Internet Connection Problems

[Tefler]

We have a Windows 7 and Windows 10 computer, together with an iPad. Our ISP is Plusnet and we were using a Technicolor TG582n router, but it lost connection at random times at least twice a day. We've now changed to a Belkin Play N600 and the situation seems worse. Frequently, the green light will be on, but there's no connection - this seems almost inevitable if nobody has been using the Internet for a while. Unplugging and reconnecting usually reconnects, but doesn't always. On other occasions, we have the red light, when unplugging and reconnecting often doesn't work first or second time. We've tried the 'reset' button, which takes longer but has worked most times.

There's no noise on the telephone line and I've replaced the microfilter. I've tried changing the channel on the router from 'auto' to 1, but that hasn't helped. What else should I be trying - or is this a Plusnet problem?

[Zacs-Master]

Any good?
http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/hardware/

[Tefler]

Thanks for taking the time to answer, Zacs-Master, but I had already seen that page and followed the instructions. What I'm looking for now is ways of troubleshooting the problems detailed above.

[HansUrbancka]

I think that it could be a Plusnet problem. Too much traffic on the line and you are then being capped/throttled.

Perhaps you need to talk to a techie at Plusnet. Consequently, you could telephone [phone] and ask a few questions.

Being an 0800 number, I understand that it is a free telephone number within the uk, for landlines and mobiles.

Hans.

[pinkyboyid]

Something to try, on the assumption that your Wireless connection is still active, when you next experience a connection problem on either of your windows computers, try the following which will check to determine if you still have a connection established to your router followed by a second check to see if a direct Internet communication is still possible:-

- Press the Windows Logo keyboard key and the "R" key combination together to open a 'Run' box
- Type (or Copy and paste) the following command text
CMD /K ping 192.168.0.1 -t
- A Command Prompt window will open and commence a continuous communication ping to your router, assuming the 600N default gateway address is actually 192.168.0.1 (according to the manual!)
- If the ping is successfully it will display as
Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.0.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
(note bytes/time/ttl numbers may differ but 'Reply' indicates success and a "Request timed out." indicates communication failure)

If that was successful, now to check the Internet communication path:
- Close the 'Command Prompt' window opened previously
- Press the Windows Logo keyboard key and the "R" key combination together to open a 'Run' box
- Type (or Copy and paste) the following command text
CMD /K ping 212.58.244.22
- A Command Prompt window will open and commence a continuous communication ping to the bbc.co.uk web site
- If you see a 'Reply' message as before then the connection to the Internet is working. This would then most likely indicate that the downstream Plusnet Domain Name Servers (DNS) are not responding correctly. If so, the DNS settings can be changed on your computer to use a more reliable service e.g OpenDNS or Google DNS

[Tefler]

Thanks Pinkboyid and Hans. I've printed off your answers and will try them out at the first opportunity.
Cheers!