-shooting. When you replace something you must have a valid reason. Good luck, Unfortunately, I don't have any idea how to do most of what you described. I can tell you that the tech measured signal level (but I don't know what "aseband" is). He measured at each connection point and also went outdoors to check the entry into the house. My computer is only a few months old, and I hired tech support to set everything up, including wireless for the laptop (but the desktop is not wireless). That person went through a number of ipconfig commands. The cable company was able to ping the router. Gadget accessories? Unless I miss your meaning, I don't have any. I have the CPU, monitor, printer, and a small TV. And, of course, there is the router and cable modem. The tech support I hired downloaded all drivers. I'm not even sure what you mean by "basic" TV and/or Internet hook up. I went through a routine -- numerous times -- where SuddenLink had me unhook just about every cable and connect and re-connect components. Finally, they sent someone out as I described in my original message. We did lose Internet access on one occasion while he was here, so he saw it but still did not solve the problem. He did call the home office, and they could ping the router and modem. The technician they sent "suspects" that it is the router even though they could ping it. MaryL- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Gadget accessories? Unless I miss your meaning, I don't have any I believe that Mr. Hwang is referring to the surge supressors, UPS, etc. Calling them "gadgets" might be excessive, but a fairly standard troubleshooting technique is to get the "system" (all components from input to output) down to it's simplest configuration and get it working. If the problem goes away, you can start adding "gadgets" back in to see which one is causing the problem. In your case, you might want to start with just one computer and the cable modem, then add in the LinkSys router, then add other devices to the router, then add in the surge supressors and UPS's, one at a time. BTW - and don't take this wrong way, I'm only trying to help... In various posts, you have used both UBS and USB. I believe you mean UPS as follows: UPS - Uninterruptible Power Supply, essentially your battery backup system. UBS - An investment firm headquartered in Switzerland USB - Universal Serial Bus, the modern day standard for connecting peripherals to a computer. You're right, I did mean UPS. "Starting with one computer" is easy. I have a laptop with networking capabilities, but it is seldom used. So, this all relates to my desktop computer. It also started with my previous computer (replaced just a few months ago) and continues with the current computer. All peripherals or "gadgets" are new and have been replaced since the problem started *except* the router. We did bypass the router as a "test." That did not have an effect. Following instructions by phone, I also disconnected the surge protector and used the wall plug. Again, no effect. And you can't imagine how difficult it is for me to do that because I have to crawl on the floor under a very heavy desk to get to the outlet, and it is difficult to see the back of the CPU. That's not a problem that anyone on a newsgroup can alleviate, of course, but it does mean that I get very tired of doing the same thing over and over again as each person I contact instructs me to go through the same routine -- and the results by then are predictable. That is, we still have not eliminated the problem. Thanks, MaryL- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - In an earlier post someone suggested "Replace your dodgy router and be done with the problems." To which you replied: "I think that's what I am going to have to try." Then in this post you said: "We did bypass the router as a test. That did not have an effect." To which I reply: Why would you consider replacing the router if you've proven that it's not the problem? Because it's the only thing I can think of to do and it is the only component that has not been replaced since all of this started (and the reason I posted my original message). Despite the fact that bypassing the router -- and even the SuddenLink cable guy did that when it finally malfunctioned while he was present -- he still says that he suspects the router. I don't know quite how to describe it, but he talked about being able to ping a router and have it work on some occasions but not on others. Actually, bypassing the router -- and also disconnecting *everything* from the wall -- sometimes works and sometimes has no effect at all. Sometimes, it is a matter of minutes before I regain connectivity and sometimes it is hours. I just can't find a pattern. SuddenLink claims that their tests show that the cable connections are working. Incidentally, the only time when I can *almost* predict that I will lose a connection (that is, it happens frequently but not always) is when I send a large e-mail, which I need to do frequently for a newsletter. That will go slowly and then the problem often occurs. It is not simply a timeout because I lose all access. However, even that is not consistent, and I also will sometimes have the same problem simply by surfing the Internet. I'm even beginning to wonder if I need to consider DSL instead of cable. MaryL |
Connection to cable constantly lost
On Nov 17, 1:21*pm, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER
wrote: "DerbyDad03" wrote in message ... On Nov 17, 12:42 pm, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: "DerbyDad03" wrote in message .... On Nov 17, 2:05 am, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: "Tony Hwang" wrote in message ... MaryL wrote: I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. He solved one problem but not the other. I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. He solved that problem. However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. As I said, they are on a separate UBS. The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. Does anyone have any ideas? I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL Hi, Both you and your tech did not do most simple basic things. Did he measured aseband signal level? Every connector incurs ~2db loss when connection is proper. Is your router properly configured and does it have a lastest firmware loaded? Utilized ping and ipconfig command to see what is going on? Eliminated all the gadget accessroies and tried basic TV or/and Internet hook up? Use common sense, think logic. Replacing this and that is a good method of trouble-shooting. When you replace something you must have a valid reason. Good luck, Unfortunately, I don't have any idea how to do most of what you described. I can tell you that the tech measured signal level (but I don't know what "aseband" is). He measured at each connection point and also went outdoors to check the entry into the house. My computer is only a few months old, and I hired tech support to set everything up, including wireless for the laptop (but the desktop is not wireless). That person went through a number of ipconfig commands. The cable company was able to ping the router. Gadget accessories? Unless I miss your meaning, I don't have any. I have the CPU, monitor, printer, and a small TV. And, of course, there is the router and cable modem. The tech support I hired downloaded all drivers. I'm not even sure what you mean by "basic" TV and/or Internet hook up.. I went through a routine -- numerous times -- where SuddenLink had me unhook just about every cable and connect and re-connect components. Finally, they sent someone out as I described in my original message. We did lose Internet access on one occasion while he was here, so he saw it but still did not solve the problem. He did call the home office, and they could ping the router and modem. The technician they sent "suspects" that it is the router even though they could ping it. MaryL- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Gadget accessories? Unless I miss your meaning, I don't have any I believe that Mr. Hwang is referring to the surge supressors, UPS, etc. Calling them "gadgets" might be excessive, but a fairly standard troubleshooting technique is to get the "system" (all components from input to output) down to it's simplest configuration and get it working. If the problem goes away, you can start adding "gadgets" back in to see which one is causing the problem. In your case, you might want to start with just one computer and the cable modem, then add in the LinkSys router, then add other devices to the router, then add in the surge supressors and UPS's, one at a time. BTW - and don't take this wrong way, I'm only trying to help... In various posts, you have used both UBS and USB. I believe you mean UPS as follows: UPS - Uninterruptible Power Supply, essentially your battery backup system. UBS - An investment firm headquartered in Switzerland USB - Universal Serial Bus, the modern day standard for connecting peripherals to a computer. You're right, I did mean UPS. "Starting with one computer" is easy. I have a laptop with networking capabilities, but it is seldom used. So, this all relates to my desktop computer. It also started with my previous computer (replaced just a few months ago) and continues with the current computer. |
Connection to cable constantly lost
MaryL wrote:
"DerbyDad03" wrote in message ... On Nov 17, 2:05 am, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: "Tony Hwang" wrote in message ... MaryL wrote: I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. He solved one problem but not the other. I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. He solved that problem. However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. As I said, they are on a separate UBS. The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. Does anyone have any ideas? I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL Hi, Both you and your tech did not do most simple basic things. Did he measured aseband signal level? Every connector incurs ~2db loss when connection is proper. Is your router properly configured and does it have a lastest firmware loaded? Utilized ping and ipconfig command to see what is going on? Eliminated all the gadget accessroies and tried basic TV or/and Internet hook up? Use common sense, think logic. Replacing this and that is a good method of trouble-shooting. When you replace something you must have a valid reason. Good luck, Unfortunately, I don't have any idea how to do most of what you described. I can tell you that the tech measured signal level (but I don't know what "aseband" is). He measured at each connection point and also went outdoors to check the entry into the house. My computer is only a few months old, and I hired tech support to set everything up, including wireless for the laptop (but the desktop is not wireless). That person went through a number of ipconfig commands. The cable company was able to ping the router. Gadget accessories? Unless I miss your meaning, I don't have any. I have the CPU, monitor, printer, and a small TV. And, of course, there is the router and cable modem. The tech support I hired downloaded all drivers. I'm not even sure what you mean by "basic" TV and/or Internet hook up. I went through a routine -- numerous times -- where SuddenLink had me unhook just about every cable and connect and re-connect components. Finally, they sent someone out as I described in my original message. We did lose Internet access on one occasion while he was here, so he saw it but still did not solve the problem. He did call the home office, and they could ping the router and modem. The technician they sent "suspects" that it is the router even though they could ping it. MaryL- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Gadget accessories? Unless I miss your meaning, I don't have any I believe that Mr. Hwang is referring to the surge supressors, UPS, etc. Calling them "gadgets" might be excessive, but a fairly standard troubleshooting technique is to get the "system" (all components from input to output) down to it's simplest configuration and get it working. If the problem goes away, you can start adding "gadgets" back in to see which one is causing the problem. In your case, you might want to start with just one computer and the cable modem, then add in the LinkSys router, then add other devices to the router, then add in the surge supressors and UPS's, one at a time. BTW - and don't take this wrong way, I'm only trying to help... In various posts, you have used both UBS and USB. I believe you mean UPS as follows: UPS - Uninterruptible Power Supply, essentially your battery backup system. UBS - An investment firm headquartered in Switzerland USB - Universal Serial Bus, the modern day standard for connecting peripherals to a computer. You're right, I did mean UPS. "Starting with one computer" is easy. I have a laptop with networking capabilities, but it is seldom used. So, this all relates to my desktop computer. It also started with my previous computer (replaced just a few months ago) and continues with the current computer. All peripherals or "gadgets" are new and have been replaced since the problem started *except* the router. We did bypass the router as a "test." That did not have an effect. Following instructions by phone, I also disconnected the surge protector and used the wall plug. Again, no effect. And you can't imagine how difficult it is for me to do that because I have to crawl on the floor under a very heavy desk to get to the outlet, and it is difficult to see the back of the CPU. That's not a problem that anyone on a newsgroup can alleviate, of course, but it does mean that I get very tired of doing the same thing over and over again as each person I contact instructs me to go through the same routine -- and the results by then are predictable. That is, we still have not eliminated the problem. Thanks, MaryL What make/model are the computer? What version of Windows? Tried changing out antenna? |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"Norminn" wrote in message ... MaryL wrote: "DerbyDad03" wrote in message ... On Nov 17, 2:05 am, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: "Tony Hwang" wrote in message ... MaryL wrote: I have a whole-house surge suppressor built into my circuit box, and I also have all electronic equipment attached to separate surge suppressor. My CPU and monitor are connected to an APC back-up UBS. I recently had technicians from the cable company (SuddenLink, formerly Cox) at the house twice. He solved one problem but not the other. I was not getting some channels on the TV that I have in the computer room, and the reception on the channels I did receive was terrible. He solved that problem. However, he was not able to do anything about the other one. That is, I frequently (several times a day) lose connection to cable and to the Internet. This happens regularly immediately after I send a fairly large e-mail (using Eudora), but it also happens at other times without any warning and without any real pattern -- I could be surfing the Internet, reading newsgroups, sending mail, etc., and access is suddenly gone. When I check the little connectivity icon in the task bar, it will then show "Local access" only instead of "Local and Internet access." I can usually (but not always) regain connection if I turn off the surge suppressor that is connected to everything *except* the CPU and monitor. As I said, they are on a separate UBS. The CPU, monitor, and Zoom modem are all new. Only the router (LinkSys Wireless-G) is older. This problem has been occurring with increasing frequency for more than a year, so it started while I had my older computer but has continued with the new equipment. The cable company technician changed the splitters "just in case," with no noticeable effect on the system. He suspects that the router is at fault. However, he tested the router and it responded correctly. Moreover, the cable company was able to "ping" it from the home office. Does anyone have any ideas? I can replace the router, of course, but that will involve more expense than just the router because I had a networking rep come out to set up some of the equipment because I wanted to make sure that my laptop was not vulnerable to "drive-by hackers." They supposedly set a type of security that is better than what I had done through Control Panel. So, I really hate to do that unless I can be fairly certain that the router is at fault. Incidentally, I have a lot of experience with several types of software, but I have absolutely no knowledge of hardware and would not even be comfortable with software that involved editing the Registry. One thing the SuddenLink technician said surprised and confused me: He said that they "preferred" that homeowners not use *any type* of surge suppressor. He did not request that I disconnect mine, but I don't understand that statement. Does anyone know why the cable company would take that position. He also said, "They don't do any good anyway." Actually, I had a small surge suppressor that proved its worth a few years ago. My microwave would not work after a major thunderstorm, and I thought it was ruined. It turned out that the surge suppressor had been destroyed, but it had done its job -- the microwave worked perfectly after I discarded that surge suppressor. MaryL Hi, Both you and your tech did not do most simple basic things. Did he measured aseband signal level? Every connector incurs ~2db loss when connection is proper. Is your router properly configured and does it have a lastest firmware loaded? Utilized ping and ipconfig command to see what is going on? Eliminated all the gadget accessroies and tried basic TV or/and Internet hook up? Use common sense, think logic. Replacing this and that is a good method of trouble-shooting. When you replace something you must have a valid reason. Good luck, Unfortunately, I don't have any idea how to do most of what you described. I can tell you that the tech measured signal level (but I don't know what "aseband" is). He measured at each connection point and also went outdoors to check the entry into the house. My computer is only a few months old, and I hired tech support to set everything up, including wireless for the laptop (but the desktop is not wireless). That person went through a number of ipconfig commands. The cable company was able to ping the router. Gadget accessories? Unless I miss your meaning, I don't have any. I have the CPU, monitor, printer, and a small TV. And, of course, there is the router and cable modem. The tech support I hired downloaded all drivers. I'm not even sure what you mean by "basic" TV and/or Internet hook up. I went through a routine -- numerous times -- where SuddenLink had me unhook just about every cable and connect and re-connect components. Finally, they sent someone out as I described in my original message. We did lose Internet access on one occasion while he was here, so he saw it but still did not solve the problem. He did call the home office, and they could ping the router and modem. The technician they sent "suspects" that it is the router even though they could ping it. MaryL- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Gadget accessories? Unless I miss your meaning, I don't have any I believe that Mr. Hwang is referring to the surge supressors, UPS, etc. Calling them "gadgets" might be excessive, but a fairly standard troubleshooting technique is to get the "system" (all components from input to output) down to it's simplest configuration and get it working. If the problem goes away, you can start adding "gadgets" back in to see which one is causing the problem. In your case, you might want to start with just one computer and the cable modem, then add in the LinkSys router, then add other devices to the router, then add in the surge supressors and UPS's, one at a time. BTW - and don't take this wrong way, I'm only trying to help... In various posts, you have used both UBS and USB. I believe you mean UPS as follows: UPS - Uninterruptible Power Supply, essentially your battery backup system. UBS - An investment firm headquartered in Switzerland USB - Universal Serial Bus, the modern day standard for connecting peripherals to a computer. You're right, I did mean UPS. "Starting with one computer" is easy. I have a laptop with networking capabilities, but it is seldom used. So, this all relates to my desktop computer. It also started with my previous computer (replaced just a few months ago) and continues with the current computer. All peripherals or "gadgets" are new and have been replaced since the problem started *except* the router. We did bypass the router as a "test." That did not have an effect. Following instructions by phone, I also disconnected the surge protector and used the wall plug. Again, no effect. And you can't imagine how difficult it is for me to do that because I have to crawl on the floor under a very heavy desk to get to the outlet, and it is difficult to see the back of the CPU. That's not a problem that anyone on a newsgroup can alleviate, of course, but it does mean that I get very tired of doing the same thing over and over again as each person I contact instructs me to go through the same routine -- and the results by then are predictable. That is, we still have not eliminated the problem. Thanks, MaryL What make/model are the computer? What version of Windows? Tried changing out antenna? I am currently using a Dell Inspiron 530 and Vista Home Premium. Vista is full version, not OEM. HP w2408h widescreen color monitor Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 3200 Laser keyboard and mouse combo However, the problem started more than a year ago (and has gotten noticeably worse over time). At that time, I was using a Compaq Presario T8000 and Win XP-Home Edition. Corded Microsoft mouse. I also a HP Pavilion dv6830us notebook computer with Vista Home Premium (OEM). However, this computer is rarely used at home, so it is usually not turned on. It is primarily used for travel. Connection to the Internet (for several years) is by cable. Origially Cox, now SuddenLink. What antenna? MaryL |
Connection to cable constantly lost
Oren wrote:
On Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:58:29 -0800 (PST), wrote: I guess I'm like HehBub, I've just lost my patience. He had a reason; being married, to the meanest women in Texas.!! I NEVER lost my patience with my ex-wife! I was always kind, considerate, and ever so understanding. After she told me I had to sleep eventually. She finally left me. Ran off with a skinny dance instructor with shiny, pointy-toed shoes and a pencil-thin mustache. Last I heard, they were trying to make a go of a Clown College in Beaumont. I, on the other hand, prospered throughout our estrangement. Since women fight with "words" (except for the occasional baseball bat in the dark of a moonless and dreary night), I decided to equip myself with the tools of the wordsmith. Since I mastered the language, it's no longer "(grunt)" or "Yes, dear." It's more along the lines of "I'll give your suggestion all the attention it deserves." (This is after I hook 'em with statements like: "Good lord, woman, you're not beautiful, you're an Audrey Hepburn movie" or "The best thing in life to hold onto is each other" or "I was born with a terrible need to give affection.") I don't think this is the reason I've remained single... |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote in message . .. Mary - for what it's worth - when you respond to google groups postings, you need to type something to make your response differentiated from the posting. It's really hard to figure out what you've posted and what you are reaponding to. I've never figured out why google group postings fail to be properly marked when I respond to them. |
Connection to cable constantly lost
"Bob F" wrote in message ... "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote in message . .. Mary - for what it's worth - when you respond to google groups postings, you need to type something to make your response differentiated from the posting. It's really hard to figure out what you've posted and what you are reaponding to. I've never figured out why google group postings fail to be properly marked when I respond to them. Thanks. Most messages are marked (as yours are here), and I did not understand why a few did not include those markers (usually marked with ). Now I understand: watch for google group postings, and maybe some others. MaryL |
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