# Solved: Connection Intermittently Drops



## Funspoon (May 8, 2012)

We recently moved and upgraded our internet service from 1.5 Mbps to 4Mbps with CenturyLink. However, since our service was activated last Thursday, the internet connection intermittently drops and will not recover unless I reboot the modem. The period of up-time will last anywhere between fifteen seconds to several hours, usually falling along the five-to-ten minute range. No difference when using ethernet/wifi. The DSL light stays on, and the Internet light remains on as well. When the connection drops however, the Internet light flashes more constantly and rapidly.

I use a non-rented ActionTec GT784WN Modem/router. It worked fine at our old home and is up-to-date.
I've used both dynamic DNS addresses and static (used OpenDNS's).
Changing computers has no effect.
Resetting modem to factory default and reactivating changes nothing.


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

> When the connection drops however, the Internet light flashes more constantly and rapidly.


 that may be trying to log into the ISP - so i suspect the line / isp - what do they say?

but try this

would you post the following tests when its working OK and then repeat ALL the tests when it disconnects and make sure you also tells which tests posted are for what condition

if you are also connected by wireless include the xirrus screen shots

*------------------------------------------------------------------------*
* ipconfig /all *
If you cannot access the internet with this PC, then you will need to paste the results into something like notepad and then copy onto a machine that can access the internet and post results here

We would like to see the results from ipconfig /all post back the results in a reply here

Hold the *Windows* key and press *R*, then type *CMD* then press *Enter* to open a command prompt box (A new dialogue box - black with white font, will appear on screen ):

In the command prompt window that opens, type the following command:

_Note that there is a space before the /ALL, but there is *NOT* a space after the / in the following command._

* ipconfig /all > network.txt & network.txt *

It will export the results to notepad and then automatically open notepad.

Now all you need to do is copy and paste those results to a reply here
to do that:
From the notepad menu - choose *Edit* - *Select all* 
all the text will be highlighted
Next
From the notepad menu - choose *Edit* - *Copy*
Now go back to the forum - reply and then right click in the reply box and *paste* 
*------------------------------------------------------------------------*

*------------------------------------------------------------------------*
* Ping Tests *
If you cannot access the internet with this PC, then you will need to paste the results into something like notepad and then copy onto a machine that can access the internet and post results here
Save the file to a USB flash drive or other removable media. Plug it into the working computer with internet access and copy the file and paste here.

Start> Run {search bar in Vista/W7}> CMD to open a DOS window and type:

Type the following command 
*Ping* {plus the number thats shown against the default gateway shown in above ipconfig /all}
Post back the results
rightclick in the box
select all
enter
control key + C key - to copy
then reply here and 
control key + V to paste

Type the following command
*Ping google.com*
Post back the results
rightclick in the box
select all
enter
control key + C key - to copy
then reply here and 
control key + V to paste

Type the following command
*Ping 209.183.226.152*
post back results
rightclick in the box
select all
enter
control key + C key - to copy
then reply here and 
control key + V to paste


> _*For your information only*
> these tests will check various stages of the connection, the first ping test, *ping default gateway* checks to see if you still have a connection to the router the next two
> *Ping google.com & Ping 209.183.226.152* tests the connection to internet , one by name and one by number which checks that the dns is working_


 
*------------------------------------------------------------------------*

*------------------------------------------------------------------------*
* Run Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector  
Download and install*
If you cannot access the internet with this PC, then you will need to copy the program across to the faulty PC
Save the file to a USB flash drive or other removable media. Plug it into the working computer with internet access and copy the file and paste here.

http://www.xirrus.com/Products/Wi-Fi-Inspector.aspx
Direct link to the program is here http://wpc.475a.edgecastcdn.net/00475A/XirrusWiFiInspectorSetup.1.2.0.exe

_{If the above link does not work heres another link http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_download/fid,77196-order,4/download.html}_

Then run and install the program - on a wireless enabled PC/Laptop
if you get an error - You need NET Framework installed for the WiFi Inspector to function.

Run the program

A user guide is available here http://www.xirrus.com/Products/Wi-Fi-Inspector/xirruswifiinspectorguide1-2-0.aspx

post a screen shot of the program running - if there are a lot of networks showing can you click on *"networks"* top lefthand area - so we can see all the network information, and also post which *network "Adapter Name" (1st column) is yours* on the list

To post a screen shot of the active window, hold the Alt key and press the PrtScn key. Open the Windows PAINT application and Paste the screen shot. You can then use PAINT to trim to suit, and save it as a JPG format file. 
To upload it to the forum, open the full reply window and use the Manage Attachments button to upload it here.
Full details are here http://library.techguy.org/wiki/TSG_Posting_a_Screenshot

Note:
For a reliable (or robust as the Xirrus user guide says) wireless connection you need a signal of about -70 dBm or better.

If you are using the Mac OS then use http://www.istumbler.net/
*------------------------------------------------------------------------*


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## Funspoon (May 8, 2012)

I've called my ISP several times - the first time they sent a technician who came during a moment of up-time, said "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" then left. Didn't check the lines or anything. Every time since, they put me on hold and then hang up on me.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
IPCONFIG /ALL
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Richard-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : 
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : 
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8192CU Wireless LAN 802.11n USB 2.0 Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-08-54-A2-11-77
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::4caa:3ff9:6071:cbfb%14(Preferred) 
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.9(Preferred) 
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 184551508
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-16-F5-8C-67-00-08-54-A2-11-77
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.domain.actdsltmp:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : 
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{30931CC9-3EA3-4118-B501-251AA1F1F814}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : 
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : 
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e76:34b2:3802:47f9:b8f9(Preferred) 
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::34b2:3802:47f9:b8f9%12(Preferred) 
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

---------------------------------------------------------------------

HOME PING
---------------------------------------------------------------------

C:\Users\Richard>ping 192.168.0.1

Pinging 192.168.0.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.0.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 2ms, Maximum = 2ms, Average = 2ms

---------------------------------------------------------------------

GOOGLE PING
---------------------------------------------------------------------

C:\Users\Richard>ping google.com

Pinging google.com [74.125.227.100] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 74.125.227.100: bytes=32 time=76ms TTL=54
Reply from 74.125.227.100: bytes=32 time=71ms TTL=54
Reply from 74.125.227.100: bytes=32 time=74ms TTL=54
Reply from 74.125.227.100: bytes=32 time=77ms TTL=54

Ping statistics for 74.125.227.100:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 71ms, Maximum = 77ms, Average = 74ms

---------------------------------------------------------------------

TSG PING
---------------------------------------------------------------------

C:\Users\Richard>ping 209.183.226.152

Pinging 209.183.226.152 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 209.183.226.152: bytes=32 time=97ms TTL=50
Reply from 209.183.226.152: bytes=32 time=96ms TTL=50
Reply from 209.183.226.152: bytes=32 time=100ms TTL=50
Reply from 209.183.226.152: bytes=32 time=98ms TTL=50

Ping statistics for 209.183.226.152:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 96ms, Maximum = 100ms, Average = 97ms

---------------------------------------------------------------------

IPCONFIG /ALL - no connection
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Richard>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Richard-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8192CU Wireless LAN 802.11n US
B 2.0 Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-08-54-A2-11-77
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::4caa:3ff9:6071:cbfb%14(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.9(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 184551508
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-16-F5-8C-67-00-08-54-A2-11-77

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.domain.actdsltmp:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{30931CC9-3EA3-4118-B501-251AA1F1F814}:

 Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e76:34b2:3802:47f9:b8f9(Pref
erred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::34b2:3802:47f9:b8f9%12(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

---------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME PING - no connection
---------------------------------------------------------------------

C:\Users\Richard>ping 192.168.0.1

Pinging 192.168.0.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time=10ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.0.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 1ms, Maximum = 10ms, Average = 3ms

---------------------------------------------------------------------

GOOGLE PING - no connection
---------------------------------------------------------------------

C:\Users\Richard>ping google.com
Ping request could not find host google.com. Please check the name and try again
.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
TSG PING - no connection
---------------------------------------------------------------------

C:\Users\Richard>ping 209.183.226.152

Pinging 209.183.226.152 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 184.6.71.6: Destination host unreachable.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 184.6.71.6: Destination host unreachable.

Ping statistics for 209.183.226.152:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 2, Lost = 2 (50% loss),

XIRRUS
---------------------------------------------------------------------


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

your using a fixed IP - which is not an issue on your router but will be on others
so you may want to change to DHCP automatic


> intermittently drops and will not recover unless I reboot the modem.


sounds like a line or ISP issue, I say that because the router has been working fine in the past and the change is the ISP _ it may be coincidence that it has failed at the same time

but noticed the wireless signal has dropped

can you connect to the router by cable and see if it disconnects

if you wan to change to auto DHCP

WINDOWS 7
---------
* Setup to Automatically get an IP and DNS (DHCP) - for Windows 7 *
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Change-TCP-IP-settings


> From a TerryNet post
> To configure a dynamic IP address on your Windows Vista or 7 computer:
> 
> 1. Click Start.
> ...


*------------------------------------------------------------------------*


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## Funspoon (May 8, 2012)

No, connecting via ethernet cable doesn't cause any disconnects.


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## Funspoon (May 8, 2012)

I'll see about calling my ISP this evening and getting someone to check the lines. I will post back when I hear something. Thank you for your help so far etaf.


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

> No, connecting via ethernet cable doesn't cause any disconnects.


OK a wireless issue then 
and not the ISP

get close to the router 6ft away and post an xirrus and see if that drops - keep xirrus running and lets see the graph

try 
http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/
i have found this displays wireless signals which are changing strength


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## Funspoon (May 8, 2012)

It's not a wireless issue. The other night I connected directly to the modem so I could adjust some settings and I still suffered from constant disconnects.


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

OK 
I was going by this statement


> No, connecting via ethernet cable doesn't cause any disconnects.


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## Funspoon (May 8, 2012)

I understand, and should have been more specific when I said it didn't cause disconnects. Like I said, I'll contact my ISP this evening and see if they can have someone check the lines - I'll get back when I hear something.


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## Funspoon (May 8, 2012)

I called CenturyLink and they had someone check the lines. My connection is much much more stable now. Thank you for your help, etaf!


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

your welcome :up: thanks for letting us know


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