I'm new to this forum, and while not even nearly a geek, I have gained a limited amount of knowledge through trial and error, so please be patient with me.
Our problem:
Telstra cable modem wired into our main home/office computer , then split to three other computers via a d-link router. We keep getting dropouts all the time for the last month or so. All green lights are flashing on the modem indicating all go, and appropriate lights on the router working. But no connection to the internet.
Note: this system worked flawlessly for 18 months.
My solution:
Unplug and reboot modem, router and main computer. Main computer cannot access the internet at all (this is the only one hard wired to the modem), but the secondary computer recieves intermittent internet connections.
I pull my hair out and ring the help desk at Telstra.
After waiting the obligatory 15 minutes on speakerphone, I do receive some help. The help desk informs me there has a network upgrade and also a known conflict between cable modem and router. He promises a software upgrade in the next month or two. I can't wait that long.
Then I call the freelance IT guy who set up our system. He comes around and changes the router over to a Netgear product (from d-link). Problem solved for about two weeks, then it starts over again. Intermitent connection problems.
Call freelance IT guy again who swears he has many clients with comflicts between Telstra cable modems and routers. His suggestion is to ditch the cable modem and try an ADSL line instead to minimise conflicts.
So, I call Telstra and ask about quotes for an ADSL connection, and they are unequivocal- "why do that, when you have the fastest connection available, adsl is a backward step"
My questions are:
- Is there anything I haven't tried yet to make the connection work, without changing hardware again?
- Is ADSL any more reliable the cable modem Telstra? Are there any other advantages to adsl?
- Should I change to a different ISP provider? (Most other ISP seem to run on Telecom wires, and from what I have read that is not a step in the right direction.)
- Is there another ISP that can use Telstra cabling.
By the way, we are unhappy with our customer service from Telstra, more to do with the unproductivity associated with the amount of time calling the helpdesk. Not just on this issue, also phone problems.
Thanks in advance for any replies, I love the way the web can work like this.