For several weeks I've
had a problem with my earthlink dsl
service. Anytime I'm doing something that
uses all or most of my downstream bandwidth,
all data coming into or going out of my
apartment stops. At the same time I'm
downloading something a series of updates
for kubuntu and listening to streaming
audio, both stop. If I'm using my windows
box to download something else, that too
stops. After a pause lasting anywhere from
a second or two to 15 or 20 seconds, the
downloads resume. A few seconds later,
there's another pause. This cycle repeats
itself until the download is complete or I
give up.
Each computer has two nics. The problem
persists no matter which one either machine
is using for it's internet connection. If I
remove the router, connect the dsl modem
directly to either computer, the problem
persists. I even went to the closet and got
the modem when I had dsl from AT&T. I
set it to work with the earthlink service
and the problem persists.
Saturday an AT&T technician was here,
checked the line from the cord that plugs
into the dsl modem and says the line is in
excellent shape and noise levels are very
low. This is not surprising since I live
less than 1/4 mile from AT&T's local
office where all their equipment is.
Since I've tried two computers, 4 nics, two
dsl modems and removed the router, and the
problem still persists, I'm guessing the
problem is somewhere at earthlink's end.
Tonight at 21:30
EST, an earthlink tech support person from
somewhere in India called to tell me they
had fixed the problem. While he was on the
phone I tried downloading something else and
guess what. The problem was not fixed. As
near as I can tell, the dsl connection does
not go down. The earthlink people say it
stays up. The lights on the modem that are
on when the connection is up never go off or
blink.
The man asks me what dns settings I use. I
tell him 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. He says I
should try earthlink's dns servers. To humor
him I changed the settings on the windows box
and guess what. The problem did not go away.
Maybe I'm missing something, but it's my
understanding that once the download has
begun, that dns has already done it's job and
has no further role to play. One more thing.
If I use a VPN connection, I have no problem
with it.
Any idea what's going on? If you were to
venture a guess, would you say the problem is
at my place, with AT&T or with Earthlink?
Thanks
Derek
--
"I get my copy of the daily paper, look at the obituaries page, and if I’m not there, I carry on as usual."
Patrick Moore