Landline Internet Connection

My OS is Windows 10, and I am using landline with an external modem for internet.  It has been working fine for a long time; just since the last week or two the internet connection has been dropping at least twice or thrice throughout the hours I work on my laptop.  Sometimes when I login the taskbar icon shows not connected so I need to restart or unplug the modem from the wall outlet for a few seconds and replug.  I spoke to the ISP and they said sometimes browsing causes clogging and needs to be unplugged for 10 seconds or so, maybe once a month.  But lately i have to do that every couple of days.  Maybe the modem needs to be changed as it's a bit old.  But that's apparently not the only problem.   My question is:  If I'm using landline, do I still require wi fi or mobile hotspot enabled ?  Because, every time the internet connection drops and I click on the taskbar icon, it shows the mobile hotspot disabled.  When enabled, connection is back.  I find this confusing as I am using only landline for internet connection.   For better clarification I am attaching a screenshot of the window on clicking the taskbar internet icon.   Your feedback would be helpful and appreciated.

Edited by hamluis, 21 August 2023 - 10:58 AM.
Moved from W10 to Networking - Hamluis.

I uploaded the image from my desktop but it didn't come for some reason.  

First, this belongs in the Networking subforum. I've asked a moderator to move it there.

Next, you haven't described your networking equipment. You mentioned a "landline" but didn't explicitly mention if you're subscribed to cable or DSL (via phone line). I assume you're using DSL based on mentioning your landline?

I'm not aware of any hotspot function in Windows. Posting a screenshot would be helpful. Did you click on More Reply Options when trying to post and then uploading a screenshot from there?

Nuke, is there a hotspot function in Windows now that I'm not aware of?

Edited by Shplad, 21 August 2023 - 10:29 AM.

Need more specific info...

Is this computer constantly connected to a modem by cable?

What is the name of the ISP (Internet Service Provider)

Do you have cable television or do you just use an antenna?

Do you get internet over a cable or a telephone line?

I assume the modem is supplied by your ISP...Is that true?

Have you ever used your phone to provide a hot spot for your computer to access the internet outside your home?

Is this a desktop computer or laptop / portable computer?

I'm not criticizing the OP, but this is why I asked the mod for the Networking forum to edit the pinned post to ask people to provide all basic details before we get going. We spend 1/4 of our time asking for basic information, and another 1/4 waiting for it. </rant off>

Apology for posting my problem at the wrong board.  I looked around a bit and couldn't figure where to post.  Thanks for moving it to the right board.  

As I already mentioned, I did attach the screenshot, and don't know why it didn't show up here.  I am attaching it again an I hope it loads.  tech support.jpg   29.13KB   0 downloads

I'm not using cable.  Modem supplied by ISP is attached to phone jack and my laptop.  I think it's called DSL.  

I spoke to the ISP and they said sometimes browsing causes clogging and needs to be unplugged for 10 seconds or so, maybe once a month. 

If that's true, your ISP has no shame. I've never heard such absolute BS in my life.

Back to the problem. When your Internet connection goes out on your laptop, have you checked the LED lights on your modem?  Which lights are lit up?

You may be losing link to the modem/router or you may be losing Internet. There is NO valid reason to use Internet

that's set up properly. None. Don't listen to lies/BS from your ISP.

We still model numbers and don't have them.

Have you tried connecting another device to the Internet while your laptop is disconnected to see if the other device gets/keeps a connection?  That way, you can isolate whether you are losing your Internet access (to the modem/router) or just the connection from your laptop to the modem/router.

Modems rarely die until they are quite old. So, you can forget about that idea. I have modems here that are 13 or more years old that work perfectly. I had one modem last 15 years. Unless perhaps you're using some really cheap, generic or poor brand modem. Brand/model?

How are you connecting your laptop to your modem/router? Ethernet (wired) ? WiFi (Wireless)?

We need details.

Edited by Shplad, 21 August 2023 - 12:45 PM.

Need more specific info...

Is this computer constantly connected to a modem by cable?

 

What is the name of the ISP (Internet Service Provider)

 

Do you have cable television or do you just use an antenna?

 

Do you get internet over a cable or a telephone line?

 

I assume the modem is supplied by your ISP...Is that true?

 

Have you ever used your phone to provide a hot spot for your computer to access the internet outside your home?

 

Is this a desktop computer or laptop / portable computer?

No computer not attached to modem by cable. It's attached directly to my laptop.

I don't have cable tv nor antenna.  My cell phone too doesn't have data, only text messaging & phone.  It in not connected to my laptop.

Modem supplied by ISP.  It's about 9 yrs old.

Never used phone to provide hotspot for computer to access internet outside my home.  

Device I'm using is a laptop.  Other than this recent issue of internet connection, the laptop is running fine.  Updates do come quite regularly.

And again, for the third time I will ask: Brand and model of modem and/or router?

You're using WiFi or Ethernet?

If you can't provide it, I'll be leaving now.

Edited by Shplad, 21 August 2023 - 12:54 PM.

 

I spoke to the ISP and they said sometimes browsing causes clogging and needs to be unplugged for 10 seconds or so, maybe once a month. 

If that's true, your ISP has no shame. I've never heard such absolute BS in my life.

 

...........

 

Modems rarely die until they are quite old. So, you can forget about that idea. I have modems here that are 13 or more years old that work perfectly. I had one modem last 15 years. Unless perhaps you're using some really cheap, generic or poor brand modem. Brand/model?

 

How are you connecting your laptop to your modem/router? Ethernet (wired) ? WiFi (Wireless)?

 

We need details.

 

I have personally experienced that removing the wall plug for 10 to 20 seconds and then replugging gets back the connection.  I've experienced this not once but several times. So I cannot call it "BS" but whether it's becoz clogging or something else I wouldn't know.

My modem is 9 yrs old and I'm not sure if it was used by some other customer of the ISP prior to that.  For the first 8 yrs this modem worked very well. Since last one year it started showing signs of a problem; it took long to connect if plugged via surge protector,  Then the ISP suggested to try plugging it directly to the wall outlet.  I did that and the connection problem was resolved ,,, until a couple of weeks ago when I again started having connection issues as I already described despite plugging it to the wall.  Furthermore, I've also observed that sometimes if there's a long power outage or power shutdown for maintenance work in my building, the modem takes too long to 'wake up' showing the 2 green lights .. an indication that it's ready for connection.  Thus all of these issues with the modem may indicate it's time to replace it.  But like I said there could be some other reason too though I don't know what.  I'm using landline (DSL), no cable, no wi fi, no connections with any other device.  Therefor I am wondering why should enabling or disabling mobile hot spot or wifi interfere with my internet connection?

My laptop is connected to the modem with ethernet wire .. I think it's called ethernet.  

And again, for the third time I will ask: Brand and model of modem and/or router?

 

You're using WiFi or Ethernet?

 

If you can't provide it, I'll be leaving now.

I don't know the model & brand.  Will have to check.  Only know that it's 9 yrs old or bit more.

I'm using ethernet.

Already provided all these info but it's a bit scattered along this thread as several people were asking similar queries.

Attaching screenshot again  ..  what would that circled thing have to do with my landline (DSL, ethernet) connection that it requires to be enabled in a situation like mine?

Sorry image not loading again.  There's apparently a glitch in the file attach button ..

Edited by Songbird_68, 21 August 2023 - 01:21 PM.

Okay, so now you're consistently plugging it directly into the wall outlet. I haven't heard of a DSL modem having any serious problems before due to being plugged into a surge protector. Maybe it's a cheap modem and/or they didn't add adequate electrical shielding in it to reject interference due to EMF (electromagnetic fields) or RF (radio frequencies).

I'm going to point out again that you need to be more specific. By "wall plug" did you mean power cord, because a telephone cable, used for DSL modems also plugs into a plug ("jack", technically) on the wall.

Which "two green lights". System and DSL (sync.). Please be more specific. How long did it used to take when it was working well? How long does it take now?

Either way, this should not be happening. A modem, when properly installed, and with properly configured ISP gear in between, should be able to keep a connection for months or years straight without disconnecting. The only exceptions should be occasionally if there's a lightning storm.

Do you have other jacks in your home? Have you tried connecting the modem to one of those instead? If so, what were the results?

Check to see if your modem has a log viewing function (usually called "logs" or "view logs" or "logging" and so forth. If so, you could send us some of the logs by private message and we could look at them. I have a bit of experience looking at DSL logs, as I used to have intermittent problems with my setup many years ago.

If you have the manual for your modem, I suggest you look at that first to see if there's a logging function. If we knew the model, and ISP, we could probably tell you if it has that.

What you're experiencing sounds like line sync. problems. If so, that can be caused by a number of different things:

1. Problems with the phone line/ISP's network infrastructure.

2. Being too physically far from the ISP's DSLAM (a sort of centralized connection point for DSL modems).

3. Poor quality wiring between you and the DSLAM. (Fixable if ISP is cooperative)

4. Poor quality telephone wiring inside your home.

5. Failing or poor AC adapter for your modem.

6. EMI/RFI interference with modem from something in/near your home

Edited by Shplad, 21 August 2023 - 02:05 PM.

 

 

No computer not attached to modem by cable. It's attached directly to my laptop.

 

Also, replies like this make me have to read them 2 or 3 times to make any sense of them. "Computer is not attached to the modem but it's attached to laptop?" How is a laptop not a computer?

 I assume you meant "desktop computer"?