My battle with Earthlink

[Derek Trotter]

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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