[zombievitamins]

(if there's this exact problem elsewhere..my apologies. I'm about ready to find a sledgehammer so am more than likely overlooking things.

Hullo!
..as I (obviously)can't work out the source of the problem I decided it best to give you EVERYTHING that's happened. Sorry! I just guessed my way through.

Desktop:Windows XP.
Laptop: Windows Vista
ISP : pipex broadband. (ugh)
First Modem(or router? both?): Netgear DM602
Second: Netgear DGN1000

Something isn't holding a connection.. or something is forcing it to drop?

As far as I'm aware the internet connection likes to drop(and reconnect a few seconds later) every few minutes, or hours. This is especially noticable when anyone tries to play Warcraft. (The owners don't really download/game etc so don't notice the issue so much.)
This happens on both the Desktop and a Laptop. (Connected via cable.)

I finally got sick of this and attempted to fix it. (Yes, perhaps I shouldn't have..but it's done.)
.. one suggestion was to update modem firmware. As I didn't set any of this up and am unable to contact the person who did.. we haven't got passwords etc so I had to reset the modem. Ofc was then able to login and attempt to give it the correct settings..but we no longer recieved any internet connection.
Like I said, I don't know how this was initially set up so I tried all possible options. As router. As modem. With set IP/DNS. With auto IP/DNS. Setting this in the modem settings. Setting it within the computers settings. Restarts. Disable/Enable. All to no avail.
All throughout this process the Internet and Ethernet lights on the DM602 stayed on steady. But computer only received LAN connection. Eventually even that connection dropped.

I called Pipex and was run through everything I'd already tried. They obviously ticked down their list and came to the conclusion that the LAN card was faulty. Hmm..


We'd already decided to update the modem/router anyway so bought a new one today.. (DGN1000)
Initially installed this onto the Desktop with no problems. Activated wireless and after a couple of issues(?) managed to get the laptop to connect too. Wahey internet!! For a couple of hours..
It then continued to do it's usual drop/reconnect. So I shrugged and tried out Wow wirelessly on the laptop anyway. (sometimes it works for an hour or two.)
Not only did it continue to drop the connection but it also took 5min, then 10, then 3hours to re-establish an internet connection. In the meantime I looked up various possible solutions on my phone. Noticing in the background the connection appearing/disappearing even with no internet usage. :S (The DSL and internet lights go out/flicker/cry.)

I ran the Network Diagnostics on the computer which came up with 2 errors:

Hostname www.microsoft.com could not be resolved (error code 0x2afc). Could be either gateway or DNS issue.

and

Unrecognized Winsock NSP :mdns NSP

Minutes later the connection is back and Diagnostics cannot detect any problems..
(then continues to drop and struggle back..)

Unsure as to whether it was a computer virus or something?! Or an ISP issue..
I decided to start from scratch on the laptop and installed the modem/router to that. This time it struggled part way through installation to find connection. Finally worked.. installed. Internet! ..Dropped.

Laptop's(Vista) Diagnostics says DNS problem. Or.. No problems, alternately.

I realise that time of day can affect the quality of connection..but this is ridiculous.
I've checked the phone line, the sockets, the cables. 2 different modems, 2 computers.
Is it just down to a truly shoddy ISP?
Any thoughts?

Thankyou for reading this essay and for any help you can give. I may have lost some bits of the puzzle with the hair that I ripped out. Please shout if you need data n stoof.

[zombievitamins]

Even just a note to say whether it's more likely the ISP or a piece of hardware?

[Frank4d]

Your DM602 is an ADSL modem, and the DGN1000 is an ADSL modem router, so I am curious how you have them connected? You can't have them both connected to a single phone line as that will cause problems.

[zombievitamins]

No, I replaced the DM602 with the DGN1000. So we're currently using the second one.