Why does my internet connection keep dropping?

Chuffy

I have recently moved house and now I have problems maintaining a broadband internet connection.
I am using the same ISP, but now a different exchange.
At my previous address, I was on a 2MB connection, but now due to the distance from the exchange, I can only get 512KB.
My connection drops all the time, and I have problems redialling - the dialogue box just hang at 'dialing 0,38'. I have to try between 10 and 15 times before it will connect again.
Any ideas folks?
Should I be harrassing my ISP, BT or checking my own equipment?

Thanks.

Browntoa

go through the normal steps

1) make sure all phones, burglar alarms and sky box have a splitter in the socket.
2) unplug everything else apart from your broadband and plug into the main socket not an extension, swap splitters in the main socket to test all and see if it is still the same
3) if possible unplug all extension telephone sockets as it may be the wiring in the house
4) are you getting a stable connection to the exchange, normally 2 lights up all the time on the modem , none flashing
5) Have Bt or whoever your broadband is with set your speed to 512kb at their end ?? , all connections are now set at 2mb by default regardless of you connection speed, they need to downgrade the setting to 512kb at their end manually...I know several people who had this disconnection problem since the 2meg upgrades

Chuffy

4), got 2 stable lights on modem - not tried others yet as PC is no where near master socket - would need an extension.
Connection drops about every half hour - not exact.
Have PM'd you.

Toxteth_OGrady

Check your exchange status here

You haven't by any chance got an "idle time-out" set for your connection?

:cool:

TOG

Chuffy

My idle time it set to Never.
Checked out the link - what should I be looking for?
The status is set to Green.

Toxteth_OGrady

Look for this:

Exchange capacity information (Help!)
VP Status: Green

If the virtual pipes are green it's not an exchange problem.

Have you checked your ISP's service status on their website?

:cool:

TOG

Chuffy

Status @ exchange is ok, ISP website has no outstanding service issues. Looks like it's at my end then. Will check all conections on master etc...

thanks guys.

Toxteth_OGrady

The other diagnostic you can try is to take your ISP out of the equation altogether.

This can be done by connecting direct to one of the BT engineering test sites. You have to change the ISP settings in your router/modem for this, but as long as you don't forget your original ISP settings to change back it's no hassle.

Info here.

If this connection is stable then it'll point the finger at your ISP.

:cool:

TOG

Froggitt

Ahhhh - the missing broadband status post!!!

Its possible that you have been provisionned 512k on a 2mb line......thats one of the daft tricks Tiscali do......if your too far from the exchange for a 2mb line, it will cause problems even if youre throttled back to 512k.

Toxteth_OGrady

Try a Copper Whoosh Test. The tests looks at the quality of the line across the DSL frequency range and measures how much of the signal reaches your house, the loss should be less than 45db for 1Mbps and 2Mbps products and 59dB for 512kbps products. For users with a wires-only installation this test isnt done, but can be carried out remotely at a later date if the line is unstable.You can run one of these tests yourself:
Dial 17070, select option 3,1 and 2. The system will then check the length of your line and call you back with the result. This test is only a rough indicator and doesnt always work, if you have an ISDN or HH line it wont work at all.

If you can't get it to run, contact your ISP and ask them to run the test from their end.

:cool:

TOG

Chuffy

Froggitt wrote:

Ahhhh - the missing broadband status post!!!

Its possible that you have been provisionned 512k on a 2mb line......thats one of the daft tricks Tiscali do......if your too far from the exchange for a 2mb line, it will cause problems even if youre throttled back to 512k.

Could be - my original package is for 2MB but due to the distance from the exchange, I can only get 512KB. If my ISP has still allocated me 2MB, does this then mean I could be having dropout problems?

My ISP does know it is only a 512KB 'cos they screwed up my order when I moved because of it.