Finding site

[redvette]

Hi Gang

I got rid of my yahoo connection managers and all that, and I stay connected most of the time. But I can be on most of the day, and some times when I go to send an e-mail or do a search after the computer has set not being used just on, it stalls. I usually run IE as my start page, and when I see this happening, I know I have been dropped. So I close that out and click on the big E again and down in the bottom of the page when trying to connect, I get this trying to find the Yahoo site. I try this several times and some times it connects and then most of the time I have to reset/boot the router, the modem. Then it usually gets going.

Question is how can this happen all the time, it happens some time when I first turn it on too. I am connected through a router. Is this me, the router, or Yahoo that is doing this.? Once the site is locked into the router, I thought that was it, unless it gets changed by me or Yahoo. I am on DSL too.

Thanks and take care..........Gunny

[Redo40]

Go to the Device Manager and your network card properties/ power management and be sure "Allow the computer to turn this device off to save power" is not checked.

[redvette]

Hi Redo40

I did check on what you said to do and it was checked, so I unchecked it, now we will see what happens. Do you have any idea of what time they are talking about, when they say will shut it down to save power. I mean like if there is no activity say after 15/20/30/40 minutes then it will turn it off.?

Thanks........Gunny

[Redo40]

I don't recall ever knowing a time frame for this. Hope it works for you, let us know.

[redvette]

Hi Redo40

Well back to the drawing boards, it did it again. I rebooted the router, no change, I rebooted the modem, no change, I rebooted the computer, and I was able to connect. Until I did that it just said down in the left hand corner, "finding site Yahoo SBC.com. I checked the connection by going to IE and the Yahoo start page, neither would open. The computer had not been used for about an hour. But I have had this happen during using it too. I would click on some thing and it would just sit there, so right away I knew I had been dropped, and started the procedure to get it to connect again.

Any suggestions, ideas, etc. This is a well maintained computer, all temp files and stuff like that is kept cleaned out, 2 HD's, lots of memory, etc. No apparent reason for this to keep happening all the time. I might go 3 or 4 days and stay connected all that time, but then I might be dropped several times in one day, there is no rhyme or reason for this that I can see. Should I be looking more so in the direction of Yahoo.? I have tried several different modems, that does not seem to change it. I have a good router, and a Westell modem. I was using Yahoo's modem and it was happening all the time, and some one suggested it was my modem so I bought a new one, still happened, no change. I have CAT5 wire run to just the computer having the problem, nothing else on the line. Did before and after installing the CAT5 wire, no change.

Thanks and take care..............Gunny

[glc]

I'd try a firmware update and hard reset on the router. You will have to reconfigure the router after doing this.

[redvette]

Hi GLC

So you are saying you think it is the fault of the router dropping the address all the time. When I first replaced the modem, it did stay connected a little better, after dropping the Yahoo manager and all. But as time goes by it does seem like it is getting more and more often that this happens. If it did it like once a week or some thing like that, no problem but when it get like a daily thing, then I wonder what is going on.

And probably like you, is it really that big a deal, no, but it is doing something that it should not be doing. So some thing needs fixing. And I am really curious as to what is causing this. As I look at it, it could be the computer, router, modem, Yahoo. So where do you start.? I guess you are saying start with the router.

Thanks and take care.............Gunny

[Jomama]

Is this Dial up or DSL?

[Redo40]

Gunny,
You are going to have to take it one step at a time to figure this out. Can you take the router out of the setup for a day or two and see what happens?

[redvette]

Jomama

I am on DSL.

Redo40

Kind of hard to take the router out of the picture, my wifes computer is on it too.

I just went in to check on what GLC referred to on the router, I have the latest firmware on the router right now, according to the info at their site. I wonder if I still should do the hard boot to it, If I remember to do a hard boot you are supposed to hold in on the reset for 10/15 seconds.?

It seems some of the simplest problems can take the most time and effort. And dealing with so many possibilities, does not make it any easier.

Thanks and take care...........Gunny

[Redo40]

Then I suggest you try the hard reset and reconfiguring your router. If this doesn't help tho, you will need to take the router out of the setup to see if its the problem or not. Inconvient I know. I am assuming that your wife's connection is lost also, is this so?

[redvette]

Hi Redo40

Yes she has the connection problem when ever I do. She is connected wireless to the router and I am wired to it. Is the way I described, they way to do a hard boot to the router.? You say reconfigure the router, do you mean the password and all will be gone after the reboot.?

Thanks and take care...........Gunny

P.S. I just remembered this happened a lot before I had the router, and was told that maybe a router would help the situation. It did seem to have it not happen quite so often, after I installed the router. Now does the make it more confusing.?

[Redo40]

This is how I do a hard reset: you have to push the reset button, unplug the power cable after 15 secs keeping the reset button pressed all the time, plug the power cable back and hold the reset button for 15 more secs.

Yes, a hard reset puts the router back to default, you would have to set it up again.

Your p.s. tells me that the router isn't the problem, it's auto connect probably made the problem lessen some. I would lean towards the modem or line problem s. Do you have filters on all the phone?

[redvette]

Hi Redo40

I have a straight cat 5 line run from the box to the computer, and I have had 3 or 4 different modems, and they all seem to do the same thing, with the connection. Different modems don't change the connection problem. I have all filters in place too. have had the filters installed ever since I went DSL. Tried a filter at the box, instead of filters on each line, did not change any thing either.

Take care and Thanks........Gunny

[glc]

Watch the modem carefully - does it ever lose sync (DSL light starts blinking)?

[redvette]

GLC

No I have never noticed it blinking. What does this tell you.? If it was the modem doing the dropping, then the DSL/Network light would or should be blinking, is that what you are saying.?

Thanks and take care...........Gunny

[glc]

No, if the modem drops sync, the network light will not be affected. On a Speedstream, I'm referring to the DSL light, on a Westell its the Ready light. If it starts blinking, the modem has lost sync with the DSL signal.

[redvette]

GLC

You are right. My mistake I meant to say the ready light. Same applies to what I said. The ready light does not blink that I have noticed. When I reboot the modem, then naturally it does, but otherwise no. Every time I look at it, it seems to be rock solid.

Thanks and take care...........Gunny

[glc]

Next time whatever it is drops, try to log into the router - and if you can, go to the wan status page. If it doesn't say "connected" there's an issue. If it says "connecting" let it try to do its thing. If it says "disconnected" hit the Connect button. Let me know what's going on.

[redvette]

GLC

Ok will do, it has been on its good behavior yesterday and today so far. It must know I am watching it, or it feels something bad is going to happen if it drops. ha ha

Thanks and take care..........Gunny

[redvette]

Hi Gang

Well nothing to report so far, it has been on its good behavior. It has been working and connecting just perfectly, and I have not been dropped one time. Asking questions about it must have scared it into working properly. But it has done this before, so I don't think I am out of the woods yet.

One thing that will interest GLC. He told me a long time ago about getting rid of all my Yahoo connection managers, which I thought I did. I have this register cleaner that I just started using the other day. And guess what I found in there, a Yahoo connection manager. So naturally I got rid of it.

Now question is, is this why it is working good, or is it just on its good behavior.? I did it right around the time I started posting here about this problem. So is it just scared, or removing that connection manager thing fixed it.

I am still going to watch what GLC suggested though, and if it does drop on me I will get into the router and check the connection.

Thanks and take care............Gunny

[glc]

It's very possible that may have been causing it - didn't I tell you that the yellow CD was EVIL?

[redvette]

GLC

You did you did indeed. Little did I realize it was that bad. And all wrapped up in a nice yellow disc, thats a shame. You would think that as big as Yahoo is they would have the skill to put out some thing decent that worked. Does you cannot judge a book by its cover pertain here.? I have had 2 years of off and on frustration over this.

Hope I am not speaking too quickly here. Putting the horse ahead of the cart so to say.

Well here is hoping this takes care of it, I thank all of you for your time and effort. The PCmech forum is still the greatest site going. I know you all must be tired of hearing that but I am sorry I had to say it again.

GLC...... I threw the disc away, even being as close as 2 ft was still too close, anything that evil has to burn in hell. ha ha ha ha....

Thanks and take care.................Gunny

[glc]

You think Yahoo is big? What about AOL? Talk about nasty software!

[redvette]

Hi GLC

I had AOL for about one year, when I got my first computer back in 1996. That was before I knew better. I would not have AOL if it was the last provider in town. They have been cheating people all these years. And now asking the same price for their DSL as their dial up that is ridiculous. The king pins must still be thinking they are the only ball game in town. Some one should inform them that they are loosing their customers, and it is about time they change their approach. They are living in a dream world.

Speaking of king pins, GLC you with over 3,000 posts, you must be a king pin at PCmech. ha ha ha ha I think we ought to have a poll on here, on what is good and bad, software, providers, etc. Sorry if I stepped on any ones providers here, The one I am with is not exactly good either. But one good thing we can count on is PCmech is there to help us back on the narrow path, to happy computing........

Thanks and take care............Gunny

[redvette]

Hi Gang

Well I spoke too soon, this morning when I got up I turned on the computer and could not connect. I did as GLC said, I got into the router and sure enough it said disconnected, so I clicked on the connect and it connected right up, no hesitation. So I hope this tells you something, as to what is going on. I knew it was too good to be true. Sorry gang I was hoping it was fixed too. I know you have a lot of people on here with problems. A lot of them more serious then my problem.

I was trying to think what happens to make the router disconnect, would it be the phone line, connections, etc.?

Thanks..........Gunny

[Redo40]

Have you checked the router configuration to be sure that "Keep connection alive" or something similar is checked? Also, this morning before going into the router, did you notice the lights on the modem?
"

[redvette]

Hi

Yes I did, the keep the connection alive is checked all right. And the lights on the modem were on steady, the power, ready, and the link, and the activity light was not doing any thing either, to the best of my recollection.

Does the fact that the connection said disconnected in the router, when I checked when the connection was dropped yesterday morning. tell you anything.? I guess there is no clear cut reason for this.

I will double check on what is checked and not checked in the router, but I think it is set right, and I have not changed anything.

Thanks and take care...........Gunny

[Panama Red]

Hey gunny. Way back in the PS: of post #12 you said this issue had occured prior to the router installation too but adding the router seemed to decrease the number of times you are disconnected. That sure makes it sound like a DSL provider, dsl modem, or phone line problem to me. Have you contacted your provider yet to have them check the line?

[redvette]

Hi Panama Red

Yes as a metter of fact I have contacted them several times about this same problem. That was along time ago, before I first asked PCmech for help, and before I deleted all the Yahoo connection managers. The problem with contacting them now is they will not be able to help you as soon as you are running through a router. If I was just running through their modem with no router they would work with you.

After going through several different router/modem combinations, and getting rid of the Yahoo connection managers, it is working better, a lot better, but just like the other morning I do get dropped still. Maybe I am expecting a perfect thing here, more then should be expected, but when I talk with some of my friends, that have the same and different providers, all have DSL, they dont know what being dropped is. And getting dropped enough times, gets frustrating, and it happens at the best times, like when sending a long e-mail.

So Maybe I am picking the fly ---- out of the pepper here. Am I.? By the posts here I don't think so. If I got dropped once a month no big deal, that is acceptable, but as often as I am, not acceptable. And naturally my wife cannot connect either when I am having this problem. She is connected through the router wireless.

Thanks and take care............Gunny