Octopus Overlords

My ISP (dialup) won't stay connected. I can't even stay online long enough to download the virus updates to my new software. I thought ZoneAlarm might be doing it, but even with ZA shutdown, it disconnects. It's not always after 5 minutes...I've seen it go for 20, but it's always the same symptom: the download/web surfing is going fine when suddenly all transfers stop, and after about 60 seconds, the redialer pops up saying that I've been disconnected and it will redial in 10 seconds.

Is there a common solution or two I can try?

Could this be a symptom of a bad modem?

Thanks.

Could be a problem with your ISP too. I'd rule them out first, you could waste a lot of time troubleshooting on your end with no results if it's on their end.

Call customer support and see if there's a customer forum where other people mention a similar problem.

A couple things to try:

1.Disable call waiting if applicable
2.Shorter phone cord - (line noise)
2.have the phone co test the line end to end. Line noise again. Your modem perceives any and all 'hiccups' as a reason to disconnect.


Roman

Also try a differen't phone jack. I once had one that got wet somehow and was corroded.

Roman wrote:A couple things to try:

1.Disable call waiting if applicable
2.Shorter phone cord - (line noise)
2.have the phone co test the line end to end. Line noise again. Your modem perceives any and all 'hiccups' as a reason to disconnect.


Roman

1.I'll double check this, but we rarely get calls, much less at 1am when this was happening most recently.

2.This one is tough. My PC is on one side of the room. Jack is on the other. The only way to get a jack over there is a long-ass cord that goes all the way around the perimeter of the room. Now that we have a rug in there, I'll see if I can run it underneath to shorten the run.

3.I'll check on this one. Thanks for the tips.

Kilo: The next closest phone jack is probably over 40' away...unless you mean I should replace the phone jack hardware in that room...that's a possibility.

Uninstall Zonealarm completely and see if that fixes the problem. If it does, then get another free personal firewall (Sygate, Tiny Personal Firewall, etc) or even try the Windows firewall if you have SP2.