IT help/Vin!

[Matt R]

Possibly stupid question time.

My internet connection keeps cutting itself off when left alone. I presume there is some sort of setting that tells it its been left unattended for a while, but I'm buggered if I can find it. I've got a wireless connection. Its a pain in the arse as I'm borrowing something from the internet, and I'm trying to leave it running overnight, so that all will be don in the morning, but it seems to borrow about 3 or 4 meg before the cut-off happens every night, which is doing my fucking head in.

Any advice most appreciated!

[AshyP]

Possibly stupid question time.

My internet connection keeps cutting itself off when left alone. I presume there is some sort of setting that tells it its been left unattended for a while, but I'm buggered if I can find it. I've got a wireless connection. Its a pain in the arse as I'm borrowing something from the internet, and I'm trying to leave it running overnight, so that all will be don in the morning, but it seems to borrow about 3 or 4 meg before the cut-off happens every night, which is doing my fucking head in.

Any advice most appreciated!

Not sure if this is a red herring Matt but you could check your hibernation settings. Not sure that it would go into hibernate unless your battery dies.

Control Panel > Perfomance & Maintenance > Power Options > Hibernate tab. See if the hibernation box is checked.

just thinking out loud mate.

[vin]

Possibly stupid question time.

My internet connection keeps cutting itself off when left alone. I presume there is some sort of setting that tells it its been left unattended for a while, but I'm buggered if I can find it. I've got a wireless connection. Its a pain in the arse as I'm borrowing something from the internet, and I'm trying to leave it running overnight, so that all will be don in the morning, but it seems to borrow about 3 or 4 meg before the cut-off happens every night, which is doing my fucking head in.

Any advice most appreciated!

Just a bit of clarification:

When you return to the pc - does it appear to be turned off? That is the monitor is blank and only on light on on the pc? (or as Ashy says in Hibernation) that would cause your internet connection to be turned off as well.

Also check your power settings in control panel. Even if you are running on AC Mains lots of computers come preconfigured to switch off hard disks and monitors after a long period of inactivity, this too will cause your internet connection to drop.

Its also strange that the connection drops after 3Mb or 4Mb of transfer which isn't a lot. May want to check your wireless card (can give you tips) although have to go to a meeting now.

If the pc is still on, i.e the screensaver is running then it is probably something else.

[Matt R]

For the laptop you mean? Done it. came down this morning, after leaving everything on, with the laptop still displaying the last webpage I was on before going to bed. Theres a baloon at the bottom of the page saying 'wireless networks detected' etc, as though its cut off, but because the router is still on, its found itself, but won't automatically re-connect.

[Matt R]

That reply was to Ashy, but sort of answers both.

I should also point out that I lied in that first post. It doesn't download 3-4 meg before dying, as that would be plain daft. It seems to do 3-4% of the file (which is 3.2 gig). Its always roughly the same amount, at roughly the same download speeds, which seems to signify to me a timing issue.

[vin]

So do you have to manually reconnect to the wireless? And is this the only time that the auto connect does not work?

Couple of things to try:

First:

Start -> Control Panel -> Network Connections -> Right click on the wireless network connection -> Select properties -> Click on the Configure button top right -> Select the Advanced tab found in here -> Look under the left hand column called "Property"...look for an entry called : Preamble or PLSC header... change the default setting from "auto/short/long" to "long only"

The preamble is what determines how long a wireless card will wait for a return response from a wireless access point, if the card does not receive a reply within a certain[set] amount of time, the wireless card will try to hop to another wireless access point.. or even drop its connection if no other is in range.

[Matt R]

I have to manually connect, and auto connect never seems to work even though it says 'Automatic' against my connection.

[redforever]

i had the exact same problem downloading bit torrents when i changed to sky broadband. it did not matter whether i used wireless connection or wired the connection kept dropping. This part is no good to you as i got pissed off with sky and changed before i figured it out but i suspected it was isp interference due to what i was downloading.Your in the best hands with Vin if anyone can he can :)

[matchoftheday]

Possibly stupid question time.
Its a pain in the arse as I'm borrowing something from the internet,
Any advice most appreciated!

Another possibly stupid question, and apologies that I can't help you with this.
But, what exactly does "borrowing something from the internet" mean?
I hope I am too naive to think that someone might be downloading in a manner that borders illegal (or indeed definitely is illegal) if I'm way off the mark.
Either way, would like some clarification please.

[redforever]

Another possibly stupid question, and apologies that I can't help you with this.
But, what exactly does "borrowing something from the internet" mean?
I hope I am too naive to think that someone might be downloading in a manner that borders illegal (or indeed definitely is illegal) if I'm way off the mark.
Either way, would like some clarification please.

stick to smelling the lavender oil :D

[matchoftheday]

stick to smelling the lavender oil :D

Lol, cheers for that mate.

A slightly better question, and possibly one that needs its own thread, which ISP is the best?!

I have sky in my house at the minute, but phone line through BT. Is it worth transferring to the sky phone package aswell?

[ohdear]

Virgin Media is the best,no doubt about it.They use fibre optics I beleive,instead of phone lines.

They are also the most expensive mind,but I've not had a problem in five years or so.

[redforever]

Lol, cheers for that mate.

A slightly better question, and possibly one that needs its own thread, which ISP is the best?!

I have sky in my house at the minute, but phone line through BT. Is it worth transferring to the sky phone package aswell?

Sky is shite, from my experience. I have had over the years Aol-BT-sky and now i am with Orange as my contract mobile is with them. I pay £16 p/month for broadband and my phone line no bt line rental to pay.free evening and weekend calls, saved me a fortune.The speed is better than i have ever had and no connection drops or fair usage slow down yet :D

[Matt R]

So do you have to manually reconnect to the wireless? And is this the only time that the auto connect does not work?

Couple of things to try:

First:

Start -> Control Panel -> Network Connections -> Right click on the wireless network connection -> Select properties -> Click on the Configure button top right -> Select the Advanced tab found in here -> Look under the left hand column called "Property"...look for an entry called : Preamble or PLSC header... change the default setting from "auto/short/long" to "long only"

The preamble is what determines how long a wireless card will wait for a return response from a wireless access point, if the card does not receive a reply within a certain[set] amount of time, the wireless card will try to hop to another wireless access point.. or even drop its connection if no other is in range.

Thank you kindly sir, shall give it a go when I get in.

[Matt R]

Checked what you said Vin, but when I Configure>Advanced, under property there are two options, Ad Hoc Transmit Power which is defaulted to Highest: Maximum Coverage and the other option is Power Management which is defaulted to Lowest: Maximum battery life (the Highest setting is Maximum Performance). I'm guessing its the second one that may need some altering, but I'll do nowt without your say so!

Any suggestions most welcome sir.

[Matt R]

Altered the second setting to Highest Performance, got up this morning and the same fucking thing happened again. Grr.

[vin]

Altered the second setting to Highest Performance, got up this morning and the same fucking thing happened again. Grr.

Ok. Thought that may happen. But it was worth giving it a go. What is your wireless band b or g?

Also before getting into more detailed stuff can you Check that the wireless properties in device manager does not have a setting to turn off wireless to reduce power consumption.

[Matt R]

Ok. Thought that may happen. But it was worth giving it a go. What is your wireless band b or g? Eh?

Also before getting into more detailed stuff can you Check that the wireless properties in device manager does not have a setting to turn off wireless to reduce power consumption.

Will check the second one when I get home. If the wireless is left on though, shouldn't it automatically reconnect after it has disconnected, or is that daft?

[vin]

Will check the second one when I get home. If the wireless is left on though, shouldn't it automatically reconnect after it has disconnected, or is that daft?

It should but if the power saving feature is on then it relies on a manual start. I'm just working through possible solutions.

Also what router do you have and laptop (specifically what wireless card)

[Matt R]

Its a Toshiba Tecra laptop, a Thompson Speedtouch 780 router and the wireless card is a PRO/WLAN 2100 Mini PCI adapter.

Much appreciated this Vin.

[vin]

No worries. Did it work?

[Matt R]

Afternoon.

I couldn't find the Wireless Properties in device manager! I think the problem may be with the Wireless Card in some way. It keeps cutting out when I'm actually using the internet as well. The broadband assistant help always says it needs to refresh the IP address and reset the wireless card, which does seem to reconnect it, but its happening all the bloody time now!

[vin]

Ok. If it keeps dropping then its not likely to be a power save issue. Sounds like an issue with the NIC (network card) - try updating the drivers from the manufacturers site.

Also power cycle your router. Basically, switch it off, leave it off for about 30-45 seconds and then switch on and try to reconnect