[Blacklabelglock]

Can anyone help me get a better DSL signal. I want to do something that will make the signal alot stronger. I do not have a laptop or are wireless. I live in a kinda wooded area. SBC put in my dsl line. I have had nothing but problems. I get a drop in the signal where it will time out the page and all that good stuff. THey come out and give me every excuse they have. Is thier anything at all that will boost the signal to get it to run like it is supposed to ??? Any suggestions ...at this point I am up for anything !!:freak:

 

[Dandapani]

It's all about how far you are away from the central office. The further away, the worse the service. Sorry. That's just the way it is.

Get CABLE. Sorry, someone had to say it. If not available, then see if there is a wireless IP provider in your area. A lot of rural and otherwise difficult to wire places are getting broadband that way.

 

[IndyGunFreak]

Originally posted by Blacklabelglock
Can anyone help me get a better DSL signal. I want to do something that will make the signal alot stronger. I do not have a laptop or are wireless. I live in a kinda wooded area. SBC put in my dsl line. I have had nothing but problems. I get a drop in the signal where it will time out the page and all that good stuff. THey come out and give me every excuse they have. Is thier anything at all that will boost the signal to get it to run like it is supposed to ??? Any suggestions ...at this point I am up for anything !!:freak:

Threaten to cancel the service if they don't figure out what the problem is. There's been several reports on here of SBC having outstanding customer service when customers encounter DSL probs. Document your calls complaining about problems(who you talked to, date, time, etc..). Call in and ask that a supervising technician be sent out to look at the problem.

Kind of unusual, everything I've read about their DSL service has been positive... If you can get cable service, it really is the way to go...

IGF

 

[Washington D.C.]

What brand and model DSL modem do you have?What version of Windows are you using?

 

[fastvfr]

I'd try power-cycling the router/modem before you get too excited.

Also check for malware and virii; make sure those scanners are 100% updated first.

 

[Blacklabelglock]

What is power cycling the modem ?? I have the 2 wire 800 gateway DSL modem. I also us Win XP. They have sent people out but can never say what the problem is. I get its a weak signal sorry .... I wish i could go cable but it is so much money in my area. It is really not to cost efficent. I just wish I could by some kind of signal boost or something like that. Someone told me to hook up a wireless unit becasue it always keeps the signal strong ??

 

[hwyhobo]

Originally posted by Blacklabelglock
What is power cycling the modem ??

Turn it OFF. Wait. Turn it ON.

I just wish I could by some kind of signal boost or something like that.

The signal comes from the Central Office, not from you. You can't boost it.

Someone told me to hook up a wireless unit becasue it always keeps the signal strong ??

Hook up to what? Again, CO provides the signal, not you.

 

[IndyGunFreak]

Originally posted by Blacklabelglock
What is power cycling the modem ?? I have the 2 wire 800 gateway DSL modem. I also us Win XP. They have sent people out but can never say what the problem is. I get its a weak signal sorry .... I wish i could go cable but it is so much money in my area. It is really not to cost efficent. I just wish I could by some kind of signal boost or something like that. Someone told me to hook up a wireless unit becasue it always keeps the signal strong ??

Again, if they can't fix the problem, they are not upholding their end of the contract...

Cable generally isn't that much more than DSL, maybe 10-15 dollars, and it works(DSL generally does also) Personally, I think you're not being a big enough jerk when you call them, they'd fix this if you tell them fix it or else, especially since you've had them out there a few times.

A wireless unit will do nothing, because in order for it to work, you'd have to run your DSL connection(which is what you're losing), to a router, then your devices(PC, Laptop, whatever), would wirelessly connect to the router. If the router isn't getting a feed from the DSL service, then it can't send any thing to the rest of the network.

Only thing thats gonna fix this, is calling them and getting 10ft deep in a supervisors rear end...

IGF

 

[Washington D.C.]

Besides cycling the power off to the modem and router,also make sure you unplug all cables and cords going to them too.Let them sit at least 10 minutes.Could also be weak signal from a damaged phone line or even a bad ground on a support calbe on a telephone pole.That one is a bit more difficult to explain.Now if you think it might be malware on the PC download,save and install Ewido.

http://majorgeeks.com/Ewido_Anti-Malware_d4677.html


I was asking about the hardware because there are some settings on Windows XP that are normally automatic but if they were changed or you used a different type of internet connection with it before they may need to be reset.Now the DSL modem problems,Many DSL modems have settings and/or onboard software that often needs to be optimized for your connection.One of the DSL modem companies used to offer this from the keyboard optimizing for $50.Later my phone company gave all of their DSL customers the instrucyions for doing this themselves for free.

 

[vinniej123]

I had to threaten Verizon before I could get good service. Mine would just act like a 9600 modem would, SLOOOOOOW. I called them and they said "I'm sorry, There is nothing we can do". so after messing with it myself and getting mad, I e-mailed them. I told them if "I'm sorry, There is nothing we can do" is the best they can do, to cancel our service and waive the termination fee (due to them not keeping their part of the contract. After I sent that e-mail, it wasn't 6hrs before it was working flawlessly (and has ever since).

Just remind them that they are not keeping their end of the bargin, and threaten them with action.

 

[KSS745]

I'm a Tech support agent at an ISP is Spokane, What I suggest is first Power Cycle the modem by unplugging the black power cable from the back of the modem. Wait about 10 seconds and then plug it back in. Also check to make sure that the Ethernet cable from the modem to the computer is good quality, make sure it has Cat5e or Cat6 stamped on it. Run Anti Virus and Spyware checks on the computer. Next one thing that some people dont think about is the distance of telephone cable
from the telephone network Interface (TBI) on the outside of the house and the modem. Also if that line going from the modem to the wall jack is in bad condition it will affect quality, same as the quality of line from the wall jack to the TNI.

 

[Blacklabelglock]

You guys have some great suggestions. I think I will replace that Ethernet cable .Looks kinda crappy and cheap. Now call me crazy my cordless phone is a piece of crap. The battery is always going dead. I had to unplug all of it in the other room and I can swear my pc runs faster in my office ???? Is thier a way the cordless in my bedroom can be killing my signal. I have no wireless in my house at all. It just seems very strange .

 

[IndyGunFreak]

Originally posted by Blacklabelglock
You guys have some great suggestions. I think I will replace that Ethernet cable .Looks kinda crappy and cheap. Now call me crazy my cordless phone is a piece of crap. The battery is always going dead. I had to unplug all of it in the other room and I can swear my pc runs faster in my office ???? Is thier a way the cordless in my bedroom can be killing my signal. I have no wireless in my house at all. It just seems very strange .

Replacing the Ethernet cable is definitely a good, cheap start since SBC is apparently impotent to fix the problem. I've always had pretty good luck with the Cut/Crimp your own, but its not for the squeamish, and as short a run as you need, its not worth it. Belkin makes a good Ethernet cable, and should be at your local PC store/Best Buy, etc. Best Buy also carries "their" brand of Ethernet cable, called Dynex... Never used it, but if their other stuff is an indication(Keyboards/Optical mice/CD Drives), its likely high quality.

The only way I think a wireless device could interfere with a wired ethernet connection is if the shielding on the cable was really really poor, and it may not even interfere then.

Seems the SBC guy would have suggested/tried this first, but thats just me.

IGF

 

[hwyhobo]

Originally posted by Blacklabelglock
Now call me crazy my cordless phone is a piece of crap. The battery is always going dead. I had to unplug all of it in the other room and I can swear my pc runs faster in my office ???? Is thier a way the cordless in my bedroom can be killing my signal

Did you have a DSL phone filter installed on the line inside your home to separate your phone from your data connection?

 

[IndyGunFreak]

Originally posted by hwyhobo
Did you have a DSL phone filter installed on the line inside your home to separate your phone from your data connection?

Excellent thought(when I read the post, I thought "cordless" and immediately pictured cell phone), but surely the tech would have checked/suggested this????

IGF

 

[Washington D.C.]

Those phone filters are cheap and often defective.I would try another or a few other phone filters.I've had a bunch of bad ones.

 

[hogglock]

+1 on the bad dsl filters. If you have satellite tv, as most of us country folks do, make sure that if your sat tv box is connected to the phone line, you use a filter on each seperate receiver. That one tripped me up for a while. I just decided to unplug the receivers from the phone line, never order pay per view anyway.

One more thing I've learned to do is to once every six months or so, I go out to the interface box mounted on the outside garage wall, remove the cover, clean out the spiderwebs, and spray some bug death in there. Figured THAT one out one day when the line went down completely. Just one more in a long line of the little pleasures of living in the sticks...

 

[malkore]

aside from the DSL 'filter' box, how many phones do you have plugged in, total, including the DSL modem?

Cuz I think the standard power they push on a phone line can only support 5-7 phones tops.

way back in my dialup days (i.e. over 10 years ago), I would always unplug the phones in the house from the wall jack, and my download would go from 24k to 29k instantly. with a top speed of 33.6k...that was a good increase.

something to look at.

 

[Blacklabelglock]

Oh yea he made me check all the filters . I have only two phones in the house. I think I will by some filters from the store and the new cable. I will get rid of all the sbc junk. Might be whats hanging me up. I think it might have to do with living in the woods a little to ?? My neighbors seem to be ok so who knows. They have come out to check the lines so many times I get dizzy !!

 

[hwyhobo]

Originally posted by Blacklabelglock
My neighbors seem to be ok so who knows. They have come out to check the lines so many times I get dizzy !!

They checked my line 5 or 6 times before they sent someone competent who was able to determine in 30 minutes there was damage on the line, and was able to pinpoint the exact location. It wasn't worth it for them to dig it up, so they pulled a new line through different boxes. Been fine ever since (a few years now), with an occasional hiccup.

Is it only certain times of the day that your line is acting up, or is it any time? Mine was only at certain times, after hours (that made it harder to debug). It turned out that damage caused the line to pick up interference from something that only came on in the evening. Talk about a b*&#% to troubleshoot.