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Intermittent Connection Trouble.

OK, this may take quite a bit of explaining, but here goes.

Firstly, let me say that the Router maker (Netgear) has no suggestions to make except to re-enter my username, password etc... useless. The ISP (ADSL4LESS) support is in India and they seem willing to help but I do not seem to be able to get beyond the "BT have tested/adjusted the line and now there are no problems" angle.

The problem is that my Netgear router goes through periods where the status lights and the router control panel show it is connected, but no webpages load and no email downloads. Web servers can be looked up (IP look up) and they can be pinged. But no webpages load. The browser times out and says "server cannot be found".

My Netgear router was 15 months old and I went to buy a new one because an old USB ADSL modem has no problems at all and is rock solid. However, both my "old" router and new router do the same thing. By trial and error I have found that re-entering the password in the router conrol panel and clicking "apply" often restores the web page downloading to normal. However, I have to reboot the router before I can bring up the router control panel in the browser by entering its IP address.

Sometimes this situation persists every 10 minutes for a while and then I may go a day or two with no problems.

So, I now have two Netgear routers that act the same way and a USB ADSL modem that will connect solidly. Unfortunately, I run a small business of 5 PC's connected through the router, so using the USB device is not an option.

Please help!

Thanks.
 
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When you are having problems, can you still access webpages using their IP address (eg http://82.165.35.123/ )?

If so, I would try manually entering alternate DNS servers on the router and if that doesn't work configure the DNS servers on the PC (TCP/IP for the network adaptor).
 
Thank you Mel, I have primary and secondary DNS servers specified in the Router control panel. I also have these same DNS servers specified in the TCP/IP properties of the Win XP Network connection, ADSL4LESS told me to put those there. It made no difference whether the DNS servers were specified in TCP/IP properties or not. It also makes no difference whether DNS servers are specified in the Router Control Panel (default is auto detect DNS servers).

The next time I have a problem connecting to websites I'll try connecting via their IP address in the browser. Pinging an IP address works OK at all times. I'll feed back what happens.

Thanks.
 
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However, I have to reboot the router before I can bring up the router control panel in the browser by entering its IP address.

Hmm, is the router partially locking up, I've had that happen on a Tiscali wholesale provided datastream connection, the ISP dropped idle connections and it sometimes partially crashed the router including the router's webserver (had to be turned off to get it to work again), however this was an el'cheapo router and not a Netgear. I 'fixed' it by setting up an account with http://www.l8nc.com/ to ping the router once a minute to keep the connection always active.
 
Hmm, is the router partially locking up
On the face of it you would be right. However, rarely is the connection idle, we usually have at least 3 kids visiting and on Runescape!

Also, both the different Netgear routers display the same symptoms and it is random. The USB ADSL Modem never needs restarting and never loses its ability to load pages.

I will post more info when I have it. So far since I posted first time, it has been OK! Thanks.

Oh, one last thing, we have a static IP address from ADSL4LESS if that matters.
 
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Not technical me so I can't offer any direct help. However, I had a query about my own Netgear kit recently. An email to Netgear support actually got an answer in hours. So that might be worth a try.

Support is here
 
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Not technical me so I can't offer any direct help. However, I had a query about my own Netgear kit recently. An email to Netgear support actually got an answer in hours. So that might be worth a try.

Support is here
Hi, many thanks. Netgear have nothing to add so far. They just give me instructions how to install the Router again. Frankly hopeless, they reply without properly reading your Emails. After the New Year I might ring them and see if I can actually get to speak to someone.
 
The daft answer is - have you checked the cable between your telephone socket and router? I was on the point of returning a week-old DLink when someone suggested I try a different cable.
 
The daft answer is - have you checked the cable between your telephone socket and router? I was on the point of returning a week-old DLink when someone suggested I try a different cable.
Yes, I've made sure to use the same cable on all the devices, 2 routers and 1 ADSL Modem. Good point though. Thanks.
 
Could you tell us what IP address you are using for the DNS servers?

I had something like the same problem....I fixed mine by using a totally different set of DNS servers...

Maybe a different (Non ISP) set may help you?

I use 4.2.2.2 and 4.2.2.3
Try using those and see if you still get your problems.....
 
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Could you tell us what IP address you are using for the DNS servers?

I had something like the same problem....I fixed mine by using a totally different set of DNS servers...

Maybe a different (Non ISP) set may help you?

I use 4.2.2.2 and 4.2.2.3
Try using those and see if you still get your problems.....
Many thanks, I was completely unaware that you could actually do that. I'm using these settings given by the ISP.

"Primary DNS"=217.72.162.2
"Secondary DNS"=217.72.163.3

Thanks.
 
When you are having problems, can you still access webpages using their IP address?
This morning, I could ping servers nut not load pages from thrm. Rebooted the router, re-entered password and away we go. Wierd eh?

As a last resort, next week I'm migrating from ADSL4LESS to VISPA. This is the only way I will be able to determine if it is an ISP or a BT problem I think. Many thanks.
 
In that case you *are* having the same problem as I did.....

Change the DNS server and it will clear up....

I was told by the guy at D-Link (The maker of my then router) that sometimes DNS servers hiccup and send out duff info....Not sure if thats actually true...
But when I used a heavier duty (Is that possible?!) DNS server it all changed....
 
Trikky and all, I will change my DNS settings later then. I will report how it works out!

All the best for a great New Year, you've all been very, very helpful! Thank you.
 
In that case you *are* having the same problem as I did.....

Change the DNS server and it will clear up....

I was told by the guy at D-Link (The maker of my then router) that sometimes DNS servers hiccup and send out duff info....Not sure if thats actually true...
But when I used a heavier duty (Is that possible?!) DNS server it all changed....

The problem with D-Links isnt that DNS servers mess up if u know how DNS works it send the reply 3 times, it is the D-Link routers that dont pass on the DNS info to the computers connected to it.
 
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Trikky and all, I will change my DNS settings later then. I will report how it works out!
No difference I'm afraid. Exact same symptoms after 10 minutes with the new DNS settings. Had to reboot the router, reapply the password and it woks again until the next time. I'm getting paranoid about this, but it always seems worse in the mornings. Yes, OK, I'm paranoid. But I'm migrating to VISPA next week and we'll see where we go from there. I'm still convinced it is BT not the ISP who is at fault here. Thanks.
 
I can almost 100% garentee u that its not a BT fault, it seems to me more a problem with the router or the ISP's DNS servers.
 
I can almost 100% garentee u that its not a BT fault, it seems to me more a problem with the router or the ISP's DNS servers.
But two different routers (one brand new and one 15 months old) behave the same way. Therefore it can't be a router problem? I'm with you on it maybe being an ISP DNS server problem. However, we had the exact same trouble 12 months ago and it took a BT engineer visiting the house to fix it. Unfortunately, I don't know what he did as I wasn't in when he did his fix. Unfortunately, ADSL4LESS have to pay BT Wholesale Ltd to turn out an engineer and they do not like doing it. Swapping to VISPA next week will throw more light on the issue I think. Thanks.
 
. Unfortunately, ADSL4LESS have to pay BT Wholesale Ltd to turn out an engineer and they do not like doing it.

Not sure why they have told you this what actually happens if the fault is between the BT main box in your house and the exchange then BT engineer fixes this for no charge. If the fault is End Use equipment anything after the BT main socket in your home there is a charge of £70. This is one reason all ISPs try to get customers to recheck their wiring, filters and other items that might cause interferance to ADSL.
 
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