# Is My Modem Knackered?



## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

If I leave PC for a while it loses connection. Keep getting this message:

Server not found

Firefox can't find the server at mail.google.com.

* Check the address for typing errors such as

ww.example.com instead of

www.example.com

* If you are unable to load any pages, check your computer's network

connection.

* If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or proxy, make sure

that Firefox is permitted to access the Web.

Some sites wouldnt load at all yesterday.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Paul,

Can you get on to other web sites OK?

Have you tried IE to see if it has the same problems?

I suspect if your modem was fragged you wouldn't get _any_ connection but that's not written in stone.

I'd clear the cookies out in Firefox as a first step.

Have you checked your ISPs web site for service status?

It may sound daft but check all physical connections (cables) just in case.


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## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

Thanks Stan.

Yes IE does it as well.

Cleared history etc.

Why i wondered if it was faulty - as it does it on both browsers.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Mrcrowley said:


> Thanks Stan.
> 
> Yes IE does it as well.
> 
> ...


I'd check with your ISP first Paul and if your using a BT line check with them too.

I've had two ocassions where the BT line was compromised and there was no affect on the "phone" service only the broadband portion.

Most modems have a very good service life (we are talking many years here) but they can become faulty.

If you haven't changed any settings then it shouldn't be a software issue. I'd still do an anti-virus and spyware sweep just in case something has got in.

I'd suspect external problems if you haven't changed anything and the machine shows up as clean.

Rich might be able to think of something else, he's the expert.


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## Kzawilin (Nov 3, 2004)

I have had problems with my internet connection dropping out for no reason.

This was firstly due to an incorrect setting within my modem. If there was no activity for more than 36 hours it would auto disconnect from my broadband ISP.

Secondly, over a period of 2 months it would occasionally lose connection at random. when checking physical connections everything was ok, all 'lights' were on. i had to switch the modem off, then after 3-4 minutes back on. This then worked

again for a week or so until the PSU evetually died.

I replaced the psu with a spare higher capacity unit and it has been fine since.

My wireless Belkin unit was just over a year old when it failed. I have had 2 colleagues with the same failures on theirs.

Good luck, i hope this helps.


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## makky (Jul 14, 2004)

Also sounds to me like a dodgy modem or an auto-disconnect timeout.

I had a similar problem on mine where some recently installed software had set my connection to timeout after 20mins. There was no warning it was going to do this and I certainly didn't change the settings myself. Bloomin computers.


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

Stan said:



> Rich might be able to think of something else, he's the expert.


I think you pretty much covered everything Stan









In my experience, occasional disconnections like the ones Paul describes are nearly always down to faults at the ISP or problems with the line. Loose connections are the other major cause. Assuming that no settings have been changed (either manually or by the installation of some 3rd. party software) I'd bet on one of these being the cause. It's unlikely, although not impossible, to be a faulty modem.

Anyway, hope you got it sorted Mr.C.


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## 9speed (Nov 28, 2005)

I had similar problems when I updated my modem software.... so I reeled back the changes and everything was fine again.


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## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

Just checked with BT. They have major faults in system at the moment. So this may be the cause. Must be serious - i've had this on & off for couple of weeks.

Thanks all anyway.


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## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

makky said:


> Also sounds to me like a dodgy modem or an auto-disconnect timeout.
> 
> I had a similar problem on mine where some recently installed software had set my connection to timeout after 20mins. There was no warning it was going to do this and I certainly didn't change the settings myself. Bloomin computers.
> 
> ...


What software was it?


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Mrcrowley said:


> Just checked with BT. They have major faults in system at the moment. So this may be the cause. Must be serious - i've had this on & off for couple of weeks.
> 
> Thanks all anyway.
> 
> ...


That's good news Paul, at least you know your gear's OK.


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## makky (Jul 14, 2004)

Mrcrowley said:


> makky said:
> 
> 
> > Also sounds to me like a dodgy modem or an auto-disconnect timeout.
> ...


Oh, it was a freeware download manager!

Glad to hear you've found out the problem.


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

we've just had problems yet again, for the third time, it started by not being able to view 'my pictures' and then just went barmy, it's sorted again but for how long???, my lad says something to the effect that internet explorer (and therefor bt internet) has been allowing spyware (or something) into the 'puter and that this is probably stated in the small print that no one ever reads when they sign up























bloody computers
















regards,john.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

johnbaz said:


> we've just had problems yet again, for the third time, it started by not being able to view 'my pictures' and then just went barmy, it's sorted again but for how long???, my lad says something to the effect that internet explorer (and therefor bt internet) has been allowing spyware (or something) into the 'puter and that this is probably stated in the small print that no one ever reads when they sign up
> 
> 
> 
> ...


John,

Can you tell us what happened and what you did to correct the problem?

If this is the third instance of problems there could be something sinister going on here.

ISPs have little control over malware so just see the ISP as a pipeline. Any defences need to be at your end, on the PC.

If your hard drive hasn't been formated (properly) and re-installed then you may never get rid of the problem.

Do you have a good firewall, anti-virus and anti-malware programmes installed that are kept up to date daily?

Do you use Windows Update to get the latest patches?

For your PC to have been hit three times in such a narrow time frame is worrying.









I've had my system running for over a year (time to re-install?







) and it has never been compromised, because I update my defences on a daily basis.

If the system is known to be clean and IE is being a problem ( properly patched it should not be vulnerable to known problems) then try another browser. I don't think this is the issue if Windows software is well protected and kept up to date.









If your defences are solid then we may have to think about the problem being hardware related.









-

-

-

Everyone needs to get a good firewall, anti-virus programme and it's sensible to included a spy/malware programme too.

Those programmes need to be kept updated, if not you will get clobbered.









A computer is not a toaster or a washing machine, once plugged into the internet we are into a war zone. I do not jest.
















I'm not the security guru here but I know a man who is, thank God he's also a forum member.







Soz Rich.









If anyone has watched the new version of Battlestar Galactica they will know that networked computers are vulnerable.







Cracking series.









The internet is the biggest network on the planet and we are part of it. There are some nasty robots out there but the human contribution is what worries me.









Use a PC on the internet?

Defend it properly, being lax is not an option.









You could try Linux, it is a bit more robust.


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

Stan said:



> I'm not the security guru here but I know a man who is, thank God he's also a forum member. Soz Rich.
> 
> If anyone has watched the new version of Battlestar Galactica they will know that networked computers are vulnerable. Cracking series.


Ahh yes, how must Gaius Baltar feel knowing that he's brought about the almost complete destruction of the human race after being seduced by sexy cylon "Number Six" (Tricia Helfer)?...

...the lucky, jammy *******









Anyway, back to the real world, whatever that is!

Notwithstanding the threats that we should all be aware of by now (viruses, worms, spyware, adware, Trojan horse programs and so on) security predictions for 2006 suggest that there will be an increasing number of attacks against _applications_ rather than vulnerabilities in Operating Systems, including the very programs that you've installed to protect yourself (antivirus, firewall, antispyware etc.)

One program that I've been using that aims to prevent this kind of attack is ProcessGuard from DiamondCS. This stops any processes from starting up and prevents drivers/services from being installed until you permit them by clicking "OK" on a pop-up window. Therefore, any virus/worm/Trojan horse/rootkit installation processes that attempt to run on your machine are stopped dead in their tracks. As you might imagine though, the program requires a considerable amount of training when you first install it, but it has a useful "learning mode" in which you can run it for a week or so to allow it to discover the majority of processes, drivers and services that run on your machine before you switch the full protection on. There is a free version, although this is quite limited.

Rootkits are also expected to become considereably more prevalent so many anti-rootkit programs have also started to appear. Some popular and relatively mature, stable products you might like to take a look at include:

Blacklight from F-Secure

Rootkit Hunter (Linux/*BSD)

Rootkit Revealer from SysInternals

We've had one "Zero day" vulnerability (i.e a vulnerability that was exploited by hackers immediately that it was announced and before it was patched) in the last few weeks; expect more to come, so don't delay in applying patches. Note that Microsoft generally release their patches on the second Tuesday of every month. Set your antivirus programs to update automatically as frequently as you can - daily is sufficient, hourly is preferable!

Keep an eye out for Cylon infiltrators, and, if they look anything like "Number Six", please refer them to me


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

stan, my lad has mentioned turning to linux, or getting rid of this computer and getting a mac, he says that hardly anyone writes viruses for the 'macs' and for the linux system.

when the problems first started, we'd not updated the spyware/antivirus programmes for ages-much to our misery







, but you learn from your mistakes,we learned the hard way that norton was crap, minutes after being installed it came up with the message "norton has detected a virus which it cannot fix" Â£30 down the pan









the protection we use is xsoft, avg, zonealarm, all free off the net but we are going to upgrade to the full version of zonealarm (or so my lad tells me).

i'm pig-ignorant when it comes to computers, give me a watch or a car to play with any day-ie something that you can see how it works and not this black art of electronics









thanks for your input, john.

ps, stan, i'll try to catch my lad to answer your questions, he's usually buzy trying to rid the world of alchohol all by himself







or chatting birds up-or both at the same time














.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Rich,

I downloaded the free version of Process Guard just to see what it's like. I must say I'm impressed. I turned the learning mode off after I had run some of my basic programmes to see what would happen.

Process Guard asked for permission to allow every other programme I opened that wasn't auto-learnt, even volume control.







Even this free version should provide a measure of protection for home users.

Thanks Rich, nice piece of software.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

johnbaz said:


> stan, my lad has mentioned turning to linux, or getting rid of this computer and getting a mac, he says that hardly anyone writes viruses for the 'macs' and for the linux system.
> 
> when the problems first started, we'd not updated the spyware/antivirus programmes for ages-much to our misery
> 
> ...


Hope it stays sorted out this time John, I'm not keen on hackers.


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