$@#$! DSL connection!!

[sho.gun]

Alright here's the lowdown. I just got DSL last week and since then I've been gettin random drops in the connection. I can't go anywhere online, my "up" light blinks, but the "down" stays off. I get solid dsl signal though and also the PC light stays on. Sometimes I have to reboot the computer and the dsl modem and that would fix it but other times not. I'm about 8000 ft. from the CO in my town. Spoke to tech support, they said it might be my SMC barricade firewall but after unhooking that it still drops. I read the @home connectivity thread and I'm also running a realtek NIC card, I'm going to try replacing that. Here's what I'm running:

P3 800 Mhz
384 MB Viking pc133 ram
Intel D8-15EEA Mobo
15 gb WD HD
Hercules 3d prophet geforceII MX
SB Live mp3
Plextor 16/10/40a
creative 12x dvd
Realtek NIC
GreatSpeed DSL modem
Win ME

Any suggestions anyone?

[topane]

Is the bridge internal or external? I also assume it's ADSL we're talking about? Are you running a dedicated line for DSL or is it a split line? Sometimes those filters they use aren't very good and cause problems.

[Grimm]

Let me know if replacing the RealTek card fixes the problem, I'm betting it does. They are the worst NICs I ever owned. Right up there with PC-CHIPS motherboards.

[sho.gun]

Yeah, it's ADSL. What are bridges? I'm new to this stuff. I'm running on a split line and got filters in every jack, but I don't think that's the problem cuz even when no one's on the phone it still drops out. I got another NIC coming in the mail, I hope that's the problem cuz this is starting to get to me. Well whadya know, it disconnected me again as I'm writing this. Thanks guys.

[Jeffbx]

Go check out http://www.dslreports.com - they have everything you need to know.

[Memo]

Hey, I work as a DSL Tech Support and I might be able to help. First of all, does it just drop your connection or do you actually lose sync? Sync might be labeled as "DSL" on your modem. Either way, this is probably a line problem. The realtek NIC is probably not going to be it. What happens is that sometimes eventhough you are close to the CO in your area, there is a Bridge Tap or Load Coil on your line. A Bridge Tap is basically some sort of short, or it could be that they "Tap" your current line to send power to another neighboorhood. If thats the problem, good luck, the phone company isn't going to pay thousands of dollars to fix it. If you live in an older nieghborhood, there might be a Load Coild, basically, they were put in way back in the day to strengthen the voice signals. Now, I dont think this is what is going on. Another thing to check is that if you have a Home Security System, check with the company if it uses the phone lines. If it does, it is going to cause interference with the DSL modem because they try to work on similar frequencies. Now, what I would advise you to do is call your tech support and explain the problem, they SHOULD call up the provisioning office. I doubt there is a problem with your provisiioning in the routers, but they should just run a check and try to do an ping from their routers to your modem and maybe rebuild you in the router. This takes only a few minutes and if everythign is fine. Ask them if you can open up a trouble ticket with maintenance. Maintenance actually comes out and checks your lines to make sure there aren't any disturbers or that it is not a home-wiring problem. Hope that helps and I hope your DSL Provider has as good techs as me lol.

[Krayzie]

heh since this topic is about dsl i was wondering if anyone could tell me why whenever i'm playing a game and someone calls, picks up the phone, or hangs up the phone, my game either
a) lags to hell
or
b) drops due to time out
The internet connection itself doesnt time out just the connection for the game. I've been told by my friends that its a filtering problem but when I called pacbell they transfered my call to the company handles the dsl which wanted $150 to send a tech to come out and fix the damn thing since I've had my dsl for over a year. i think i'm going to call again and see if they'll come out for free because i'm not paying $150 for them to fix something that they didn't install properly.

[sho.gun]

Didn't you get those little boxy thingies that you plug in every phone jack in the house? Those are supposed to filter the signals so the phone wont interfere with your dsl connection. If you didn't get them, ask your dsl provider, or whoever sent you the modem for it. If they refuse to give them to you, they go for about $7-$8 @ Best Buy.

As for my problem, when I lose connection my sync light stays on. My TX (up) light would blink and blink and blink, but my RX(down) light would stay off. Sometimes when I reset the modem, my SMC Barricade, and my computer, then it would be back to normal. But I'm happy to say that lately it hasn't been that bad, maybe drop once or twice a day for a couple minutes. I can live with that I guess, although it WASN'T supposed to happen. I hate getting disconnects on Starcraft. Yeah, I replaced the realtek card with a Hawking one. Didn't know if it was good but I ordered it before I posted my thread. Well lo and behold Mr. Hawking NIC card came to my house equipped with a Realtek chip. I switched them anyway, I guess it doesn't help cuz I still lose connection. Well after all this, thanks guys for the replies.

[Grimm]

I didn't repeat my brand recomendations because you said that you had read the @home conectivity thread.
Get a real NIC. 3Com, IBM, Intel, Linksys, Netgear, and SMC all have good cards. I would reccomend two tin cans and a string as communication equipment before recomending any Hawking product. The RealTek chips have a bug that prevents them from working properly. The best use for that card is to scrape paint, although I understand that they don't even do that well.

[billxp]

Originally posted by evilcyclops
The best use for that card is to scrape paint, although I understand that they don't even do that well.

ROFLMAO Your killing me with that one

[brainsmile]

funny man

[Memo]

Hey man, if PacBell told you it would cost you $150 to send out the tech, they're ****ed in the head. I work for SBC DSL, I am one of the techs you call when you have problems (damn you), since we serve the PacBell region. We have a tool that will let us actually check the noise on the line and the attenuation (us 1st tier techs do), the tech should check that and if there IS a problem with the actual line, the tech should call the maitenance office to open up a TROUBLE TICKET and have them send out a tech FOR FREE to check the actual wiring. Of course, make sure you do have the filters install into all the phone jacks in your house, except the one of course where DSL is on, since it filters out DSL tones. If possible , move the modem to the phone jack closest to the NID ( the grey box on the outside of the house where the phone line actually enteres the house, usually on back of garage or something) and see if you have a problem still. If you do, it is most likely an inside wiring problem if the house is old. All I can say is put the filters on and then call up the tech support and tell them to get maintenance down there pronto

[OC]

I had a similar problem with my Verizon DSL that tech support was unable to resolve. I was given an "isolator" to plug my phone into, supposedly to protect the phone from spikes and such. Whatever. I removed the isolator and haven't had a problem since - my phone and DSL has worked fine for a year now.

-OC