Mind of its own.......

[JB23]

Hello all, this is my first post on the site and I'm hoping someone can help me with a problem that I'm struggling with.

 

My home PC is running XP home edition 2002, Bullguard security and a Netgear Dg834V3 router, about 3 weeks ago my intenet connection started to play up.

 

One day it will work other days it won't!?!

 

For example last Tuesday afternoon I switched on and everything was fine, internet was quick as normal, then Tuesday evening I could not get online, although my connection status said I was connected? I can ping sites no problem but actually loading up a web page will not work? Sometimes it will load half of the google home page and other times nothing?

 

I have IE7 and Firefox and its the same problem with both.

 

I took a computer home from work and still had the same problem which lead me to believe it was the router so contacted Netgear support and after about 3 hours on the phone they agreed to replace the router as it was still under warrenty- I thought this would be the end of my problems but on Monday I set up my new router and internet connection was fine for a short while then back to square one!

 

Any help would be great.

[BeeCeeBee]

Hi JB and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help.

 

Two things come to mind immediately. Since you appear to be having the same problem on 2 different machines it would seem that malware is probably not the issue, BUT, if these 2 PCs are both under your control, is it possible that you may be swapping files and programs between them?

 

While you were right to suspect the router, have you been in touch with your ISP?

 

It may well be on their end.

 

It would be good to rule out these 2 possibilites first.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

BullGuard Antivirus, Antispyware, Firewall, Spamfilter, Backup and Support - all the security you need in one package!

[JB23]

Hi beeceebee,

 

Thanks for your quick reply.

 

yes I have spoke to Bulldog(Pipex) twice in the last 2 weeks and evrything is set up correctly with no problems on the line. Its baffling because 1 day it will work fine then the next it won't load up anything (altough the status says its connected)

 

No files have been swapped between the 2 PC's I'm afraid.

 

When I took the work unit home and tried that then it still had the same problem. I called the shop where I bought the router from oringinally and they suggested trying a new filter, I did this and hey presto my internet was back on line.... for about 4 hours then started to have the same problems?

[BeeCeeBee]

Is Bullguard on both computers?

[JB23]

Yes its on both and the work unit works fine at the office and did the moring that I swopped the filter. Thanks

[BeeCeeBee]

Hi JB

 

Since Bulldog is the one area of commonality I would suggest that you first disable it temporarily and if you have a decent connection download a good free antvirus like Avira or Avast and run with that for a while and see if your problems continue.

 

If you are at one of those times where your connection is good then download the av first then disable bulldog.

[JB23]

When you say disable Bullguard do you mean turn off the firewall? I have already done this and still the problem is there. Thanks

[BeeCeeBee]

I am not familiar with with Bullguard other then a quick review of Wolfey's link but it appears to be a complete Anti Virus package not just a firewall. You do not mention any other AV protection so I assume this is what you are using.

 

If I am correct turning off the firewall would not have any effect alone. I am suggesting is that you disable all bullguard protection and get one of the AV programs I suggested and see if that resolves the issue.

[JB23]

I'll try that later when I get home and let you know the results, thanks.

[BeeCeeBee]

Please do. It could always be something else but if this is not ruled out we will always have to keep coming back to it. Sometimes it is just the simple things.

 

Let us know.

[Tootech]

Hi,

Just want to add something here....

 

You mention that sometimes when you cannot get online your connection status is ok - how do you check it? Do you for example look in the lower right hand tray looking at the network icon or do you ping an internet site?

 

Are you connected using a wired or wireless connection?

[BeeCeeBee]

  Quote

I can ping sites no problem but actually loading up a web page will not work? Sometimes it will load half of the google home page and other times nothing?

 

The questions TooTech has asked may well have to be addressed in trying to work out what may be going wrong and he is quite right that you did not mention whether you connect by cable or wireless. I am assuming (which is often the wrong thing to do) that you are using the same method of connecting with both computers. My advice to you is to still attempt to deal with what I, at least, view as the most logical first step.

 

You have the same problem on 2 different computers and do not "swap" anything between the two. You were wise to suspect the router but a brand new one did not solve the problem.

 

Next you conferred with your ISP and it has reported no problem to you.

 

It would be wrong of you to not follow your logic to the next step and rule out the only issue that remains in common and that is the use of Bullguard on both machines.

 

My level of expertise only goes so far and there are others, like TooTech who are willing and able to step in. He may or may not be here when you return from work later and I would not want you to wait on acting with regard to the antivirus in the expectation that there is another fix to be forthcoming.

 

What I suggest will do no harm and, if logic wins out, may solve the problem. I am, of course, mindful that when it comes to PCs Logic does not always prevail.

[JB23]

Morning all,

 

I have uninstalled Bullguard and still have the same problem.

 

I have a wired connection into my Dell desktop- I can ping sites and the connection status tell me the strength and connection time but it will not load up any web pages.

 

My friend has suggested that it could be someone with a wireless connection that lives close to me that could be conflicting with my router? Would this make sense with the fact that sometimes I can get on no problem and others I can't?

 

Thanks for your help

[BeeCeeBee]

Good mornig JB.

 

Well so much for logic.

 

What your friend has suggested is possible particularly if the neighbor is using excessive bandwith such as downloading games, movies etc.

 

Is your wireless connection secured? Did you need to use a WEP key when you installed the new router?

[Tootech]

Yeah, a clash of wireless channel was the first thought.

 

The Dell - with a wired connection, can we use that to run through the fault finding process, and then when that is sorted, go back to the wireless bit.

 

The Dell again, does that also have a wireless connection to the router?

 

If so, disable it, disconnect, pull out the adapter (if it USB). That way it doesn't interfere with testing.

 

First thing to do is run a repair on the wired connection. That will delete all of the cached info on your PC and renew your IP address.

 

Can you let us know how you check your connection status - do you log into the router, or do you look at your network connection ststus?

[JB23]

Hi all, I will check my router settings tonight, its not something I really know about but can log on to the router and will have agood look around!

 

After having another chat will my friend I think it could be someone logging on through a wireless connection- I get 2 separate status icons in the bottom left of my screen (the 2 blue screen ones) when I click on either it says they are both connected but the actual time of connection is never the same... one could say 02:34 and one could say 04:56 for example. He has had a similar problem in the past.

 

I will shut down wireless later and let you know the outcome!

 

Thanks again for your help with this very frustrating problem!

[Tootech]

Maybe the two connections you see are the wired and wireless icons?

 

Bottom left of your screen - do you mean bottom right, near the clock?

Edited November 20, 2008 by Tootech

[Dalo Harkin]

Hi,

 

If you open a web page - it doent matter if its connected or not type 192.168.1.1 and you will get a password box log in for your router - can you please check and see if any of the settings seem wrong, if you are unsure what you are looking at - on the right hand side there is an explanation of each setting

[JB23]

Morning all,

 

I have now uninstalled Bullguard, and last night when I got home I reset the router and made sure all the settings where correct (I have them from past phone calls to my ISP)

 

I tried to load up my home page and it popped up quite quickly, I could search quite quickly, for example- I searched you tube and it displyed the results as normal, I could even search in you tube and click on a video, it would bring up the page and play maybe the first 5 seconds but that would be it. I tired a few different sites and it was the same problem. I could access the PC help site but clicking on the link for the forum would only display the top banners? When I clicked back to my homepage it was loaded up very quickly as usual??? I could also ping sites no problem?

 

I now only have the one connection logo in the bottom right next to the clock (local area connection status)

 

I also check my router and my PC is the only device connected to it.

 

Anyone any ideas? It seems like the connection is there but something is stopping it or slowing it down?

 

Thanks in advance

[JB23]

Good afternoon everyone,

 

just an update for you.

 

After reading another few threads on the site I thought I'd try using CCleaner and see if this had any effect, after using it and restarting my PC it seemed to work fine and I have used it a little over the weekend, it was great at first Saturday AM, back to its old speed etc, but by Sunday PM It was starting to play up a little (again slow to load up sites but quick to return back to my homepage)

 

I still have the 2 internet status symbols in the right (not left as I stated earlier- sorry Tootech) one saying "local area connection status" speed 100Mbps and a clock ticking over with the connection time and one saying "internet connection status" (or something along those lines) again with a speed (usually 3.9Mbps) and another clock running (not in sync with the other status though)

 

Any ideas would be great? Thanks