dsl connection trouble

[rdlaing]

I have Verizon DSL at home and sometimes the connection will just stop == I get "cannot find remote server" when I try to access a site.

I reinstalled the modem software and no help. Been on the phone 6 times with Verizon so called tech support and they've been unhelpful.

The only clue I have is that if I disconnect, and then re-connect, it solves the problem for the moment. Then a while later, sometimes in a few hours, sometimes sooner, it will stop working again

Any help would be appreciated!

thanks.

[DilLy]

are you on a firewall? Do you use a dynamic IP address?

If so you will need to make sure that DHCP is enabled in your firewall or the IP will not be able to renew itself. Disconnecting and reconnecting is a wayto get it to renew, so I think that DHCP is disabled somewhere, maybe even in your Network properties.

I'm surprised you even need modem software. I have neverhad a modem that needed software to work right. Maybe it is the casue of the troubles in some way.

[glc]

Dilly: I assume the "software" is Winpoet. PPPoE style ADSL requires something to connect, be it Winpoet, Enternet 300, RASPPPoE, builtin WinXP support, or a router.

rdlaing: Please post all pertinent details of your setup - basic system specs, Ethernet or USB modem, what version Windows, etc. I assume this is a standalone machine and not networked?

[rdlaing]

Hi all, thanks for the quick replies.

DilLy, I have configured as you recommend. Networking is my weakest area of computer knowledge. The Verizon tech person had me changing network settings -- said I have a dynamic addres, but said this could be the problem and had me enter an ip address which she said would "let the modem have an ip address to start with before it went searching for a dynamic one," as if that was some kind of explanation. (Verizon's tech support people really drive me crazy.)

DHCP was not enabled and now it is and I removed the settings she gave me.

I am not on a network:
windows xp
ethernet
linksys nic card
asus a7v333 mobo w/ amd xp2100 cpu 512 corsair ram
wd 80 gig hd with cache

software is "winpoet", and there is some weird Verizon connection interface for connecting/disconnecting. (I can't get it to configure where it will connect automatically using Opera).

I'll see how the new configuration goes and let you know.

thanks!

[glc]

If you have XP, get RID of Winpoet and get Verizon to talk you through a manual configuration of the builtin XP client.

[rdlaing]

ok, so I am still getting the 'can't find remote server' problem intermittently. It goes away when I disconnect and reconnect. So it is not the DHCP enabling setting.

It also looks like it is not my firewall blocking some kind of 'heartbeat' packet from the isp seeing if my computer is still connected, and then when the firewally blocks it disconnecting it because there is no response. (The Zonealarm help manual said this could be a problem). I don't think this is the problem because I did what Zonealarm said to resolve it (lower the firewall protection level and set the most recent intrusion prior to the problem emerging again to trusted) and it didn't help.

I am going to try to surf a while without the firewall and see I still have the problem. If not, then I can assume it is some firewall issue and focus in on that.

I will take your advice glc and manually configure xp and ditch winpoet. loathe to ask verizon for more tech support, though-- they are a real pain.

And I'll report on how it goes.

thanks

[kittyfire]

You on a USB dsl modem or an ethernet. What OS? ::scrolls up to see if she missed it:: XP don't use an external PPPoE client like winpoet, enternet300, etc... XP has it's own built in PPPoE client and that's what you need to use. Which DSL modem?

[rdlaing]

I'm using a verizon supplied westell wirespeed dsl modem and qwest as the provider. Ethernet connection. The address is dynamic, so sayeth Verizon.

Still got the same problem, even surfing without a firewall and using the xp connection (no winpoet).

Talked to verizon 11 times now, never any help.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated, I am at my wits end on this...

[redbaron_snoopy]

This may or may not be relevant but if your modem is USB and your motherboard is non-intel chipset, problems can arise.

Over here, our service providers "recommend" intel chipset based motherboards because the modem that come with the contract is USB. If not, they would usually recommend ethernet.

[TheOldMan]

rdlaing,

1. This link will give you all the instructions needed to configure native PPPoE in XP (http://www.carricksolutions.com/windowsxp.htm#1). No need to call Verizon. I would strongly suggest dumping WinPOET either for this or RASPPPoE. They're much more stable.

2. Verizon provides info on how to configure the TCP/IP protocol which may be of some assistance. Check here. (http://onlinehelp.verizon.net/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBCGI.EXE/,/?St=37,E=0000000000012592174,K=705,Sxi=2,case=3987)

3. If you continue to have problems, turn PPP logging on by opening a command prompt and typing "netsh ras set tracing * enable" without the quotes. This will cause PPPoE to write log entries to a file in a %windir%\tracing directory. There may be helpful information there. Failing that, you could use a sniffer like ethereal to look at the packets/network activity but let's try these steps first.

Hope that helps.
The Old Man

[SBanana]

I'd keep complaining to Verizon. I had the same problem for 2 months, then they finally fixed it saying they had to "slow it down some". Whatever the heck that means, it worked after that, at the guarenteed min speed or better.

[kittyfire]

Getting the XP native pppoe client configured is the first step. Just make sure you don't have the XP firewall enabled. Also, check in... easiest way to get there is inside IE, go to tools, then internet options, then over to the connection tab, then click on lan settings... make sure automatically detect settings is not checked. Okay. Make sure it's set to "Never Dial." As long as you're in there go ahead and delete your temporary internet files and clear the history. Only other thing I've heard of that can cause an issue is if the nic is set to automatic... look in the properties for your network card... Start, settings, control panel, switch to classic view if you haven't already, go to network/dialup connections, look at the properties for the LAN connection you made, highlight the nic and go to properties then go to the advanced tab. Look in the list for duplex then highlight it to see the values. Make the value say half. If it has an option for 10 or 100 half, make it 10. Hope that helps!

[rdlaing]

wow, lots of great ideas. Thanks all for the suggestions.

Another Verizon tech suggested plugging the modem directly into the jack, instead of using a splitter with a regular phone on the same jack. Seems to work fine now, though I have to go into the living room to make a phone call now. Go figure.

I may try some more of your suggestions , as it did seem to work with the splitter several weeks ago, and this is just a workaround.

thanks again to all

[glc]

Maybe you had a bad filter on the phone side of the splitter? Maybe the splitter is shot?