AArgh! Computers and such

[Ed62]

Yesterday afternoon, I lost my connection to the internet. I wasn't able to get back on until this morning. The same thing happened a few times before, but it seemed to straighten itself out. I have a DSL modem. When it is working properly, I have three steadily lit green lights, and one flashing when there is activity to the internet. When things go south, I only have two steadily lit green lights, and the activity light is off. By shutting the modem off for a couple of minutes, then turning it back on, it usually clears the problem. When I got tired of trying, I shut the modem off last night. When I got up this morning, I turned it back on. Everything is now fine. Does that sound like my modem is going out?

Ed

[RAFlorida]

Ed, I have the Westell 6100

with Verizon, and once in awhile mine does like yours. Never any lasting effects and always comes back on if I leave it off for a few minutes. Cause? I don't know. Everything, drives, dlls and such appear ok. Just don't know why it does it, maybe once a month.

[LCHIEN]

what's the label on the failing green LED say and the two good ones say??? The labels are there for a reason, tells you whats working and what's not.
You're like saying, "there's a light on my car's dashboard lit up. What's that mean?"

[Uncle Cracker]

I have to power down my modem a couple times a year to clear a hang-up. I think it just goes with the territory.

[crokett]

If you can't get to the internet it makes sense the activity light is off - no activity means no light. Do you have a separate router or just the modem?

[Ed62]

The Power and Ethernet lights don't seem to have any problem at all. The DSL light blinks for a short time, but will not stay lit. The DSL light keeps trying, but no luck (although it's OK now). The activity light is self explanatory.

I have a fairly new router, a Netgear, Wireless G router, although I use it hard wired. We have two computers running off it, and the TV is hooked up also.

It might just be that it comes with the territory, but it sure is aggravating when you try for a couple of hours, with no success.

Ed

[Uncle Cracker]

It might just be that it comes with the territory, but it sure is aggravating when you try for a couple of hours, with no success.

It shouldn't take a couple of hours. That's not right. To reboot my modem, I just unplug the power cable and incoming data cable, let it sit for a minute, and plug it all back in. Never needed more than one try.

[Ed62]

That's why I was wondering if the modem hadn't seen better days. I was offline most of the day yesterday because I couldn't get on. It makes me think if it gets hot, something opens a circuit. Not sure that's right though because It's been OK for about 6 hours today.

Ed

[LinuxRandal]

The longest I have ever heard a modem needing to be shutdown was 10 minutes. Longer then that may be a heat (bad internals) issue (have thermal means of testing), or it may mean you have problems on the line itself (before you).

[crokett]

Ed, what make/model DSL modem do you have? On mine the DSL light is on steady when I have a good connection. If it is off or blinking, then no DSL connection. If you give me the make/model I can probably find the user manual and check but it sounds like it is either the modem or a problem on the line before it comes into your house.

[LCHIEN]

ethernet light means its talking thru the ethernet cable to your router or computer.
Power light self explanatory - unit has power.
DSL light off or blinking means it can't establish a DSL connection to the modem at the ISP's rack of DSL modems. You need to call your ISP to have them fix it or your modem or the wiring between them, whichever is the cause. Or they can tell you that yes they were serviceing equipment and there was an outage(s) over the last few days.
They may also tell you to stand on your head, move your modem away from the telephone and test your computer and all kinds of other stuff to keep from having to fix their stuff, which is what's really broken.

[Ed62]

If you give me the make/model I can probably find the user manual and check but it sounds like it is either the modem or a problem on the line before it comes into your house.

It's a SpeedStream 5100. Thank you, sir.

Ed

[Salty]

Ed, I experience the same thing from time to time.
An explanation I once received was that the phone company is not required to maintain a signal to your house that is anything better than what is needed for a phone conversation. I take that to mean that there may be periods of interference or line noise that would trip out a DSL moden but would still allow a phone call. I know that there are times when I hear noise on the phone when I an talking and that may be the kind of thing to interupt a modem. If a line is down somewhere and it causes noise then that may be persistant until the line is fixed.
Or, it could be that I don't know what I'm saying.

Salty

[crokett]

Ed, I found the user manual for that modem. On the DSL light, no light means no DSL signal. Steady blink means it is trying to establish a connection. Intermittent blink is it is connected and traffic is moving. You can try changing out the cable you have from the wall to the modem, and change the filter too, if there is one. After that you need to call your telco - either the modem is bad or there is a problem on your line.

[Ed62]

Thanks very much for all the help. It's been very good today. Maybe the gremlins are gone for a while.

Ed