Finally a topic where I can possibly add something!
So to try to help with the original question......
I believe that USB modems are flashable and as far as I know this is done whenever you reboot or plug in the modem's USB cable. My first suggestion would be to unplug the modem when this error occurs and leave for a minute or so and then plug in again.
If this does not solve the problem then I would suggest that you hunt down updated drivers for the modem.
Port of last call would be
www.driverguide.com/As for the connection being dropped (when you are already online) this can also be caused by some firewall software.
As for using a wireless modem/router you need to bear in mind that there are only a small number of manufacturers of the chipsets (e.g. Lucent, Conexant, Broadcom to name a few). Therefore when you buy a router what you are really paying for is the marketing, the packaging, the drivers and the support. Having recently installed Belkin, Linksys and Netgear for various folks - I would go for the Belkin every time. The Netgear was supplied with ancient firmware and the tech support was hopeless; the Linksys had up-date-firmware but hopeless tech support). Belkins have never given me cause to call tech support and have always come with recent or up-to-date firmware/drivers. They are also good value. But don't be too hasty to jump to conclusions about any particular brand as your ISP's infrastructure can have an impact, and the setup of the router is critical.
If you have a router that is dropping your connection during periods of inactivity then consider the following:
-many of these type of issues can be resolved by upgrading to the latest firmware for your router
-many routers have this as an option and some (Linksys springs to mind) set this as the default with the time set to 5 mins.
-802.11 was never really design for use in the home and it is susceptible to interference (microwave ovens and DECT phones being prime suspects)
-they are also susceptible to contention – particularly now that every Tom, Dick and Harry has a wireless network. Belkin routers (as may some others) come with a really nice configuration utility (in place of the Windows Zero Config. utility) which allows you to see which channel all the visible networks are using so you can choose a channel which no-one else is already using.
-if you are using ADSL broadband (as opposed to cable) then remember to attach ALL telephone equipment using microfilters (if you only have the one which came with the modem, extras can easily be found on many a store these days – a bout a fiver I think). If phones are attached without them then an incoming or outgoing call will often cause a loss of internet connectivity (not to mention a rubbishy phone line).
If you want to change the settings in your router, this is ideally done via an Ethernet (i.e. wired) connection, and with many routers this is done in a browser window with the IP address 192.168.1.1 (though there is some variation - so check your documentation). This can also be done wirelessly –though this is less reliable. For this reason it is advisable to password protect your router to stop your neighbours kids messing with it!! Also remember to set your own SSID as they are all the same by default from any given manufacturer it will make life easier if there are a lot of other networks around you.
As for the above mentioned supplier suggesting that modern PC's are designed to run all the time, this is simply not true. In this respect modern PC's are much the same as post valve computers have always been. What he should have said is that in an ideal world a PC ought be left on at all times. In the world of professional IT systems that is the case - mainframe systems (like the ones your bank runs) will often run for YEARS without reboot. But these systems run in a much more ideal world than we have at home - dust free temperature controlled air-conditioned rooms, staff monitoring systems 24/7/52, clean power and redundant uninterruptible supplies. If anything, the designers of more modern PC's (which are now a consumer item) design PC's in the knowledge that ordinary users will tend to turn them on and off frequently. The electronic components are under the greatest stress at boot up and shut down time.
If you plan to run a PC system constantly, in the less than ideal home environment, consider the following:
- Microsoft Operating systems (particularly the DOS variants i.e. Win 3.1, Win95 & Win 98 all flavours) aren't really up to it (IMHO).
-Power consumption
-the power supply unit in off-the-shelf systems are often of low quality and may not shield the hardware from spikes, so some protection is recommended
-a UPS is recommended as a power loss can cause irreparable damage to hard disks
-the airflow in some PC's can be poor and both heat and dust can easily build up
-the previous gives rise to a significant fire risk
-cooling fans have a known lifespan, and will eventually fail
-THE NOISE
-the never-ending risk of attack (if your PC is always connected via broadband to the internet)
This has always been a topic of great contention in the world of PCs but I think it is a bit swings and roundabouts.
An alternative to leaving a PC on all the time is to use either suspend-to-RAM(standby) or Suspend to Hard disk (Hibernate).
The former is where the active system remains in RAM and all other components are shut down, and the ram fed sufficient power to stay “alive”. The latter is where the contents of RAM are written to disk and the system shuts down completely. On re-boot RAM is refreshed from disk and you start exactly from where you left off. These are part of what is called ACPI, and it is quite shaky in ME, but considerably better in Windows XP. However it has to be said that some USB devices do not survive the restart (URGGG)! Many (with properly designed drivers and hardware) do however function without problem after a restart.
Now the one about viruses. I hope that you don’t pick up viruses every day, and really mean trojans and spyware/malware. If you have a decent and properly configured firewall you shouldn’t get this kind of problem. I have recently become quite cynical about some of these virus checking firms – it is now BIG business. I would recommend the use of the following website to check how vulnerable you are:
www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2The author of this site is an authority on the subject and isn’t in the business of pushing any one firewall. The site has loads of useful, detailed and impartial info on the subject and is worth a read if you have the time! He recommends Zonealarm, because it is free and it’s capabilities surpass anything else available. Bear in mind also that the beauty of the wireless router is that many have an inbuilt hardware firewall, but as I discovered today, Linksys unlike Belkin has it switched off by default. So remember to switch it on, and also the option to ignore anonymous pings. Note also that some ISPs also provide firewall functionality, but as I became aware today in the case of Bulldog this is free for the first year (along with virus and spam checking) but they want 3 quid a month thereafter!
Oh and finally try to avoid Internet Explorer - the alternatives are far more secure, and if possible try to browse using an account without administrative powers! (if you are using XP).
If you are still awake, I hope this may be of use to someone – it is all fresh in my mind as I solved many of these problems for a number of people recently and will no doubt forget it all in no time!
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