Virgin media problem

[SharpShooter]

I have problem with my virgin media internet. It works fine on my laptop but only works for a small amount of time on my computer. Some sites it wont let me access at all. The only way to get it working again is to turn off the computer and the modem and plug them in waiting 30 seconds each. Ive spoken to Virgin a number of times and they say everythings fine their end, best they could come up with is that it was something wrong with my internet explorer but thats rubbish.

So I thought id post my problem on here before trying to ring their £1.50 a min help line for computer problems.
Thanks

[rjfvillarosa]

Which modem did they send you and are you using a seperate router?
Is this problem new or has it always been there?

[SharpShooter]

They sent me a Virgin media modem but I cant really find a name for it just model numbers: NTL 250. its a cable modem. Im not using any other router and the problem has always been like this.

[perkster]

are you connecting through ethernet or USB?

have you tried turning it off for longer period before turning it back on, sometimes takes longer for it to fully reset the connection.

have you tried to repair the connection through network places?

[SharpShooter]

Ethernet connection and as ive said if i plug it straight in the laptop its fine but then into the computer its not. Which is why I dont suspect theres anything wrong with the modem.

And yes ive tried fixing the connection.

[mojo]

Is this a cable connection or DSL? In order to use multiple computers, you need a router. If it's a cable connection as I suspect, it remembers the MAC address of the last device plugged in and will only allow a new device if you power-cycle the modem as you've been doing.

[kissfan]

Hi Sharpshooter,

Mojo is correct, the only way to keep your connection available to both PC and Lappy is to install a router.

That way the router registers it's MAC on virgins network, and then supplies the PC and Laptop with a connection regardless of the MAC. This is true for all cable networks.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/35433 is a good router, but if you also want Wireless for your Laptop then http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135087 is a great router and a price that is hard to match. I can recommend the Zyxel, as I have a number of clients using them, both the ADSL and Cable DSL models.

Hope that helps.

Kissfan

[SharpShooter]

I dont think thats it. Its a cable connection and I havnt been moving it back and forward between the laptop and computer causing this problem. Ive had it plugged into the computer only for a few months now and the connection always seems to go after a few mins. Ive only recently realised that if I plug it into this laptop theres no problem. I do have a router but that doesnt even recognize the connection when run through the computer.

[SharpShooter]

Just got an idea. Ive run the router through my laptop and when I access the internet through the wirless card on my computer it works. Dunno what the problem with it is, maybe something wrong with the network card on my motherboard.