Phobia
02-14-2005, 04:10 PM
This is an actual transcript of my chat with Earthlink support moments ago. Feel free to skip the technical information in red.... or skip the whole thing because it is long. I realize I have an attitude problem but half the flowchart steps in this session are completely unnecessary.
Welcome to Earthlink LiveChat. Your chat session will begin shortly.
'Lance N' says: Thank you for contacting EarthLink LiveChat, how may I help you today?
phil: DSL keeps dropping.
phil: Then it comes back about 3 minutes later
Lance N: Are you getting any error messages?
phil: no - just lights turn off on the modem.
Lance N: Have you tried power cycling your dsl modem?
phil: yes
phil: it comes back up.
Lance N: To begin troubleshooting this issue, I need you to check the following items. Please note that even if you have power cycled the computer and DSL modem before, it is necessary to do so again after satisfying the following conditions.
1. Check all devices in your home which are connected to the phone number DSL is provisioned on (this is usually your home phone number, unless you had DSL provisioned on a different phone number). Make sure all phones and devices which use a phone line (faxes, dial-up modems, TiVo, some satellite TV receivers, etc.) have a DSL micro-filter attached or have been disconnected from the phone line.
2. Connect your computer directly to your DSL modem. Unfortunately, EarthLink cannot provide support for third party networks; you must remove any routers hubs or switches.
NOTE: If you currently have a router, hub, or switch that negotiates your PPPoE connection, you may need to configure your computer to connect through PPPoE. If you are not sure how to do so, please let me know.
3. Disable any proxy, firewall, or internet connection sharing software.
4. Connect your DSL modem directly to the wall. Remove any splitters or filters, and make sure the phone line for the DSL modem does not pass through or near a surge protector.
5. Move the DSL modem at least 3 feet away from any potential sources of interference. As a general rule, any device which requires a fair amount of power or contains a motor should be moved or unplugged for troubleshooting purposes. Some examples are:
* Your computer
* Computer monitors and/or television sets
* Cordless phones & base stations (900 MHz should not be in the same room as your DSL modem.)
* Fax machines
* Microwaves
* Printers
* Uninterruptable power supplies (UPSs)
Alternatively, you can try wrapping your DSL modem in aluminum foil.
6. Turn off or unplug any halogen or fluorescent lights which are in the same room as the DSL modem.
7. Turn off any dimmer switches in your home.
8. If possible, please try new phone cables and ethernet cables.
9. Complete a full power cycle of your equipment in the following order.
1. Shut down your computer.
2. Unplug your DSL modem's power supply.
3. Connect your DSL modem directly to the wall using a phone line 3 feet long or shorter, if possible.
4. Reseat your cables by unplugging the phone line (between the wall jack and the DSL modem) and ethernet cable (between the DSL modem and your computer), and plugging them back in.
5. Turn on the DSL modem and wait for it to gain sync.
NOTE: If you are not sure which light on your DSL modem signifies successful sync, please let me know.
6. Restart your computer and attempt to connect again.
If this does not resolve your issue, please leave your equipment in the above configuration, and contact us again so that we may continue troubleshooting the issue. #PFR#/BBT/Wir/Gen/CheckEverything
Lance N: Are you still with me?
phil" It's going to take me 3 weeks to follow your instructions. Is that the idea behind Earthlink support? Make it so incredibly difficult that nobody even bothers to call?
phil: MY DSL was great for about 9 months. I've loved it. Nothing has changed, but now it drops for no reason about half a dozen times a day.
Lance N: The steps given above are very simple to follow and you should be able to try them without any difficulty.
phil: No they aren't. They're going to take me a LONG time to resolve. I'm paying a premium for DSL service, I'd like for my DSL to stay up like it has for 9 months. I'd rather not allocate several hours to troubleshooting the issue on my end when nothing has changed on my end.
Lance N: Are you connected through the same DSL connection now?
phil: Yes
Lance N: Are you using any networking devices to connect like router or a hub?
phil: no
Lance N: Please visit the link given below, follow the steps in it to release and renew your IP address and then connect to the Internet.
Lance N: http://support.earthlink.net/mu/1/psc/img/walkthroughs/windows_XP/6391.psc.html
phil: ok - done
phil: I'm now 172.16.xx.xx
Lance N: Now restart and reconnect to the Internet.
Lance N: This should get you stable DSL connections.
phil: You're on crack.
phil: WTF does releasing my IP lease and rebooting my PC have to do with my DSL modem dropping the connection a dozen times per day.
phil: Since the cat appears to have gotten your tongue, I'll answer the question for you. Not a damn thing.
phil: You're praying that I'll disconnect and find some other moron in the support queue, aren't you?
Lance N: Releasing and renewing the IP address should resolve the problems with getting disconnected to the Internet and give a stable connection.
phil: No, it won't. My connection to the modem is completely stable. It NEVER drops. I have an issue with the connection between my modem and your POP.
Lance N: I have checked with the network status and there are no problems with DSL connection in your area.
phil: Thank you for checking. How do we explain the intermittent dropping of my connection every day?
Lance N: As you are connected to this chat and having stable connections, there seems to be no problems with the DSL connection.
phil: Naturally.
phil: It hasn't dropped during the chat.
phil: It dropped 5 minutes before I initiated the chat for the 4th time today.
Lance N: I believe your issue is resolved now since you are able to get stable connections.
phil: Oh?
phil: Oh?
phil: I believe you're mistaken. When my connection drops again, how do I contact you directly?
Lance N: The chat done by us will be saved with us so when you get back to us using the email address philfake@earthlink.net the next agent can view this chat session and assist you appropriately if you have any trouble.
phil: So you're off the hook. You close the call and preserve your solve ratio even though we both know my problem will happen again and again and again.
Lance N: Kindly hold on for a moment.
Lance N: Let me know in detail how you make a connection to the Internet using DSL connection.
Phil: I do nothing. My modem stays on. My PC stays on. I'm connected 24/7.
phil: Great - it just dropped
Lance N: Please configure your DSL modem with bridge mode and configure pppoe connection to connect through DSL.
Lance N: To change the UHP modem to bridge mode for Networking you will need to use the following steps.
1. In the Address or URL field of your browser, type http://172.16.0.254/config.html
2. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
3. Click the Disable radio button in the DHCP/NAT/PPPoE area.
4. Click the Save Settings button.
The UHP will now restart. Wait 60 seconds and then close the browser window.
To verify the change, open a new browser window and in the Address or URL field of your browser, type http://172.16.0.254.
Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
Note: When the built-in PPPoE client is turned off, this status page should read as Current Mode: Bridged. #PFR#/BBT/Wir/Gen/uhp-settobridgedmode
Lance N: After following the above steps to configure UHP mode please follow the steps given below to configure pppoe connection and connect.
Lance N: To configure Windows XP for your EarthLink DSL:
1. Click the Start button.
2. Click on Control Panel.
3. Double click on Network Connections.
4. Click on the Create a new connection link on the left.
5. Click the Next button.
6. Choose Connect to the internet.
7. Click the Next button.
8. Choose Setup my connection manually.
9. Click the Next button.
10. Choose Connect using a broadband connection that requires a username and password.
11. Click the Next button.
12. Type anything you want to name the connection in the ISP Name box (ex: Mindspring DSL, EarthLink DSL, etc).
13. Click the Next button.
14. Type in your username in the User name box & type in your password in both the Password & Confirm Password boxes.
15. Check the two boxes at the bottom for 'Use this account name & password when anyone connects...' & 'Make this the default connection...' if you desire.
16. Click the Next button.
17. If you would like a shortcut to your DSL connection on your Windows desktop, place a check in the Add a shortcut to this connection to my desktop box.
18. Click the Finish button.
19. Click the Connect button to connect to your EarthLink DSL.
You now are ready to connect to your DSL line in Windows XP. #PFR#/BBT/Wir/PC/WinXPInternalPPPoEConfig
phil: Thank you. This is what I'm looking for. Did you see that the connection dropped moments ago?
phil: And it just dropped again?
Lance N: Do you mean you were disconnected to the Internet on the computer you are chatting now?
phil: Twice - within 3 minutes of one another
Lance N: Let me know how you are able to say that you were disconnected to the Internet.
phil: It came back up for half a minute and then dropped again.
phil: I guess our chat session is preserved.
Lance N: Please note that the chat session can not stay once you get disconnected to the Internet.
Lance N: It appears that you were not disconnected to the Internet but just you are getting a feeling that you are being disconnected.
Lance N: Can you be more clear on how you are able to say that you were disconnected?
phil: That's funny. All 4 of the middle lights on my modem turn off and my ability to browse or pop email is unavailable.
phil: I'm guessing that the TTL on our chat session is set to several minutes.
Lance N: If once you are disconnected to the Internet the chat session can not stay online it disconnect too.
Lance N: So it appears that you are not disconnected to the Internet.
Lance N: So it should not be a problem with DSL connection and rather you computer.
phil: Fine - what would you suggest is happening when all 4 of the middle lights on my modem go out and I can't connect to any services available on the internet?
phil: IT IS NOT MY COMPUTER. OPEN YOUR MIND. Drop your silly flow chart and read what I'm telling you.
Lance N: Since you have released and renewed your IP address already, please restart your computer and reconnect to the Internet and check the result.
phil: Will you forget about my computer for a moment? My computer is perpetually connected to my modem with zero issues. I reboot it all the time, but the intermittent connection problems persist.
phil: This problem is between my modem and your POP. If I could draw you a crayon map, I would.
Lance N: Have you set your DSL modem to bridge mode as given with the above steps?
phil: Not yet. As you were giving me that information, my connection dropped twice. I though we were discarding the bridging step to take advantage of the golden opportunity in which to troubleshoot the droppage LIVE. But, you keep telling me that it isn't dropping. I'm beginning to question your credibility, quite frankly.
Lance N: Please note that you were not disconnected to the Internet as this chat session is not dropped at all after we have started this session.
Lance N: Please scroll up and check the steps given to set your DSL modem to bridge mode and configure pppoe connection to connect.
phil: Please note that my modem has lost signal TWICE since this session began and you are mistaken. Sadly mistaken.
Lance N: Follow the steps given above and check the result.
phil: Thanks, I'll do that. Hopefully it will help. If not, I'll ask to be connected to Lance N.
Lance N: Okay. Thank you for using EarthLink LiveChat. Should you need further assistance, please feel free to contact us again.
Lance N: Bye, have a nice time.
phil: Heh - what are you wearing?
Chat session has been terminated by the site operator.
You are not currently in a chat session.
Welcome to Earthlink LiveChat. Your chat session will begin shortly.
'Lance N' says: Thank you for contacting EarthLink LiveChat, how may I help you today?
phil: DSL keeps dropping.
phil: Then it comes back about 3 minutes later
Lance N: Are you getting any error messages?
phil: no - just lights turn off on the modem.
Lance N: Have you tried power cycling your dsl modem?
phil: yes
phil: it comes back up.
Lance N: To begin troubleshooting this issue, I need you to check the following items. Please note that even if you have power cycled the computer and DSL modem before, it is necessary to do so again after satisfying the following conditions.
1. Check all devices in your home which are connected to the phone number DSL is provisioned on (this is usually your home phone number, unless you had DSL provisioned on a different phone number). Make sure all phones and devices which use a phone line (faxes, dial-up modems, TiVo, some satellite TV receivers, etc.) have a DSL micro-filter attached or have been disconnected from the phone line.
2. Connect your computer directly to your DSL modem. Unfortunately, EarthLink cannot provide support for third party networks; you must remove any routers hubs or switches.
NOTE: If you currently have a router, hub, or switch that negotiates your PPPoE connection, you may need to configure your computer to connect through PPPoE. If you are not sure how to do so, please let me know.
3. Disable any proxy, firewall, or internet connection sharing software.
4. Connect your DSL modem directly to the wall. Remove any splitters or filters, and make sure the phone line for the DSL modem does not pass through or near a surge protector.
5. Move the DSL modem at least 3 feet away from any potential sources of interference. As a general rule, any device which requires a fair amount of power or contains a motor should be moved or unplugged for troubleshooting purposes. Some examples are:
* Your computer
* Computer monitors and/or television sets
* Cordless phones & base stations (900 MHz should not be in the same room as your DSL modem.)
* Fax machines
* Microwaves
* Printers
* Uninterruptable power supplies (UPSs)
Alternatively, you can try wrapping your DSL modem in aluminum foil.
6. Turn off or unplug any halogen or fluorescent lights which are in the same room as the DSL modem.
7. Turn off any dimmer switches in your home.
8. If possible, please try new phone cables and ethernet cables.
9. Complete a full power cycle of your equipment in the following order.
1. Shut down your computer.
2. Unplug your DSL modem's power supply.
3. Connect your DSL modem directly to the wall using a phone line 3 feet long or shorter, if possible.
4. Reseat your cables by unplugging the phone line (between the wall jack and the DSL modem) and ethernet cable (between the DSL modem and your computer), and plugging them back in.
5. Turn on the DSL modem and wait for it to gain sync.
NOTE: If you are not sure which light on your DSL modem signifies successful sync, please let me know.
6. Restart your computer and attempt to connect again.
If this does not resolve your issue, please leave your equipment in the above configuration, and contact us again so that we may continue troubleshooting the issue. #PFR#/BBT/Wir/Gen/CheckEverything
Lance N: Are you still with me?
phil" It's going to take me 3 weeks to follow your instructions. Is that the idea behind Earthlink support? Make it so incredibly difficult that nobody even bothers to call?
phil: MY DSL was great for about 9 months. I've loved it. Nothing has changed, but now it drops for no reason about half a dozen times a day.
Lance N: The steps given above are very simple to follow and you should be able to try them without any difficulty.
phil: No they aren't. They're going to take me a LONG time to resolve. I'm paying a premium for DSL service, I'd like for my DSL to stay up like it has for 9 months. I'd rather not allocate several hours to troubleshooting the issue on my end when nothing has changed on my end.
Lance N: Are you connected through the same DSL connection now?
phil: Yes
Lance N: Are you using any networking devices to connect like router or a hub?
phil: no
Lance N: Please visit the link given below, follow the steps in it to release and renew your IP address and then connect to the Internet.
Lance N: http://support.earthlink.net/mu/1/psc/img/walkthroughs/windows_XP/6391.psc.html
phil: ok - done
phil: I'm now 172.16.xx.xx
Lance N: Now restart and reconnect to the Internet.
Lance N: This should get you stable DSL connections.
phil: You're on crack.
phil: WTF does releasing my IP lease and rebooting my PC have to do with my DSL modem dropping the connection a dozen times per day.
phil: Since the cat appears to have gotten your tongue, I'll answer the question for you. Not a damn thing.
phil: You're praying that I'll disconnect and find some other moron in the support queue, aren't you?
Lance N: Releasing and renewing the IP address should resolve the problems with getting disconnected to the Internet and give a stable connection.
phil: No, it won't. My connection to the modem is completely stable. It NEVER drops. I have an issue with the connection between my modem and your POP.
Lance N: I have checked with the network status and there are no problems with DSL connection in your area.
phil: Thank you for checking. How do we explain the intermittent dropping of my connection every day?
Lance N: As you are connected to this chat and having stable connections, there seems to be no problems with the DSL connection.
phil: Naturally.
phil: It hasn't dropped during the chat.
phil: It dropped 5 minutes before I initiated the chat for the 4th time today.
Lance N: I believe your issue is resolved now since you are able to get stable connections.
phil: Oh?
phil: Oh?
phil: I believe you're mistaken. When my connection drops again, how do I contact you directly?
Lance N: The chat done by us will be saved with us so when you get back to us using the email address philfake@earthlink.net the next agent can view this chat session and assist you appropriately if you have any trouble.
phil: So you're off the hook. You close the call and preserve your solve ratio even though we both know my problem will happen again and again and again.
Lance N: Kindly hold on for a moment.
Lance N: Let me know in detail how you make a connection to the Internet using DSL connection.
Phil: I do nothing. My modem stays on. My PC stays on. I'm connected 24/7.
phil: Great - it just dropped
Lance N: Please configure your DSL modem with bridge mode and configure pppoe connection to connect through DSL.
Lance N: To change the UHP modem to bridge mode for Networking you will need to use the following steps.
1. In the Address or URL field of your browser, type http://172.16.0.254/config.html
2. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
3. Click the Disable radio button in the DHCP/NAT/PPPoE area.
4. Click the Save Settings button.
The UHP will now restart. Wait 60 seconds and then close the browser window.
To verify the change, open a new browser window and in the Address or URL field of your browser, type http://172.16.0.254.
Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
Note: When the built-in PPPoE client is turned off, this status page should read as Current Mode: Bridged. #PFR#/BBT/Wir/Gen/uhp-settobridgedmode
Lance N: After following the above steps to configure UHP mode please follow the steps given below to configure pppoe connection and connect.
Lance N: To configure Windows XP for your EarthLink DSL:
1. Click the Start button.
2. Click on Control Panel.
3. Double click on Network Connections.
4. Click on the Create a new connection link on the left.
5. Click the Next button.
6. Choose Connect to the internet.
7. Click the Next button.
8. Choose Setup my connection manually.
9. Click the Next button.
10. Choose Connect using a broadband connection that requires a username and password.
11. Click the Next button.
12. Type anything you want to name the connection in the ISP Name box (ex: Mindspring DSL, EarthLink DSL, etc).
13. Click the Next button.
14. Type in your username in the User name box & type in your password in both the Password & Confirm Password boxes.
15. Check the two boxes at the bottom for 'Use this account name & password when anyone connects...' & 'Make this the default connection...' if you desire.
16. Click the Next button.
17. If you would like a shortcut to your DSL connection on your Windows desktop, place a check in the Add a shortcut to this connection to my desktop box.
18. Click the Finish button.
19. Click the Connect button to connect to your EarthLink DSL.
You now are ready to connect to your DSL line in Windows XP. #PFR#/BBT/Wir/PC/WinXPInternalPPPoEConfig
phil: Thank you. This is what I'm looking for. Did you see that the connection dropped moments ago?
phil: And it just dropped again?
Lance N: Do you mean you were disconnected to the Internet on the computer you are chatting now?
phil: Twice - within 3 minutes of one another
Lance N: Let me know how you are able to say that you were disconnected to the Internet.
phil: It came back up for half a minute and then dropped again.
phil: I guess our chat session is preserved.
Lance N: Please note that the chat session can not stay once you get disconnected to the Internet.
Lance N: It appears that you were not disconnected to the Internet but just you are getting a feeling that you are being disconnected.
Lance N: Can you be more clear on how you are able to say that you were disconnected?
phil: That's funny. All 4 of the middle lights on my modem turn off and my ability to browse or pop email is unavailable.
phil: I'm guessing that the TTL on our chat session is set to several minutes.
Lance N: If once you are disconnected to the Internet the chat session can not stay online it disconnect too.
Lance N: So it appears that you are not disconnected to the Internet.
Lance N: So it should not be a problem with DSL connection and rather you computer.
phil: Fine - what would you suggest is happening when all 4 of the middle lights on my modem go out and I can't connect to any services available on the internet?
phil: IT IS NOT MY COMPUTER. OPEN YOUR MIND. Drop your silly flow chart and read what I'm telling you.
Lance N: Since you have released and renewed your IP address already, please restart your computer and reconnect to the Internet and check the result.
phil: Will you forget about my computer for a moment? My computer is perpetually connected to my modem with zero issues. I reboot it all the time, but the intermittent connection problems persist.
phil: This problem is between my modem and your POP. If I could draw you a crayon map, I would.
Lance N: Have you set your DSL modem to bridge mode as given with the above steps?
phil: Not yet. As you were giving me that information, my connection dropped twice. I though we were discarding the bridging step to take advantage of the golden opportunity in which to troubleshoot the droppage LIVE. But, you keep telling me that it isn't dropping. I'm beginning to question your credibility, quite frankly.
Lance N: Please note that you were not disconnected to the Internet as this chat session is not dropped at all after we have started this session.
Lance N: Please scroll up and check the steps given to set your DSL modem to bridge mode and configure pppoe connection to connect.
phil: Please note that my modem has lost signal TWICE since this session began and you are mistaken. Sadly mistaken.
Lance N: Follow the steps given above and check the result.
phil: Thanks, I'll do that. Hopefully it will help. If not, I'll ask to be connected to Lance N.
Lance N: Okay. Thank you for using EarthLink LiveChat. Should you need further assistance, please feel free to contact us again.
Lance N: Bye, have a nice time.
phil: Heh - what are you wearing?
Chat session has been terminated by the site operator.
You are not currently in a chat session.