Intermittant internet connection

[mikelizd]

Hi:
I have an AMD 800 MHz running Win 98SE. Every so often the cable Internet connection is lost. This disconnection is intermittent in nature, could 30 mins could be 2 or 3 hours. A reboot restores the connection. I can only put it down to a heat-related problem, although I have installed an additional fan. I have tried another computer and it keep the same connection fine. Any suggestions would be really welcome.
Thanks
Mike

 

[jpm121]

1. Since one PC has the problem and another doesn't, you may rule out the cable modem.

2. Have you update drivers for the network card? Did you use the same network cable for your swap test? If possible, swap the network cards from one PC to the next and see if the problem remains.

 

[mikelizd]

Thanks for the reply jpm12. I have tried swapping the card and updating the driver. I have had this computer connected directly to the cable modem via a regular ethernet card card and also on a Homenetwork (3com Homeconnect),accessing the internet through another computer. I have re-install Win 98SE (using different disks)with either card(s) the computer has the problem. I have run ad-aware etc.. I keep coming back to heat or the AMD chip set(???)
Thanks for the help
Mike

 

[wookalar]

I be very suspect of the actual patch cable that runs from your NIC to the cable modem. If you have the capability, I would test both the patch cord and the NIC that you use in another machine. Usually I wouldn't blame something like this on heat unless you are experiencing alot of other problems with it. If this is the only problem, start with the networking hardware. First try testing the patch cables and the NIC, then make sure the drivers, etc are working fine. If all this tests out ok in another machine then there could be other issues. I would start there first though. Also, if there is a switch/router between your pc and the computer and other machines on your network are working fine, then try using a different port on the switch.

 

[mikelizd]

Hi wookalar:
Thanks for the thoughts: I have swapped the cable and the NIC card. There are no other problem with the PC, so I tend to agree wrt on heat. Also when I re-installed Win 98 I re-installed the drives and checked for updates. Of course to restore the internet connect I just re-boot (!!!!!). I have also tried to blame the ISP provider but the modem etc checked out.
Thanks again
Mike

 

[wookalar]

Wow, this is definitely a puzzleing one. Have you tried to put the NIC into a different PCI slot? Or, have tried to put two NICs in your machine at once and then try the connection on each NIC? Hopefully that will rule out it being the NIC. Maybe there is an update for your browser or a setting (ie: proxy setting, connection settings, etc) with the browser/OS that is different on this machine than on the one that would hold the connection. Don't you just love troubleshooting?

 

[mikelizd]

Hi wookalar:
No I have not tried to two NIC idea and also different slots. I am using IE 6 with all the updates to date.
I will try
Thanks
Mike

 

[DTSMAN]

To keep it simple could it be something in your power options. Also, I do restraunt systems and run serial printers to their kitchens. Tech tie wrapped the cable to an electrical conduit that was knocking the computer off line. We went through all the trouble shooting you have and when we relocated the serial cable on a long shot, wo-la, it hasn't dropped connection since. Never seen serial spikes knock out a network connection.