[SimianRaticus]

I really hate to do this, but could someone please help me out here? I hate to sound like I'm rushing anyone, but I'm having problems with disconnects, and it seems each time it gets harder and harder to get back online. I was just disconnected a little while ago, and resetting my router and modem didn't do anything. I finally got it to start working again after pressing the little button on the back of my modem which reverts all settings back to their previous state, and then set up everything again. My connection speed is still as slow as before, but atleast I'm connected now. Anyway, I'd really appreciate some help.

Also, I wanted to mention that when I was setting up my profile on my modem's profile page after reverted everything back, I was ask to put in a number in two boxes, which I think were VPI and VCN, but I forget. I just left them as they were with the top both being 0 and the bottom 35. Anyway, I just wanted to ask what that was about, just to make sure I didn't screw anything up.

Oh, and just another bit of information. I noticed that the lights on my router and modem are both constantly flashing, which doesn't seem to happen as much when things are working fine. On my router, it's the lights under internet and WLAN that are flashing, sometimes 4 which is the port where one of the cables is connected. With the modem, it's ethernet and internet. I'm not sure if this is relevent, but I figured I should mention anything that might help someone diagnose the problem.

[JohnWill]

Please do not create new threads for the same issue. I've merged the two theads.

[JohnWill]

Register at DSLReports and run their line quality tests. Post a link to the results here.

[SimianRaticus]

Sorry, I marked the last thread as solved, and I was worried no one would read it.

[SimianRaticus]

http://www.dslreports.com/linequality/nil/2260001

[JohnWill]

If you run several of these, do you always see the same node fail?

What does a speed test give you?

A couple of popular Internet speed test sites in the US.

Speakeasy Speed Test

DSLReports Speed Test

[SimianRaticus]

What do you mean? Should I run it again?

From Speakeasy:

Download speed: 136 kbps
Upload speed: 375 kbps

[Edit - here are the results from the 2nd test: http://www.dslreports.com/linequality/nil/2260013 ]

[JohnWill]

Let's see a HijackThis 2.00.2 Log.

[SimianRaticus]

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 12:28:18 PM, on 8/2/2007
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\guard.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgemc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\tcpsvcs.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\snmp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Hijackthis\HijackThis.exe

O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: DriveLetterAccess - {5CA3D70E-1895-11CF-8E15-001234567890} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\dla\tfswshx.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_08\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_08\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_08\bin\ssv.dll
O16 - DPF: vzTCPConfig - http://www2.verizon.net/help/dsl_set...zTCPConfig.CAB
O16 - DPF: {17492023-C23A-453E-A040-C7C580BBF700} (Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=39204
O16 - DPF: {9A9307A0-7DA4-4DAF-B042-5009F29E09E1} (ActiveScan Installer Class) - http://acs.pandasoftware.com/actives...ree/asinst.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{6BCE5E5A-9D9A-49A3-B94C-A0D617101B84}: NameServer = 192.168.1.1
O20 - Winlogon Notify: igfxcui - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\igfxsrvc.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: AVG Anti-Spyware Guard - GRISOFT s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5\guard.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG E-mail Scanner (AVGEMS) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: DSBrokerService - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\DellSupport\brkrsvc.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe

[JohnWill]

I still think this is likely to be interior wiring. I'd do a test by taking the modem to the NID where the phone line comes into the house and connecting ONLY the modem directly, disconnect the phones. Don't use an flat telephone cable to connect the modem, use a DSL patch cable. See if you get decent speeds there. If so, here's my RX for DSL wiring.

Purchase a DSL splitter and install it at the telco service entrance. Run a direct line from the DSL port on the splitter directly to the DSL modem. Connect all of the other phone instruments to the telephone output of the DSL splitter. All of the DSL analog side wiring should be CAT3 or better twisted pair from the telco service entrance to the DSL/ADSL modem. You can use one of the twisted pairs in CAT5 cable if you have that on hand.

This is as good as it gets for DSL installations, and will usually solve in-house wiring issues.

[SimianRaticus]

Okay, I'm a little confused here. Are you asking me to move my computer to the room where the phone line enters the house and then connect my modem to the phone jack in that room and then disconnect all the phones? Also, I'm not even sure what a DSL Patch Cable is. Would that be the cable that I normally use to connect my modem to the phone jack, or is this something I probably don't already own?

All right now, I'm not sure what you mean by the telco service entrance. Is that the room where the phone line enters the house? If so, are you saying that I'm going to have to keep my computer in this room? This would be a problem. Also, if I'm correct in what I think a DSL splitter is, then there should only be two slots on it, unless of course, you're talking about a different kind. But in any matter, I don't see how it would connect every phone instrument to it anyway.

Okay, look, I apologize, but as you can see, I'm pretty confused here. Can you try to explain this a little better? Because I really don't get what you're asking me to do exactly.

[JohnWill]

The issue with DSL wiring is that it's much more critical than POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service). With the typical wiring in a house, there are many phone jacks, all daisy-chained together with sometimes questionable wiring. While this works OK for POTS, it doesn't necessarily work for DSL.

I'm asking you to move the modem as a test to isolate the issue. If it does indeed work with the phone wiring disconnected and just the modem connected directly to the telco NID, the issue is the interior wiring.

Here's a DSL patch cable, it's a cable with standard RJ11 telco connectors, but it's twisted pairs, not flat cable: http://www.radioshack.com/sm-12-ft-b...i-2102677.html

Here's a detailed tutorial about the interior DSL wiring I mentioned: http://dslnuts.com/DSLwiring.shtml

[SimianRaticus]

So, you want me to bring JUST the modem to the room where the line enters the house? Is that what you're saying? If so, I don't understand how I could test anything. Am I just supposed to check to see if anything lights up on the LED? Sorry, but I just want to be clear.

Also, I don't have a DSL patch cable. Well, if I do, it certainly doesn't look like what was represented in that picture.

[JohnWill]

Actually, what I was saying is, for a test you bring the modem and a computer (could be a laptop) and connect the modem directly to the NID after unplugging the house wiring. Connect the laptop and do the speed tests to see if you still have the throughput issues. If this solves them, you need to address the inside wiring issues. OTOH, if the issues are still the same after eliminating the house wiring, you then need to contact the ISP and tell them it's not your problem.

[SimianRaticus]

Okay, I see. Well, I'm not going to do that until I can get the DSL Patch Cable.

In the meantime, do you think releasing and renewing my IP might possibly help (in the oft chance that the problem isn't the wiring)? I'm not 100% sure how to do that though. I know it's done in command prompt, but I'm not sure if there's anything else that needs to be done.