Internets

toby_winkler
toby_winkler Posts: 1,298
edited October 2010 in The Crudcatcher
Right there must be some kind of computer wizz on here that can help me out...

My internet on my laptop is just not working at all, it was playing up and being very slow last night but still actually loading pages. Today its just gone. My laptop says its is connected to my wireless router as it should be, and all lights on the router are as they should be, but no web pages will load. Now does this seem like a problem with my laptop, or with my internets itself?

If anyone has experienced this problem, or knows a solution to said problem I would be very grateful, as it would save me ringing Virgin to try and sort it out!
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Comments

  • Andy
    Andy Posts: 8,207
    Sounds like computer aids.
  • Kiblams
    Kiblams Posts: 2,423
    Only one computer in the house? Try turning the router off and on again and let us know how it goes.
  • toby_winkler
    toby_winkler Posts: 1,298
    Kiblams wrote:
    Only one computer in the house? Try turning the router off and on again and let us know how it goes.

    Nope 5 computers in the house, of which none are working. I have tried resetting the router, restarting my laptop and a few other things I read on the net. I did just manage to load facebook, but just the homepage loaded and then it went back to the normal routine of nothing else working.
  • How long did you leave the router off for? Sometimes you need to leave it off for an hour at the minimum and then boot it up and do a software update afterwards.
  • alexj2233
    alexj2233 Posts: 381
    I had exactly this problem a little while ago. Literally nothing would connect to the internet, but everything was connected to the router.

    I just left it for a day and then it started working again. Dunno what the problem was.

    Sorry that wasn't much help was it.
  • toby_winkler
    toby_winkler Posts: 1,298
    How long did you leave the router off for? Sometimes you need to leave it off for an hour at the minimum and then boot it up and do a software update afterwards.

    I left it off for around 15 minutes earlier, if its still not working when I get home I will leave it off for longer.

    What would happen if I hit the factory reset button on the router? Would I have to re enter all the settings etc (which I don't know how to do) when I rebooted it?
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,714
    Flavour: Pleasant
    Price: Quite high
    Effect: I'll let you know in 10 minutes
    Good points: Resealable can. If you're the kind of little girl who doesn't want to down a pint of energy drink, this allows you to take little sips. Awww, how precious. I, however, am a man, therefore...
    Bad points: Resealable can. It's impossible to take a decent sized gulp without leaving your head tipped back for a minute. Honestly, it's reducing my enjoyment of the whole thing.
  • toby_winkler
    toby_winkler Posts: 1,298
    alexj2233 wrote:
    I had exactly this problem a little while ago. Literally nothing would connect to the internet, but everything was connected to the router.

    I just left it for a day and then it started working again. Dunno what the problem was.

    Sorry that wasn't much help was it.

    You say its not of much help, but it is actually! I can't ring virgin now or tomorrow, so at least I have some hope that it should be up and running again tomorrow! I have bike stuff to buy and send, and its annoying enough having to browse br on my phone, let alone do all that.
  • Andy
    Andy Posts: 8,207
    whyamihere wrote:
    Flavour: Pleasant
    Price: Quite high
    Effect: I'll let you know in 10 minutes
    Good points: Resealable can. If you're the kind of little girl who doesn't want to down a pint of energy drink, this allows you to take little sips. Awww, how precious. I, however, am a man, therefore...
    Bad points: Resealable can. It's impossible to take a decent sized gulp without leaving your head tipped back for a minute. Honestly, it's reducing my enjoyment of the whole thing.

    WTF?
  • toby_winkler
    toby_winkler Posts: 1,298
    whyamihere wrote:
    Flavour: Pleasant
    Price: Quite high
    Effect: I'll let you know in 10 minutes
    Good points: Resealable can. If you're the kind of little girl who doesn't want to down a pint of energy drink, this allows you to take little sips. Awww, how precious. I, however, am a man, therefore...
    Bad points: Resealable can. It's impossible to take a decent sized gulp without leaving your head tipped back for a minute. Honestly, it's reducing my enjoyment of the whole thing.

    I'm not quite sure what seems to be a review of no fear energy drink has to do with solving my internet problem, but thanks anyway! ;)
  • Kiblams
    Kiblams Posts: 2,423
    So all of the computers are having the same issues? Have you tried turning the modem off and on again?

    Also try booting the laptop in safe mode (with networking) and do a speed test like http://speedtest.net
  • toby_winkler
    toby_winkler Posts: 1,298
    Kiblams wrote:
    So all of the computers are having the same issues? Have you tried turning the modem off and on again?

    Also try booting the laptop in safe mode (with networking) and do a speed test like http://speedtest.net

    Yep, all experiencing the same problems. And by modem do you mean the router? If so then I have tried turning it off and on again, and its currently turned off as I was advised to leave it off for a while then try again.

    I will give the safe mode a go when the router is back on.
  • Kiblams
    Kiblams Posts: 2,423
    You have the modem built into the router? Have Virgin started supplying wireless routers with cable modems built in now?
  • toby_winkler
    toby_winkler Posts: 1,298
    Kiblams wrote:
    You have the modem built into the router? Have Virgin started supplying wireless routers with cable modems built in now?

    I honestly do not have a clue! I was not here when it was set up, we just have a netgear wireless router which is plugged into our virgin tv box which is plugged into something in the wall. Last year we had a seperate modem (at my old house) but this year its a load of different kit.
  • Kiblams
    Kiblams Posts: 2,423
    The router is plugged into the TV box!?! Have you tried turning the TV box off and on again? as it sounds like the modem is now built into the TV box.
  • Give your ISP a bell. Find out if they're having any problems before you start tearing anything apart in the house.
  • Kiblams
    Kiblams Posts: 2,423
    A little research does suggest that the modem is now built into the TV set top boxes :shock: and also that they are known to fail on the internet side only so the TV still works fine :? I would certainly try restarting the TV box first.

    Is the wire between the set top box and the router an Ethernet cable? (fits into your network port on your laptop)

    If it is an Ethernet cable, you could try the laptop plugged directly into the set top box to ensure that the router isn't causing the issue.
  • toby_winkler
    toby_winkler Posts: 1,298
    Kiblams wrote:
    A little research does suggest that the modem is now built into the TV set top boxes :shock: and also that they are known to fail on the internet side only so the TV still works fine :? I would certainly try restarting the TV box first.

    Is the wire between the set top box and the router an Ethernet cable? (fits into your network port on your laptop)

    If it is an Ethernet cable, you could try the laptop plugged directly into the set top box to ensure that the router isn't causing the issue.

    Nope not an ethernet cable, some sort of cable that screws into the router. Just says the word 'cable' next to where it plugs in.
  • Kiblams
    Kiblams Posts: 2,423
    edited October 2010
    Kiblams wrote:
    A little research does suggest that the modem is now built into the TV set top boxes :shock: and also that they are known to fail on the internet side only so the TV still works fine :? I would certainly try restarting the TV box first.

    Is the wire between the set top box and the router an Ethernet cable? (fits into your network port on your laptop)

    If it is an Ethernet cable, you could try the laptop plugged directly into the set top box to ensure that the router isn't causing the issue.

    Nope not an ethernet cable, some sort of cable that screws into the router. Just says the word 'cable' next to where it plugs in.

    Ah well, aside from restarting the TV box, it looks like a call to the Virgin Media pixies may be your next step unfortunately.

    My suggestion of safe mode was to rule out malware, but since all of your PCs are struggling that rules out that also (would be really bad luck for all the PCs to have copious amounts of malware)
  • toby_winkler
    toby_winkler Posts: 1,298
    Will give the set top box a re-set and see what it does, fingers crossed it sorts it self out. Can't be bothered to deal with any Indian call centres, and as I understand all Virgins ones are based there.
  • craker
    craker Posts: 1,739
    What would happen if I hit the factory reset button on the router? Would I have to re enter all the settings etc (which I don't know how to do) when I rebooted it?

    Don't do a factory reset unless you know how it's configured.

    For broadband routers that's log-on to the box + pw, log-on to the ISP + connection info. Maybe different for a cable box but I don't know (and neither do you ... :-) )
  • CraigXXL
    CraigXXL Posts: 1,852
    Switch it off at the mains for 2 minutes and restart. It's only what Virginmedia will tell you to do first and normally it works as it refreshes the network settings.
  • delta5
    delta5 Posts: 265
    If all five computers have the same problem its not your laptop so starting in safe mode won't fix it.

    You have already checked your router i.e. complete power off for a few minutes so its probably not that. (btw leaving it off longer won't make any difference - once the residual power has dissipated that's enough - can't get deader than dead. And beware of rushing into a router firmware upgrade - if it goes wrong you can end up worse off).

    Given what you've said, it sounds like a problem with your ISP.
    Check your broadband service - if you can get to
    https://my.virginmedia.com/service-status/details
    put in your details and see what they come back with.
    Some ISPs have been known to claim there's nothing wrong . . then the service mysteriously recovers a few hours or days later.

    Another possibility is that your DSL microfilter is faulty (if you have one). If you are connecting via an ADSL phone line there will usually be a small white box which plugs into the phone socket on the wall, and has two sockets on it - one for your router and the other for a telephone. Sometime microfilters fail, causing a variety of problems including slow connection.
    Also, if a phone has been plugged in anywhere else in the house without a DSL filter, you will have problems.

    Hope some of this helps - good luck!
    My abundant supply of MTFU is reserved for use in dry, sunny conditions.
  • Kiblams
    Kiblams Posts: 2,423
    Is anyone actually reading this thread?

    We have established that it is cable and that the router is connected to the TV set top box so the modem may be in the TV set top box or the router itself. There will be no microfilters due to no ADSL and that it is not the actual computers that are at fault.

    So as mentioned the only actions left are determining where the modem is (router or TV box) and if resetting/factory resetting this does not work; then a call to Virgin Media is needed to book a fault or further diagnistics.

    Hope that helps put us all on the same page :wink:
  • CraigXXL
    CraigXXL Posts: 1,852
    Its built into the TV box like mine and swicthing it off at the mains for 2 minutes and restarting normally works. The settings are transmitted back to MAC address on the TV box everytime it's switched on and off.
  • bluechair84
    bluechair84 Posts: 4,352
    An issue that I have had with a generic boxes is over heating. If you leave it on permanently they could cook eggs. Although leaving it off for anything more than 10mins probably won't make any difference in the circuitry, I learnt that turning it off each night allowed it to cool properly and restored it's connectivity issues.
  • Andy
    Andy Posts: 8,207
    Have you tried resetting the modem?
  • toby_winkler
    toby_winkler Posts: 1,298
    Gave the tv box a turn off at the mains, and then turned it back on. Then my laptop said it could not connect to the network, so I'm giving it a restart now (as it sometimes does this, and a restart mostly solves it). I will report back in a few minutes to see if it has worked.
  • toby_winkler
    toby_winkler Posts: 1,298
    No luck after the set top box being turned off and on, I did only switch the plug off and back on, should I leave it for a few minutes? Or will this not make any difference?
  • Andy
    Andy Posts: 8,207
    Try reset the modem itself