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
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