Hello everyone,
This is my first post. I'm looking forward to becoming a member of this community.
Here is my problem. I'm working on a Windows XP Desktop (Dell), which is connected to a cable modem using an ethernet cable. I also have a Windows Vista Notebook (HP) which connects to the Internet (my secure network) wirelessly.
I use Time Warner Roadrunner as my ISP.
A month or so ago, Time Warner contacted me and asked if I wished to "upgrade" my Internet service/speed for a nominal fee (I think it was $10 per month). As I am self-employed and frequently upload/download large files for my business, I decided that this was worth the expense. So I agreed to make the upgrade, which was done entirely on their end by resetting my modem (whole process took about 30 seconds).
Since that time, I've had nothing but problems with the wireless connection on the Notebook. Any time I attempt to download a large file on to that computer (again, all done wirelessly), the download fails and I lose my Internet connection on that unit (e.g. the small globe icon in system tray which indicates that I am connected to my network disappears and is replaced by a red 'x' or the yellow 'alert' icon.
At the same time this occurs, I get a notification on my desktop PC (the one that is connected using the ethernet cable) stating: Local Area Connection: A Network cable is unplugged. The outage usually lasts for anywhere from 15 seconds to 2 minutes before restoring itself.
I have double, triple and quadruple checked all of my connections, and I can assure you that nothing is unplugged. Two calls to Time Warner have yielded little along the way of information or results. The first time I called, I was told by a snippy tech rep. that "obviously one of your cables it unplugged." The second time I called, I was told that the network card in my desktop was going bad and I needed to replace it.
Although the second explanation sounds a bit more plausible than the first, I remain suspicious. Why is it that this problem first manifested itself within hours of my upgrading my Internet speed? It never occurred so much as once prior to the upgrade. And why does the problem NEVER occur (not even once) when I am downloading files to my desktop? And why do I get errors on BOTH machines when I am attempting to download large files to the wireless machine only?
A friend—who is hardly an expert, but who is somewhat in the know—seems to think that the problem lies not within the network card but with the ethernet cable itself... that it may not be a good enough quality to handle the higher Internet speed He suggests buying a new ethernet cable and seeing if this remedies the problem. I'm not opposed to that solution, but I'd like to get other opinions before doing so.
Thanks so much.
Mister Winter
This is my first post. I'm looking forward to becoming a member of this community.
Here is my problem. I'm working on a Windows XP Desktop (Dell), which is connected to a cable modem using an ethernet cable. I also have a Windows Vista Notebook (HP) which connects to the Internet (my secure network) wirelessly.
I use Time Warner Roadrunner as my ISP.
A month or so ago, Time Warner contacted me and asked if I wished to "upgrade" my Internet service/speed for a nominal fee (I think it was $10 per month). As I am self-employed and frequently upload/download large files for my business, I decided that this was worth the expense. So I agreed to make the upgrade, which was done entirely on their end by resetting my modem (whole process took about 30 seconds).
Since that time, I've had nothing but problems with the wireless connection on the Notebook. Any time I attempt to download a large file on to that computer (again, all done wirelessly), the download fails and I lose my Internet connection on that unit (e.g. the small globe icon in system tray which indicates that I am connected to my network disappears and is replaced by a red 'x' or the yellow 'alert' icon.
At the same time this occurs, I get a notification on my desktop PC (the one that is connected using the ethernet cable) stating: Local Area Connection: A Network cable is unplugged. The outage usually lasts for anywhere from 15 seconds to 2 minutes before restoring itself.
I have double, triple and quadruple checked all of my connections, and I can assure you that nothing is unplugged. Two calls to Time Warner have yielded little along the way of information or results. The first time I called, I was told by a snippy tech rep. that "obviously one of your cables it unplugged." The second time I called, I was told that the network card in my desktop was going bad and I needed to replace it.
Although the second explanation sounds a bit more plausible than the first, I remain suspicious. Why is it that this problem first manifested itself within hours of my upgrading my Internet speed? It never occurred so much as once prior to the upgrade. And why does the problem NEVER occur (not even once) when I am downloading files to my desktop? And why do I get errors on BOTH machines when I am attempting to download large files to the wireless machine only?
A friend—who is hardly an expert, but who is somewhat in the know—seems to think that the problem lies not within the network card but with the ethernet cable itself... that it may not be a good enough quality to handle the higher Internet speed He suggests buying a new ethernet cable and seeing if this remedies the problem. I'm not opposed to that solution, but I'd like to get other opinions before doing so.
Thanks so much.
Mister Winter