The Conservative Cave
The Help Desk => Computer Related Discussions & Questions => Topic started by: franksolich on August 18, 2008, 04:20:57 PM
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There's something that's been happening a lot lately, and I'm now wondering if the problem might be with this computer.
I use wireless internet service; it's the only thing available where I live, because of distances, and I am on the very uttermost fringe, edge, of their service area.
Once in a while, the internet cuts off; the page stays up and all that, but one can't go anywhere.
This usually lasts for 5 or 10 seconds, and then things are off and running again.
Originally, I used to think there was something wrong with this computer, until I started checking Outlook Express for e-mails when the internet stopped. Outlook Express did not go anywhere either, at the same time.
But then on the lower left-hand of the screen in Outlook Express indicated it was "receiving mail" or "no new messages," I popped back to the internet, and the internet was working too.
So I figured it had to be the source of the service, not this computer.
And there does seem to be a co-relation between the weather in southern Minnesota, and in western Utah, and the service here. Those are where the internet service provider originates, and I assume since it's wireless, it is affected by climatic and atmospheric conditions.
Also, such 5- or 10-second outages seem to occur between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. central time, every day. It happens at other times too, but only negligibly. Nearly all the time it happens only then.
I'm 99% confident it's the internet service provider, and not this computer, but would like to know--is there something I should check on this computer, to be sure?
I suppose I could go to the big city and talk with the people there. The problem is, while they're very nice people and all that, they're difficult to "read," and I've had rather too much of that Ordeal lately.
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If it's predictable and happens on a regular basis, it may be your ISP. My connection slows down when all the little booger-eaters get home from school and get online. I have had my cable internet service go out during high-TV-use periods (the Super Bowl).
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Run a virus scan. Something like Spybot S&D.
ZLOB.DNSchanger is making the rounds again. It will lock your browser temporarily.
Unfortunately it is also a bitch to get rid off.
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If it's predictable and happens on a regular basis, it may be your ISP. My connection slows down when all the little booger-eaters get home from school and get online. I have had my cable internet service go out during high-TV-use periods (the Super Bowl).
ROFL! Booger eaters! We have them here too. Little snotty-nosed crumb crushers clog up my interwebs.
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If it's predictable and happens on a regular basis, it may be your ISP. My connection slows down when all the little booger-eaters get home from school and get online. I have had my cable internet service go out during high-TV-use periods (the Super Bowl).
ROFL! Booger eaters! We have them here too. Little snotty-nosed crumb crushers clog up my interwebs.
:rotf:
But yeah, the virus or spyware thing is entirely possible. I'm not the best at sorting out ISP issues... there are other people here a lot better at it than I am.
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TCP/IP and Networking Tools http://commandwindows.com/tcpiputil.htm (http://commandwindows.com/tcpiputil.htm)
Windows XP has a whole array of helpful command line tools for configuring and testing Internet and LAN connections. On this page is a discussion of some of the networking tools that can be useful to an average PC user.
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http://pcpitstop.com/pcpitstop/default.asp is a good place to use. They run a series of tests on your computer and internet connection.
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http://pcpitstop.com/pcpitstop/default.asp is a good place to use. They run a series of tests on your computer and internet connection.
I like their tests and all but the software they try to pawn off on you is BS. Can get better software and for free at many other places.
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Yeah, I stay away from the software they peddle, but I do like the indepth scans that they run. Another good program to find what's running on a computer is Belarc Advisor. http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
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If it's predictable and happens on a regular basis, it may be your ISP. My connection slows down when all the little booger-eaters get home from school and get online. I have had my cable internet service go out during high-TV-use periods (the Super Bowl).
Video doesn't affect data........ they are on way different frequencies. That said, it COULD be that those watching the Superbowl are surfing the net at the same time (or their little rug rats are). There ARE several other things that could be affecting the data stream bandwidth, though, especially on the return path.
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Frank..Is your wireless satellite? If so, the weather will affect it..I have a choice here(DSL(which sux)or satellite wireless(which sux more))
I'd keep a record of the outages, for a couple of weeks and see if they correspond to the weather...
When I was workin the Help-desk, most of our stores were on satellite connections...outages due to weather was a nightly occurrence.
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Frank..Is your wireless satellite? If so, the weather will affect it..I have a choice here(DSL(which sux)or satellite wireless(which sux more))
I'd keep a record of the outages, for a couple of weeks and see if they correspond to the weather...
When I was workin the Help-desk, most of our stores were on satellite connections...outages due to weather was a nightly occurrence.
Now, remember, Ree, dear, it might not be the weather in your specific area.
The weather in southern Minnesota and western Utah affects service here in the Sandhills.
One time after I got this internet service provider, there was some sort of problem, and all customers were sent a message attributing it to something up there in Minnesota. So after that, I started watching the weather in southern Minnesota, and noticed a co-relation between outages here, and tumultuous weather up there.
Every time.
I tried this with other areas of the country, and it took a long time, but there is a co-relation between outages here, and tumultuous weather in western Utah.
Every time.
The computer guys in the big city say we're served out of something in western Utah, too, confirming my suspicions. They told me the what, how, and why, but it got too technical for me to absorb.
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Frank, you MIGHT try this little "tweak". http://cable-dsl.navasgroup.com/
Select the one for your version of Windows.
What service are you using?? Sunspots and solar flares will affect ANY radio frequency transmissions, especially satellite. We've had a tough couple of years with solar flares and it's even been alleged that they may be the primary cause of some of our "global warming".