Internet Problem Making Me Want to Smash Computer into Pieces

RainMaker · 10-05-2011, 09:31 PM

I'm sort of on my last gasp here trying to figure out an internet problem I'm having. Basically, my desktop will drop connection for these short 10-30 second bursts and then go back to normal. This can happen every hour or it can happen every couple minutes. It seems almost random. But it does seem to have good and bad times.

The desktop is newer and seemed to work just fine when I bought it. Here is what I know.

- This problem happens whether it's wireless or plugged in directly (thus I think ruling out the wireless network card)
- This problem happens when it's plugged into the router and plugged directly into the cable modem (thus I think ruling out the router)
- No other devices run into this problem. That includes a laptop that works wirelessly and plugged in. An XBox 360 setup wirelessly and an iPad.

The desktop is the only device running Windows 7 if that matters. The only thing I can think of is some setting was causing it. Or maybe the cable modem doesn't sync up right with Windows 7?

I'm totally stumped here. It's incredibly difficult to work on the desktop because of this.

Any help and you would literally be my savior.

cartman · 10-05-2011, 09:38 PM

Download Hitman Pro 3.5 (Downloads - SurfRight) and run a scan to see if it finds any malware/viruses. I've had it find stuff that every other virus scanner has missed. Also, which browser are you using? If IE, try Firefox. If you are already using Firefox, try switching to IE and see if it continues.

You also might see some clues in the Event Logs in Administrative Tools.

RainMaker · 10-05-2011, 10:00 PM

It's not browser specific since it drops me from instant messenger and other things. I will try SurfRight right now.

cartman · 10-05-2011, 10:10 PM

This article might have some info to help as well:

Wireless Networking Drop Connection Windows 7 Error Troubleshooting Random Issue Best Hubris

RainMaker · 10-05-2011, 10:31 PM

Thanks. I've actually gone and turned off the firewall on the computer and haven't had any issues in the last half hour. So crossing my fingers there.

JonInMiddleGA · 10-05-2011, 11:05 PM

I had similar issues here for over three years, so I know how maddening it can be. Intermittent drops basically.

Turned out it was actually a BellSouth problem, each of the drops was a brief service outage, dozens to hundreds a month. It was being tracked by their detection system (or whatever they call it) but the reports weren't being sent to anyone since it was affecting so few customers (+/- a dozen in two neighborhoods). I turned out to be the first guy anal enough to call & bitch about it, problem solved with a few days work of troubleshooting & some hardware replacement at the street level.

RainMaker · 10-05-2011, 11:19 PM

Yeah, I thought it might be that before and have called. They told me they saw no problems. All my other devices work fine too so it makes me think it's not the ISP.

RainMaker · 10-06-2011, 11:01 AM

Desperation bump. I re-installed Windows from scratch and still have this error. It has to be a hardware error(which would effect both wired and wireless connection, a Windows 7 setting, or an ISP problem that only effects this one computer). I am going insane. Might push me over the edge and into buying a Mac.

JediKooter · 10-06-2011, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Desperation bump. I re-installed Windows from scratch and still have this error. It has to be a hardware error(which would effect both wired and wireless connection, a Windows 7 setting, or an ISP problem that only effects this one computer). I am going insane. Might push me over the edge and into buying a Mac.

Hmmmmm.... do your other devices have the same version of the OS?

stevew · 10-06-2011, 11:49 AM

do you have a mobile hotspot you can use to test the connection with? Is it possible you notice this error more because you are using the desktop more frequently than the other devices?

Can you put something like Ubuntu on the machine and see if it gets retarded with the connection?

DanGarion · 10-06-2011, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Desperation bump. I re-installed Windows from scratch and still have this error. It has to be a hardware error(which would effect both wired and wireless connection, a Windows 7 setting, or an ISP problem that only effects this one computer). I am going insane. Might push me over the edge and into buying a Mac.

Just from everything I've read. If you can't replicate it on another device or something it's most likely is not an ISP issue. But it does seem weird why it would happen regardless if it's wired or wireless and even with a direct connection to the modem. Have you tried plugging the computer into a completely different power outlet? Maybe you have some weird issue with the power outlet it is plugged into. I'm really grasping, but everything you have done points to it being something with your hardware.

RainMaker · 10-06-2011, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JediKooter

Hmmmmm.... do your other devices have the same version of the OS?

No I don't.

stevew · 10-06-2011, 12:12 PM

Interference maybe? Has anything been moved. Is the ground on the outlet good? Is it an old power strip? Can you run a cord to a different outlet to test?

RainMaker · 10-06-2011, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevew

do you have a mobile hotspot you can use to test the connection with? Is it possible you notice this error more because you are using the desktop more frequently than the other devices?

Can you put something like Ubuntu on the machine and see if it gets retarded with the connection?

Unfortunately I don't have a mobile hotspot.
I don't have enough experience to put Ubuntu on it, although I could look into it.

No mobile hotspot although I guess I could work that out too. It's desktop specific from what I can tell. I use the laptop a ton and have never had it (and it's an obvious error) and stream a lot of Netflix/games via the 360 without a hitch.

stevew · 10-06-2011, 12:15 PM

I feel for you though. I had this unbelievably bad Verizon DSL modem and it would drop a few times an hour. It gets maddening trying to isolate variables.

RainMaker · 10-06-2011, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevew

Interference maybe? Has anything been moved. Is the ground on the outlet good? Is it an old power strip? Can you run a cord to a different outlet to test?

Yeah I've tried different outlets for the cable modem and changed around the cords too. Still no dice. I do have a new wireless network card coming tomorrow that I'll try. Hoping maybe that will help (or at least rule out another thing).

JediKooter · 10-06-2011, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainMaker

No I don't.

That seems a bit curious to me. The only machine that is having the issue is the only machine running that version of the OS. Try a different OS (something like XP if, you have the disc) on the problematic machine and see if it goes away. Short of reformating your harddrive or something that is starting to go bad inside your machine, I'm stumped.

ozias · 10-06-2011, 04:40 PM

I wonder if the mobo in your new computer has something wrong with it.

You could go thru the BIOS on your mobo and check each setting to make sure something isn't conflicting, but I don't think there is, it just might be a faulty mobo. Since it's intermittent, that's where I would lean, as a hardware problem would explain the trouble you're having.

How old is the computer?

Mizzou B-ball fan · 10-06-2011, 05:06 PM

Tossing in another shot in the dark. My wife's computer had random drop issues. What we found was that her video card would disconnect randomly if she left her computer on and it went to sleep. Anytime she woke the computer after that, disconnect issues. We turned off sleep/standby mode on her computer and have had no issues since then.

RainMaker · 10-06-2011, 10:56 PM

Thanks for the help. The computer is fairly new (I believe April). Swapping out the Motherboard seems like a huge pain without pinpointing the problem.

I'm hoping the new wireless card will fix it. Maybe having a name brand one with proper drivers will help (the one I have I guess is HP stock and doesn't have any specific brand name to it).

I do have a Windows XP disc sitting around so maybe I'll try that afterwards too. At least that will let me pinpoint whether it's a hardware or software problem.

mauchow · 10-06-2011, 11:36 PM

I had this problem with AT&T UVerse. This crap is the worst thing that can happen during MMO's.

10-05-2011, 09:38 PM	#2
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	Download Hitman Pro 3.5 (Downloads - SurfRight) and run a scan to see if it finds any malware/viruses. I've had it find stuff that every other virus scanner has missed. Also, which browser are you using? If IE, try Firefox. If you are already using Firefox, try switching to IE and see if it continues. You also might see some clues in the Event Logs in Administrative Tools. __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

10-05-2011, 10:10 PM	#4
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	This article might have some info to help as well: Wireless Networking Drop Connection Windows 7 Error Troubleshooting Random Issue Best Hubris __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

10-05-2011, 11:05 PM	#6
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	I had similar issues here for over three years, so I know how maddening it can be. Intermittent drops basically. Turned out it was actually a BellSouth problem, each of the drops was a brief service outage, dozens to hundreds a month. It was being tracked by their detection system (or whatever they call it) but the reports weren't being sent to anyone since it was affecting so few customers (+/- a dozen in two neighborhoods). I turned out to be the first guy anal enough to call & bitch about it, problem solved with a few days work of troubleshooting & some hardware replacement at the street level. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

10-06-2011, 12:15 PM	#15
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	I feel for you though. I had this unbelievably bad Verizon DSL modem and it would drop a few times an hour. It gets maddening trying to isolate variables. Last edited by stevew : 10-06-2011 at 12:15 PM.

10-05-2011, 10:00 PM	#3
RainMaker Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago, IL	It's not browser specific since it drops me from instant messenger and other things. I will try SurfRight right now.

10-05-2011, 10:31 PM	#5
RainMaker Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago, IL	Thanks. I've actually gone and turned off the firewall on the computer and haven't had any issues in the last half hour. So crossing my fingers there.

10-05-2011, 11:19 PM	#7
RainMaker Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago, IL	Yeah, I thought it might be that before and have called. They told me they saw no problems. All my other devices work fine too so it makes me think it's not the ISP.

10-06-2011, 11:01 AM	#8
RainMaker Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago, IL	Desperation bump. I re-installed Windows from scratch and still have this error. It has to be a hardware error(which would effect both wired and wireless connection, a Windows 7 setting, or an ISP problem that only effects this one computer). I am going insane. Might push me over the edge and into buying a Mac.

10-06-2011, 11:49 AM	#10
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	do you have a mobile hotspot you can use to test the connection with? Is it possible you notice this error more because you are using the desktop more frequently than the other devices? Can you put something like Ubuntu on the machine and see if it gets retarded with the connection?

10-06-2011, 12:12 PM	#13
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	Interference maybe? Has anything been moved. Is the ground on the outlet good? Is it an old power strip? Can you run a cord to a different outlet to test?

10-06-2011, 04:40 PM	#18
ozias High School JV Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Maine	I wonder if the mobo in your new computer has something wrong with it. You could go thru the BIOS on your mobo and check each setting to make sure something isn't conflicting, but I don't think there is, it just might be a faulty mobo. Since it's intermittent, that's where I would lean, as a hardware problem would explain the trouble you're having. How old is the computer?

10-06-2011, 05:06 PM	#19
Mizzou B-ball fan General Manager Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Kansas City, MO	Tossing in another shot in the dark. My wife's computer had random drop issues. What we found was that her video card would disconnect randomly if she left her computer on and it went to sleep. Anytime she woke the computer after that, disconnect issues. We turned off sleep/standby mode on her computer and have had no issues since then.

10-06-2011, 10:56 PM	#20
RainMaker Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago, IL	Thanks for the help. The computer is fairly new (I believe April). Swapping out the Motherboard seems like a huge pain without pinpointing the problem. I'm hoping the new wireless card will fix it. Maybe having a name brand one with proper drivers will help (the one I have I guess is HP stock and doesn't have any specific brand name to it). I do have a Windows XP disc sitting around so maybe I'll try that afterwards too. At least that will let me pinpoint whether it's a hardware or software problem.

10-06-2011, 11:36 PM	#21
mauchow Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Murfreesboro, TN	I had this problem with AT&T UVerse. This crap is the worst thing that can happen during MMO's.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)