I’ve been having a problem with connecting to websites lately. I’m running 3 computers (2 run XP Home Edition, the 3rd runs Win 98) through a Netgear RP614 router on a cable connection, and all three have the same problem with intermittent connection. I just moved over the weekend, and at the place I lived before I didn’t have this problem so I’m tempted to blame my new provider. Before I call them up though, I’d like to make sure it’s not a problem with something like a setting. I’m not computer illiterate, but the scope of my knowledge generally consists of just enough to get video games to work.
I never have a problem with getting disconnected once I’m connected to a site or game, just with making the first connection to a site or game. For example if I get on an internet radio site, it will keep on playing, even if the other computers in my network can’t even get onto google. But if I close out the radio connection, there’s a good chance I wont be able to get it back again for a while either. Sometimes it just takes a couple tries to connect or reconnect to a site, sometimes it can take enough for me to give up and go watch tv for a while. I can be stubborn too, so that's a lot of tries.
I play everquest also, and while I’m in a single game zone I’ll be able to stay as long as I want, but as soon as I switch zones there’s a big chance I’ll get booted again, and it may take a while before it will pull up a simple site like a search engine, much less let me into the game. All three computers are having this same problem. I’ve tried pinging the other computers in my system, and sometimes it works, other times it doesn’t.
I’ve run virus scans, spybot, ad-aware, and everything else I can think of, so my comps should be pretty clean. I’ve also tried hooking one computer up directly into the cable modem, bypassing the router, and had the same issues. Is there anything else I can change or try on my end before I call up the cable company?
Sorry about the length of this thread btw, just wasn’t sure what information was pertinent and what wasn’t )