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Good broadband connection - mostly, but...

softmuse
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎31-08-2008

Good broadband connection - mostly, but...

Any advice gratefully received, please...
Been on broadband (Plusnet) for a few weeks.  Speed is excellent, with no drop-outs yet once connected OK.javascript:void(0);
But  -  sometimes -  apparently at random, and fairly often  - when I try to connect (usually via Firefox -> Google, but other ways too) nothing useful happens;  e.g. Firefox can't find any site I look for, or similar symptoms with other progs, so I assume has failed to connect..javascript:void(0);
And other times it just works fine.
My DSL box lights are all there  -  Status flashing, LAN lit and DSL lit.
Filters in place OK; I've unplugged all other things  -  makes no difference.
A reliable and annoying  "fix" is to plug in old-fashioned dial-up connection to filter and connect using dial-up.  Aafter dial-up connection has been established and ended again, broadband is usually fine!!!!  It's not just plugging the dial-up line into the filter that does it;  I need to go thro actually connecting temporarily with dial-up.
??????????????????  Beyond me (despite 30 y :Drs in the computer business!!)....    Help pls. javascript:void(0);
12 REPLIES 12
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Good broadband connection - mostly, but...

Hi Softmuse,
Does your router report any disconnections at all?  What do the router logs show?
softmuse
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎31-08-2008

Re: Good broadband connection - mostly, but...

Thanks, James Bailey,
Not sure I have access to any "router logs"...  unless they are stored somewhere on my PC without me knowing...?
I have the most basic single port modem/router, from Plusnet, being a D-Link DSL-320B.
The only info it gives me directly is thro the 4 display lights, which, (very shortly after settling down on power up), always seem to say this :-
Power:  On & steady
Status:  Flashing steadily at about one flash each 2/3 sec
LAN:      On & steady
DSL:      On & steady
These don't change when I'm trying but failing to connect  -  as far as I have seen so far Huh
Cheers,  Dave T (softmuse)
maranello
Pro
Posts: 1,267
Thanks: 200
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Re: Good broadband connection - mostly, but...

Hi Dave,
Your problem sounds similar to one I had when using the DSL320B. The fix involved updating the router firmware. You will need to go to the D-link website and download the update file, which is in the form of a zipped folder.
Your router stats can be found by going to the router configuration pages on http:192.168.1.1. Log in using user  'admin' and password 'admin'.  Click the STATUS tab and on the left hand side you should see a tab for Statistics. You should also be able to find out what is your current firmware version, but I can't remember exactly where this is displayed. There is a reasonably good user manual on the CD that you should have had with your router. If you can find the firmware version post this back and should confirm the problem.
If you cannot get into the configuration pages then this could also be a symptom of the same problem you are experiencing. I found that an easier way of getting round this was to power down the router, and it leave for about a minute before powering back up.
Hope this is of some help
My other car isn't a Ferrari
softmuse
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎31-08-2008

Re: Good broadband connection - mostly, but...

Thanks Maranello for the recommendation,
I've got most of the way there, i.e:
- found & downloaded to local file an upgrade to the firmware,
  (my version is UK_1.10,Jan 01,2000
  upgrade found is 1.10B01T01 09-07-2008  "To fix problem when DSL-320B is connected to Internet Gateway products where WAN port is not getting an IP Address.")
Then, being cautious, I successfully used http:192.168.1.1. to back up my current modem/router settings to local disk file in case they get reset.
BUT when using http:192.168.1.1. to try to upload the downloaded firmware update via  "MAINTENANCE" "Firmware Update" I get stuck.    It offers Browse to let me choose the update file I downloaded the update to, but complains with "Please enter a valid filename" however I try to reference the right file;  I've tried renaming the downloaded file to shorten the possibly excessively long  file name, tried pointing to the original downloaded Zip folder and to the expanded file, but can't get past this complaint....
Any final ideas?????  Huh Huh
maranello
Pro
Posts: 1,267
Thanks: 200
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Re: Good broadband connection - mostly, but...

Hi Dave,
I used the extraction wizard on XP to extract the files to a newly created folder. Then used the 'Browse' as you did to update the firmware.
Hope this helps, if not, D-Link do have a reasonably competent email support facility which responds fairly quickly.
My other car isn't a Ferrari
softmuse
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎31-08-2008

Re: Good broadband connection - mostly, but...

Maranello,
Thanx once again, done just that (I strongly believe!) but to no avail.  Still insists "Please enter a valid filename"....  I've put it to DSL via email and await.....
Cheers, Dave T (softmuse)
maranello
Pro
Posts: 1,267
Thanks: 200
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Re: Good broadband connection - mostly, but...


Hi Dave,
It was about a month ago that I did the firmware upgrade successfully, and can't remember exactly what I did or make any notes at the time. I have a vague memory that I selected the newly created folder rather than the extracted/unzipped file in the 'Browse' box. If you haven't tried this, it might be worth a go!
Also it may not have been a good idea to shorten the file name. Make sure that no truncation is taking place when you extract the file.
In fact, (clutching at straws here) it might be a good idea to delete all the files that you downloaded and extracted and start again, just in case the file has been corrupted in any way.
If you have any success it would be worth while documenting on this thread how it was achieved, in case others have similar problems.
Best of luck,
maranello
My other car isn't a Ferrari
scootie
Grafter
Posts: 4,799
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎03-11-2007

Re: Good broadband connection - mostly, but...

Sounds like you havent unzipped the firmware file before trying to upgrade.
You need to decompress the file you downloaded before using the browse thing to locate the file.
opps did'nt read the theard fully. seems you all ready tryed that.
any chance of posting what the file name ends with the bit after the dot?
softmuse
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎31-08-2008

Re: Good broadband connection - mostly, but...

Think prob is solved....
Thanx Maranello
and also Jameseh & Asbo Dog for your efforts......
Finally made it    -  it was a bit obscure.....
On advice from D-Link tech support I did both the upgrade download and the firmware upgrade using Internet Explorer,
rather than Firefox.
Using IE, I pointed to the unexpanded zip file (dsl-320b_firmware_V1.10B01T01.UK.20080709.zip) with the Browse button, and bob's your whossername.  Nae bother as they say up here.
I'm sure I did fizackerly the same via Firefox....  Why the blahdi-blah it should make any difference using IE, I've no idea....
 
Still to be 100% sure that my original problem has gone away (remember the original problem?!!); but at first sight it looks very hopeful.  Will post again with final verdict after a day or so's use...
Many thanks Y'all
Dave T (softmuse)


maranello
Pro
Posts: 1,267
Thanks: 200
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Re: Good broadband connection - mostly, but...

Hi Dave,
Great news, hopefully problem now sorted, although a bit strange that the update should require IE.
If the problem doesn'r recur within 3-4 days then it's probably fixed.
If Plusnet are still giving out the DSL-320B with Option 1, can I suggest that they add a help page for updating the firmware?
My other car isn't a Ferrari
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Good broadband connection - mostly, but...

We're currently sending out Speedtouch 510v6's as one port routers.
softmuse
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎31-08-2008

Re: Good broadband connection - mostly, but...

Thank you good people so far, but sadly my high hopes were not upheld since my upgrade of DSL-320B modem/router firmware to latest version.
Problem is still there after all  -  (=Good once connected, but random failue to connect at all).
It happens (I think???) rather less often, that's all  -  but that still means about one failure in two attempts.  As a clue, the "dialup-connect-and-disconnect" fix seems 100% to work but is a pain  -  particularly as one point of broadband was to throw away dial-up phone and service charges.....
Any other good ideas?Huh
Cheers, Softmuse