Disconnects
Occasionally users may experience disconnects
The following are possible reasons:
1. System Disconnects: The system will disconnect you if you are inactive for fifteen minutes. To avoid this disconnect you must be active. Activity is defined as moving from one page, or site or address, to another; sending email, downloading email, or downloading files from the Internet. Typing an email does not constitute activity, data must be moving over your connection to constitute activity. This action to disconnect those who are inactive, prevents users from staying connected when they are not actively using the Internet. This keeps our costs down and makes for better Internet service for everyone. An "unlimited" account does not mean you can stay connected continuously, it means we are not metering the amount of time you are logged onto the internet. All other disconnect problems have to do with the phone lines or your computer.
Note: Disabling the following settings should help inactivity disconnects.
To disable follow these instructions:
Internet
Explorer
Click Tools, Internet
Options
Click the Connections Tab
Click Settings button,
Advanced button
Clear the following options:
Disconnect if idle
for minutes
Disconnect when
connection may no longer be needed
Continue to click OK until you are back to the Internet Explorer
2. Noisy Phone Line: A noisy phone line will cause disconnects. If there is static and noise, the modem cannot maintain a reliable connection and may disconnect you. Check the phone wiring within your home or business to correct the problem, or have your local telephone company check the line for you.
3. Call Waiting: If you have Call Waiting on the phone line used for your Internet connection, you will usually be disconnected if someone calls you while you are online. It is best to remove call waiting from your "data" line (Internet line), or you can insert the *70 code before dialing.
4. Satellite Line: If you dialup on the Internet using the same line used to order movies over your satellite dish, this will also cause disconnects. It is best to use a different line for the Internet.
5. If you have a Concentrator: Phone companies often employ the use of concentrators in an area to increase the number of customers they can put on one phone cable. This is ok for voice but creates problems with data and Internet connections. It will either reduce the speed at which you can connect and/or cause disconnects. You will need to contact the phone company to find out if a concentrator is used in your area.
6. House Wiring: If you have too many phone jacks coming off the line used for Internet access, this can cause slower connect speeds and disconnect problems. This is often because of improper wiring, loose wires, or loose connections, etc.
7. Computer Configuration: Your computer must be configured for the Internet. If the DNS numbers are removed, or are wrong, an Internet connection cannot be established and you will be dropped while trying to establish the connection.
8. Modem Deficiencies: Some modems do not "negotiate down" when there is line noise. These modems will connect you at a high speed, but may drop your connection because of line noise. You can either set the maximum connect speed on your modem to a lower speed, or replace the modem with one that will negotiate down automatically.
9. Computer needs rebooted: Believe it or not this is the most common cause of connection problems. You should reboot your computer at least once per day. This cleans up a lot of problems and makes your computer run more efficiently and dependably. The best way is to shut it down at the end of the day when you are finished with it.
10. Outlook Express settings: Do the disconnects happen when checking email? If so, then there is a setting that tells your computer to hang up. Open Outlook Express then go to Tools menus, click Options. Next click the Connection tab and make sure both boxes are unchecked - especially "Hamg up after sending/receiving." Click OK to save.
11. Phone line problems: Any static or noise of any kind on your phone line will cause disconnects, trouble getting online, and/or slow connect speeds. Changes in weather and electrical storms can cause many new phone line problems to appear that never existed before. Try placing a call on your Internet line and listen for any background noise. If you hear any noise then report this to your phone company to get the problem resolved.
12. Long phone cord: If the phone cord running to your computer is longer than 15ft. and it is the flat ribbon type then it can cause connection difficulties due to line loss. Keep this line as short as possible. If the line must be longer than 15ft. then use a round, twisted pair cable for your phone cord which can be up to 300ft. long.
13. Faulty phone devices: Sometimes there are other phones, answering machines, faxes, etc. that are faulty and will cause your modem to disconnect due to noise that they inject into the line. Try disconnecting all other phones on the line that you use for the Internet and see if that makes a difference. If so then one of your phones is defective and should be replaced.
14. Modem compression needs disabled: If you are experiencing disconnects and you have a V92 modem this may apply to you. This is the new modem standard that offers a new compression mode called V44. V44 compresses data much more than in the past with the hope of making the connection faster. But on some modems this does not work very well and must be disabled. You can do this by adding the string +DS44=0 to your Extra Settings.