Internet Connection Issues

[Beach]

I've been tearing my hair out for a while now and just don't know what to do. I had my Broadband provided by Pipex and for a long time it worked fine but recently I started having problems whereby I couldn't connect to the internet and the diagnostics tool in vista reported it as a DNS issue. I started to use OpenDNS and for a while I had no problems and then I would again randomly have issues connecting to the internet. All the time that this was happening I had an active broadband connection and my router would show the speed of my connection but I couldn't get an IP address and so couldn't get onto the internet.

Finally I got fed up, and thinking it an ISP issue, and migrated to O2. The O2 box showed up on tuesday, i set it up following the instructions and still can't get connected. The lights on the O2 wireless box show that I have a ethernet connection with my PC, the phone line is connected and there is a broadband connection but the light for the internet is red. No matter what i do I can't get on the net. I've flushed my DNS setting, released the IPconfig, renewed the IPconfig, cleared the Winsock catolgue, switched off the IPv6 connection, rebotted the router more times than I can remember and nothing. The only really strange thing is that if I have my Kaspersky firewall turned on, the diagnoctics tool says that it can't find a problem with the internet connection; if I pause the protection then the same diagnostic says there's a DNS issue.

Last night I took my old netgear router, connected it up to my Laptop via ethernet, plugged it into the phone line and input all the details for the O2 connection. I had exactly the same issues. The router had a connection but will not go onto the internet.

I can't connect anything wirelessly - the PS3 and Wii both have the same problem that the PC does. I'm at my wits end. I thought it was a pc problem and I've found some stuff today about tweaking the DHCP regsitry settings for problems that sound similar to what I'm experiencing but I'm not sure that's the answer any more.

Can the PC prevent the router from getting on the internet? does it sound more like an issue at the exchange? Can anyone help as the helpdesks at both Pipex and O2 have so far been unable to fix the issue.

[Jay]

This sounds like your line has not been moved over yet.

[Beach]

I thought that as well Jay and rang Pipex last night who confirmed that their service had stopped and been transferred to O2. O2 are adamant that BT have transfered over as well. It's frustrating as I feel totally helpless and all i want is for someone, anyone, to fix whatever the problem is.

O2 initially diagnosed a router problem despite my telling them it probably wasn't and they now won't provide any further help until the new router turns up and I try that. I'll try O2 again tonight and see if they're more inclined to help.

[peterb]

Do you connect if you enter the IP address for a site - if so, then it is a DNS problem.

195.78.94.240 is the IP address for Hexus.net - so enter that in your browser.

[Beach]

Sorry for the delay in replying - still no internet at home but back at work now.

The problem is baffling the O2 helpline. My new router turned up, set it up and nothing. They checked their end and they can see that the router is connected but there's no record of it trying to log into the O2 service. the line is live, the router is connected but something is preventing it getting into the O2 network. BT are now looking at it so hopefully it will be resolved soon.

Thanks for the replies.

[peterb]

I wonder if it is the BT radix authentication server that hasn't been updated? Nothing you can do about it, but would explain the problem. (IIRC BT authenticates users against their ISP credentials, line etc and then passes that to the ISP concerned)

[Beach]

With any luck BT should be looking at it to day and O2 are going to call to update me. Once I find out what the problem was I'll let you know. I hope to God it's easy to fix!

[Jay]

it sounds as if maybe ADSL has been removed from your line. Sky did this to me once.

[Beach]

Had a call on Friday to say that BT had been into the excahneg and 'fixed' the problem. It turned out that this meant they had flexed the which, as far as I can tell, is another way of saying they unplugged the line and plugged it back in again. Anyway, tested the internet connection and was finally able to get online. It lasted about 24 hours before access to the internet went again and I'm back to the same problems I was having before. BT have been back to the exchange but are saying that everything is ok.

It now seems that almost no-one knows what the problem is. I'm waiting for a call from O2 today who I believe are going to arrange for an engineer to come to my house. I just hope that we get to the bottom of it soon.

[Beach]

Another day and another day without any internet access. I realise there's little advice anyone can give but writing about it is quite cathartic.

O2 helplines are trying to help as best they can but quite honestly if they ask me to reset the router one more time I think I'll scream. Bar that one brief period between Friday and Saturday my router has been unable to communicate with the O2 service. I'm expecting a further update today but I'm not holding my breath.

[Phage]

Have you tried threats ? If O2 can't provide a service, then you would be entitled to cancel the contract and go elsewhere.
To be fair it does sound like a BT issue.

[Mossy]

Sounds like a BT issue indeed, your provider can't do more that they are tbh..

[Beach]

I agree it's probably a BT issue and O2 are being very helpful but the situation is that O2 say "It's a BT issue, not our equipment, nothing we can do" and BT seem to be taking the line that I'm not their customer, I'm O2's customer and they've done a little to help and that's as far as they'll take it. I'm hoping they'll sort it out between them else I think the only way around it would be to cancell with O2 (I'm within the first 30 days of contract), and move to BT who'll own both the equipment and my BB connection. At least then they'll feel obliged to do something.

It's very frustrating though.

[Mossy]

Thats what they want you to do though BEACH but its uptp you. If you have a line with them you ARE a customer despite not having their BB. I had similar problems when I did their home move to the point the line didnt even work for the phone. Took a couple of weeks to sort and in the end becuase there was to many lines connected at the pole the engineer decided I wouldnt need mine and pulled the plug to install a new line for the house accross the street.

[Beach]

Progress! BT have found a fault at the exchange. After two previous visits where they 'flexed' my line, they were finally persuaded to go back a third time and have now found that there's a faulty card of some type on the line which is causing the problem. What's even more amazing is that it's an issue which affects 48 other people in my town whose lines go through the same card! I'm speechless it's taken them so long. Anyway, O2 have been very good throughout the process and now if BT can get everything fixed quickly I will hopefully have internet access very soon.