One shot deal...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pat Glenn
  • Start date Start date
P

Pat Glenn

I am trying to figure out why my computer will (often) not re-connect to the
internet again, after the connection has been severed once.

I have dial up and I don't like to tie up the phone for hours on end, so I
get online and start browsing. When I find a page where I am likely to be a
while, I will go offline and shut down the connection. When I try to
re-connect later, either I can not make a connection or if it does
re-connect, it's so slow it wasn't worth the effort. The only way I seem to
be able to get a reliable connection is to reboot the system. Any idea where
to start?
 
I would start with your ISP's tech support. Do you have more than one number
to dial? Does the issue occur with other numbers?
 
Pat Glenn said:
I am trying to figure out why my computer will (often) not re-connect to
the
internet again, after the connection has been severed once.

I have dial up and I don't like to tie up the phone for hours on end, so I
get online and start browsing. When I find a page where I am likely to be
a
while, I will go offline and shut down the connection. When I try to
re-connect later, either I can not make a connection or if it does
re-connect, it's so slow it wasn't worth the effort. The only way I seem
to
be able to get a reliable connection is to reboot the system. Any idea
where
to start?
Click to expand...

One of many possibilities -

Is yours a good voice 'phone line to start with i.e. is there much noise on
it ? esp. during local wet weather. When not connected, lift phone receiver
and dial a number to get rid of dial tone and listen for a while with hand
over the mouthpiece to avoid accoustic feedback. Can you hear any "noise"
on the line, ...such as buzzing or "rustling" sounds - indicating damp
connections between you and the other end ! Such noise during modem
"handshaking" whilst connecting can result in your modem, and your ISP's
modem negotiating a very slow connection speed.

If you have your dial-up network connection icon set to display in your
system tray, when connected, hover the mouse on it occasionally, and
depending on whether the "speech bubble" displays actual connection speed,
or the other speed we're not interested in, you might be able to spot when
handshaking settles for a lower than desirable speed.
i.e. Getting a more reliable speed after rebooting could be coincidence.

BT (UK) were very good here, years ago when I was on dial-up, and 3
different engineers replaced the 'phone wire from the house to the pole
three times in two weeks. Eventually, a fourth BT engineer discovered water
travelling from an external joint box, inside the wire, and into the BT
master socket located on the inside of a window frame.

BT's official stance is that they are only obliged to provide a reliable
voice-line, and if yours is okay for that but, not very good using a
data/fax/voice modem, ...you have to remain calm, polite, and really turn on
the charm !

regards, Richard
 
Back
Top