Sectorgame

Well, I practically give up trying to figure out this problem - So I'll just make a post about it. My Internets been acting up for weeks now, and the only consistent thing is that the downstream is practically non-existent... Maybe 5KB/s on average, mostly below 1KB/S. The upstream remains constant at about 30Kb/s. Maybe for about fifteen minutes every so often (like six times a week) does it work at the intended 120KB/s, but its getting rare. It also often times out without resetting. I have a nasty USB modem, can't afford to replace it ATM. I've tried:

* Reinstalling Drivers.
* Reinstalling Firmwire.
* Updating Drivers.
* Getting the line checked by ISP.
* Getting the line checked again by the ISP.
* Have the line looked at by an engineer remotely.
* Checked for virus/spyware stuff.
* Tried at different phone sockets in house.
* Tried changing DSL filters.
* Tried on a different computer.

So tell me - IS It the modem? Is the above mentioned problem consistent with a hardware problem of somekind? The ISP won't send me a new one.

I'd say either replace the router your computer is hooked to (if there is one) or check out your network card--i doubt it, but something might have gone bad in there.

When they checked the line, how did they do it? Did they hook up through your modem, or simply connect straight to the microfilter?

Could it be congested traffic on your ISP's node? Perhaps your ISP is being a PITA, and not upgrading their nodes. Do your neighbors have issues like this, too, or is it only you?

It does sound a bit like contention on the line......

The checks were all done remotely, so I don't know what they did. The ISP did a line check twice, and an engineer also examined the line from the exchange, mentioned that there was a lot of signal loss, but not enough to affect it. He concluded it must be the modem, but my ISP disagrees

Just to verify there is no router or NIC, it's just a USB modem.

Well, sounds like either a Modem problem or a Firewall thing. The best bet is, if you have a friend with a USB modem, get them to bring it round and see what the reception is like on that one? And you can tell your ISP if BT have confirmed it's not the line, and they persist in saying it's not the modem, it only leaves their quality of servers and service provision as the only other option left.

Which is pretty much what I concluded, too

Well, I tried installing a PCI ADSL modem by Zoom, and it doesn't even establish a connection. What happens is it scans the line, "training, exchange" etc, and drops off instantly. It does green light for about half a second every few tries. I tried every configuration and encapsulation there was.

Hmmmmmmmm... Sounds like it's making it to the server ok, but then freaking out for whatever reason. This is looking like your ISP at the moment...

They are sending an engineer to the telegraph pole outside tomorrow. They already sent an engineer to the exchange, so all other problems have been eliminated. Strange thing is, the connection worked for the majority of today (which hasn't happened before, maybe for an hour or so)... wtf? If it's a problem in the box outside, wouldn't it be screwed all the time? It feels like someone is toying with us :S

Last time I had problems with DSL, a tiny amount of humidity had got in and the main 'input' connections had got a tiny amount of rust on them. That rust managed to nearly half our bitrate. So it still really could be anything.

Strange that you should be working a bit better today though, could be an inderect problem with the line? Something local, but not isolated to your particular connection?

Hunter, do you have any additional devices on the line? Like a phone extension or two?

Good point. a dodgy Microfilter or a phone connected on a non-filtered plug somewhere can actually cross over onto the broadband line. It shouldn't but I've yet to see a set-up that doesn't suffer from it.

That was among the first things explored. But it does seem very "incosistent"