Random loss of internet connection

[Andioge]

I'm running Windows Vista 32bit. For several months now, my computer has been randomly losing internet connection, and only a reboot can get it back. This is the only computer in the house that runs vista, and the only one with the problem. The computer connects to a switch, and then to a router which leads to the modem. I have tried taking it into the shop, where they never encountered there problem, which suggests a problem with the network here. When I lose connection I can not receive any reply with ping or tracert from my router.

Additional info:
Started using Attansic Ethernet Utility, which has a diagnostic menu. In this menu you can run SRAM, Register, Link, and Loopback tests. Whether my internet is gone or not these would all still pass. The interesting thing is that when I had lost my internet, if I ran these tests I found I could re-gain my internet connection for a few seconds. However, it would then go away again. After trying this many times to see which test specifically got my internet back i started getting Error 1231 on my pings and tracerts, but now that i've restarted it i am getting regular internet, pings, and tracerts.

The Router is very new, has both wired and wireless capabilities.
The modem is fairly old (2002), which is what i've been thinking could possibly be the problem, but I couldn't be sure without first eliminating the possibility of the router as the cause.
The switch is not the problem, after I took the switch out of the connection I still encountered this loss of connection.

One more thing, if it might help, when i do a regular tracert to CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News when I have internet, i get step 1 going to my local network ip, (192.168.1.1), and then step 2 says "Request timed out", and then it continues to show the rest of the hops to the destination accurately. I believe step 2 would probably be the modem, so could this mean that the modem has issues with my computer?

If anyone has any ideas as to what could cause this or how to figure out what is, please let me know. Thanks very much!

[cincydanny513]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andioge

I'm running Windows Vista 32bit. For several months now, my computer has been randomly losing internet connection, and only a reboot can get it back. This is the only computer in the house that runs vista, and the only one with the problem. The computer connects to a switch, and then to a router which leads to the modem. I have tried taking it into the shop, where they never encountered there problem, which suggests a problem with the network here. When I lose connection I can not receive any reply with ping or tracert from my router.

Additional info:
Started using Attansic Ethernet Utility, which has a diagnostic menu. In this menu you can run SRAM, Register, Link, and Loopback tests. Whether my internet is gone or not these would all still pass. The interesting thing is that when I had lost my internet, if I ran these tests I found I could re-gain my internet connection for a few seconds. However, it would then go away again. After trying this many times to see which test specifically got my internet back i started getting Error 1231 on my pings and tracerts, but now that i've restarted it i am getting regular internet, pings, and tracerts.

The Router is very new, has both wired and wireless capabilities.
The modem is fairly old (2002), which is what i've been thinking could possibly be the problem, but I couldn't be sure without first eliminating the possibility of the router as the cause.
The switch is not the problem, after I took the switch out of the connection I still encountered this loss of connection.

One more thing, if it might help, when i do a regular tracert to CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News when I have internet, i get step 1 going to my local network ip, (192.168.1.1), and then step 2 says "Request timed out", and then it continues to show the rest of the hops to the destination accurately. I believe step 2 would probably be the modem, so could this mean that the modem has issues with my computer?

If anyone has any ideas as to what could cause this or how to figure out what is, please let me know. Thanks very much!

I am running Vista 64-bit and going through the same problem. I literally just bought my laptop last week!!

I have tried all of the suggestions posted on here with no luck. After trial and error, I too have started to think that possibly my older cable modem is not able to handle Vista and the bandwidth passing through it.

When I have XP I upgraded my internet to a 15mb/sec deal and the XP speed was fairly slow. When I bought my new laptop with Vista, I noticed that the speed doubled. If seems that when I am downloading things, the connection drops more.

I wonder if Vista is set up and configured to pull more bandwidth and the older cable modem is not able to handled this. I have a noticed a drop in connection when I am wireless and when I am directly plugged in hardwired from the cable modem. That ruled out my router as the cause for this issue. I also have friend who are running the same Vista that I am running and have no problems. Considering Vista is same the group or files no matter what computer you install it on, it would make no sense that mine does this. I am going to conduct a few tests this weekend to see where the issues is stemming from.

1. I am going to my in-laws house and I am going to connect to their wireless network and see if I lose my connection. I am also going to a friend's house to do the same. This will tell me if it is my laptop with Vista or possibly an issue with my cable modem.

2. If the internet connections do not drop at these locations, I am going to swap out for a new cable modem.

I will let you know what I discover because this is a frustrating situation.

[Andioge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincydanny513

I am running Vista 64-bit and going through the same problem. I literally just bought my laptop last week!!

I have tried all of the suggestions posted on here with no luck. After trial and error, I too have started to think that possibly my older cable modem is not able to handle Vista and the bandwidth passing through it.

When I have XP I upgraded my internet to a 15mb/sec deal and the XP speed was fairly slow. When I bought my new laptop with Vista, I noticed that the speed doubled. If seems that when I am downloading things, the connection drops more.

I wonder if Vista is set up and configured to pull more bandwidth and the older cable modem is not able to handled this. I have a noticed a drop in connection when I am wireless and when I am directly plugged in hardwired from the cable modem. That ruled out my router as the cause for this issue. I also have friend who are running the same Vista that I am running and have no problems. Considering Vista is same the group or files no matter what computer you install it on, it would make no sense that mine does this. I am going to conduct a few tests this weekend to see where the issues is stemming from.

1. I am going to my in-laws house and I am going to connect to their wireless network and see if I lose my connection. I am also going to a friend's house to do the same. This will tell me if it is my laptop with Vista or possibly an issue with my cable modem.

2. If the internet connections do not drop at these locations, I am going to swap out for a new cable modem.

I will let you know what I discover because this is a frustrating situation.

Alright that sounds great, what i'm gonna do is try not running my usual firewall. one of my teachers who specializes in networks said it sounds like a software problem, and i since i didn't have the problem in safe mode it was possible that a program could be the problem. Will also post here if it works.

[cincydanny513]

So last night I did a couple of things. I turned off Nortons and disabled the firewall. Still disconnected.

I finally did the winsock fix and I have not been disconnected since 11:00pm last night. I even downloaded some stuff through the night and did not drop my connection once! It had been dropping every 15-30 minutes. Maybe this is just a fluke but I will monitor it this weekend and see what happens. Hopefully this has resolved the issue!

Manual steps to determine whether the Winsock2 key is corrupted for Windows Vista users

loadTOCNode(2, 'resolution');1.Click Start, click Run, type Msinfo32, and then click OK.2.Expand Components, expand Network, and then click Protocol.3.Ten sections appear under Protocol. The section headings will include the following names if the Winsock2 key is undamaged: •MSAFD Tcpip [TCP/IP] •MSAFD Tcpip [UDP/IP] •MSAFD Tcpip [TCP/IPv6] •MSAFD Tcpip [UDP/IPv6] •RSVP UDP Service Provider •RSVP TCP Service Provider •RSVP UDPv6 Service Provider •RSVP TCPv6 Service Provider •MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... •MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... •MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... •MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... •MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... •MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... If the names are anything different from those in this list, the Winsock2 key is corrupted, or you have a third-party add-on such as proxy software installed. If you have a third-party add-on installed, the name of the add-on will replace the letters "MSAFD" in the list.

If there are more than ten sections in the list, you have third-party additions installed.

If there are fewer than ten sections, there is information missing.

Note These entries represent an installation with only the TCP/IP protocol installed. You can have a working Winsock and see additional entries if another protocol is installed. For example, if you install NWLink IPX/SPX, you will see 7 additional sections, for a total of 17. Below is an example heading of one of the new sections:
MSAFD nwlnkipx [IPX]
Also, each of the new sections that are created by installing NWLink IPX/SPX start with "MSAFD." Therefore, there are still only two sections that do not start with those letters.

If the Netdiag test fails, or if you determined that there is Winsock corruption by looking at Msinfo32, you must repair the Winsock2 key by using the steps in the next section.
Manual steps to recover from Winsock2 corruption for Windows Vista users

loadTOCNode(2, 'resolution');Winsock corruption can cause connectivity problems. To resolve this issue by using Network Diagnostics in Windows Vista, follow these steps: 1.Click , and then click Network.2.Click Network and Sharing Center.3.In the Network and Sharing Center box, click Diagnose and Repair.Note You may also access the Network and Sharing Center in Control Panel.

If the Network and Diagnostic tool was unable to find a problem, you can manually repair or reset Winsock.
Manual steps to repair or to reset Winsock for Windows Vista users

loadTOCNode(2, 'resolution');1.Click , type cmd in the Start Search box, right-click cmd.exe, click Run as administrator, and then press Continue.2.Type netsh winsock reset at the command prompt, and then press ENTER.

Note If the command is typed incorrectly, you will receive an error message. Type the command again. When the command is completed successfully, a confirmation appears, followed by a new command prompt. Then, go to step 3.3.Type exit, and then press ENTER

[cincydanny513]

I did the winsock 2 fix last night and have not had a single issue since! I will monitor it this weekend and see what happens

[cincydanny513]

Well I did the winsock2 fix and it help for a day or so. I finally decided that I have done everything from my end that it would possibly be and went and bought a brand new cable modem. Time Warner Cable who provides me with my internet claimed that the modem was working properly and that they had no issues on their side.

Saturady I hooked up my new modem and ironically at the same time...Time Warner was in the area fixing some internet related issues. Go figure! After they fixed their issues and I bought a new modem...no problems. Just for a little test, I hooked back up my old modem that they provided and it lost the connection again! As simple as it was, my modem was bad~