internet connection goes off all the time

[southeastastra]

i have to unplug router and plug in again or turn off cable tv switch to re-boot.

do i need a new router? it's an old belkin, driving me mad

Who is your isp?

virgin

Having same problems with virgin. I think they are the problem. If I have the time I am planning to start ringing them and reporting a fault each time it happens. So far this month they have given me compensation for about 8 days of problems.

its a fault with the belkin router - they are crap. e had the same problem. Get a new router.

It's not a bog standard router with cable tv. Report the problem to virgin, get them to replace it.

This is happening to me as well we are with BT so far today have lost connection 4 times each have had to Restart to get it back ?

busymummy3 - different problem as Virgin cable is original user's ISP.
If yours is continuing to play up, best start a new thread, as yours might be router, ISP or the kit at BT exchange (esp if they have upgraded it recently).

Can't you just hit reconnect in the toolbar?

I've all ways had the disconnect issue, I'm with Talk Talk you leave it idle for 20 mins and you get disconed.

Surely depends on connection kit, Ryoko... routers generally stay online for days/weeks with no disconnect from ISP, USB modem different altogether and quite old now (been using routers since April 2002).

er confused now! do i call virgin or get a new router? router is belkinwireless g - about 5 years old now

It's all ways been like that, it's a safecom bog standard router, I've had a look for any options to do with timeout and can't find any so I just assumed it was them, they are rubbish really, but then I think most of them are.

Everytime I look into getting a new ISP I find the ones I'm looking at have been bought up by the dreaded Talk talk or BT etc, I think theres only about 3 companies selling under over 50 names.

southeastastra - do you use wi-fi to connect to router, and can you easily tell it is working OK all the time ? Have come across some wireless problems and some ethernet hub problems with different Belkin routers (but for ADSL not Virgin as no cable service nearby and no experience with it).

Can you connect to Belkin control screen (eg to check wi-fi settings) as that would work even if the internet link is down.

If the wi-fi link is failing, then it's the router, and no point contacting Virgin, but if your connection to the router is fine (and a cheap option would be to get an ethernet cable from Poundland if you have none) so you can guarantee your wi-fi is not the cause... then if still getting problem, ask Virgin if they have been doing maintenance (assuming this problem is only recent) and see what they say.

Might be worth getting a s/h wi-fi router off Ebay if you find your Virgin connection is stable but the wi-fi/ethernet link of Belkin is faulty (the Belkin control panel should be able to show whether the link to the cable box is OK or down - if it keeps going 'down' I would suspect the Belkin to be frank).

Probably nothing wrong with the router. Virgin has been giving intermittent cable service for a while now (there seems to be a problem with their core network that attaches to the outside world), there's not much you can do about it but keep complaining.

Ryoko - depends on your needs from the ISP, and budget. Also area where you are, and speed you would like.

TalkTalk now owns Tiscali and Pipex plus AOL, Freedom2Surf and perhaps others, not sure how many BT may have bought, but I know PlusNet (while owned by BT) is run independently and also runs Madasafish, Force9, and Metronet (I've been with them off and on for 5+ years and their overnight unlimited downloads from 00:00-08:00 are very handy, available even on the lowest cost a/c at about 7 quid, which has a 10 GB limit 08:00-00:00, and can be set to go slow if you exceed the 10 GB or you pay a fiver extra [but note the extra 5 GB allowed does not carry over to next month, so I advice people against it].

Then there is Eclipse in Exeter (owned by Kingston Communications in Hull), Zen (not cheap), AAISP (not cheap), and there are others such as Demon offering access at up to 20 Mbps if your exchange has Cable + Wireless kit (previously used for Bulldog) but Demon has a 2 year contract (long!). Also consider O2/Be Broadband (use own kit so not across whole of UK)

Other firms like UKFSN have been Enta.Net resellers but now seem to have moved to some other firm (C+W I think), and then check out Vivacity, Xilo, ADSL24, Aquiss. Sorry, not fully up on pricing from these other ISPs. I pay under 12 quid and get 60 GB allowance which suits my daytime needs, and then maybe 100 GB off peak on top, depending on how much BBC iPlayer downloading I do.