Re: Internet connection drops, reboot restores

This sounds like spyware/malware/adware running on your computer & possibly a virus or two.

First I'd download Ad-Aware & Spybot - Search & Destroy. The default install should take care of most problems. Also make sure
you Download all the updates for both programs & immunize the computer
with Spybot - Search & Destroy. Also on the immunize screen in Spybot -
Search & Destroy make sure you check the box that says "Enable permanent
blocking of bad addresses in Internet Explorer" as this will cut down on
the spyware from getting into the computer. Also if any components will not remove in normal mode I strongly suggest restarting the computer into safe mode to remove the other components that won't remove in normal mode.

http://www.download.com/3405-8022-5153545.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5 (This is for Ad-Aware)

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html (This is for
Spybot - Search & Destroy)

For information on starting is safe mode you can check out the following Microsoft KB articles.

180902 How to Start a Windows 98-Based Computer in Safe Mode

202485 Description of Safe Boot Mode in Windows 2000

315222 A Description of the Safe Mode Boot Options in Windows XP

If you have problems getting either of these programs installed I'd recommend using clean boot to disable the spyware & possibly viruses that are preventing it from installing. This also applies the the virus scanning online. Just be careful about disabling any of the Microsoft services as they are needed.

181966 System Configuration Utility Advanced Troubleshooting Settings

192926 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98

267288 How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows Millennium Edition

272960 Error Messages Occur When Using Msconfig.exe

281965 How to Troubleshoot Using the Msconfig Utility with Windows 98

281995 How to Troubleshoot Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows ME

310353 How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows XP

310560 How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP

314448 Msconfig.exe Stops Responding if User Is Not an Administrator

316434 HOW TO: Perform Advanced Clean-Boot Troubleshooting in Windows XP

One more thing if you do use msconfig you may want to check out the following site as they list a ton of stuff that shows up on the startup tab of msconfig.

http://www.sysinfo.org/startupinfo.html

To check for a virus I recommend using an online virus scanner as the installed anti virus software is the first target of most viruses. Here is a list of 4 different scanners.

Trend Micro's free online anti-virus scanner (I currently can only get this to work in Firefox)
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

Panda Software's free online anti-virus scanner
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/

BitDefender Free Online Virus Scan
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/licence.php

Symantec's free online anti-virus scanner
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?productid=symhome&langid=ie&venid=sym

I'm only saying this to tgd3 as the other people who are in this thread haven't given me enough information about their Internet connection for me to help them. Although the information I'm giving out is generally good advise, but you issue might be rooted somewhere else.

tgd3 wrote: 
Joe,

I too am having the same problem.  I also have comcast cable modem.

I am using a router, and frequently also connect my work laptop to another port on the router. The laptop never loses connectivity. THe home computer does it everytime I am online. It takes about 2-3 hours, but all of a sudden, it will not be able to find server, and e-mail goes down too. This is new as of about 4 months ago. This never used to happen.

Another thing I have noticed is if I am playing COD2 online, it will work fine, and when I disconnect from the game and try to open a web page, it will have lost its connection, but for some reason when I am online gaming, it won't drop the connection until I disconnect from the game.

"Joe Crown" wrote:


I'm guessing from your e-mail address you are using comcast, so this post is going to assume that is true. Now I'll ask some questions as you posting nothing about how you computer is connected to the Internet.

1 How are you connected to the Internet? (DSL, cable, dial-up, Fixed Wireless, satellite, or something else.)



2 Are you running any software firewalls?



3 Do you have a router between you & your Internet connection?



That's all the questions I can think of at this moment.

photochop@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

I've done some further testing, and it doesn't require a reboot. I can
also logout and log back in, and that will fix the problem. This is
pretty inconvenient, as you can imagine. Any reason for this to happen?
This is a wired connection.


--

Don't pay malware vendors - boycott Sony & Symantec for helping them

Please do not contact me directly or ask me to contact you directly for assistance.

If your question is worth asking, it's worth posting.

If it’s not worth posting you should have done a search on http://www.google.com/ http://www.google.com/grphp?hl=en&tab=wg&q= or http://news.google.com/froogle?hl=en&tab=nf&ned=us&q= before wasting our time.

If I sound hostile or arrogant you need to read the following before posting a question "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way" at http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html (The site I've linked to just has this article I think people should read before posting a technical question.)


--

Don't pay malware vendors - boycott Sony & Symantec for helping them

Please do not contact me directly or ask me to contact you directly for assistance.

If your question is worth asking, it's worth posting.

If it’s not worth posting you should have done a search on http://www.google.com/ http://www.google.com/grphp?hl=en&tab=wg&q= or http://news.google.com/froogle?hl=en&tab=nf&ned=us&q= before wasting our time.

If I sound hostile or arrogant you need to read the following before posting a question "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way" at http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html (The site I've linked to just has this article I think people should read before posting a technical question.)
.

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