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johnv

Apr 15, 2004, 6:53 PM

Post #1 of 5 (799 views)

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Dial-up Internet Disconnections

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I have been having an on-going problem with dial-up internet disconnections with Avantel Internet Service. I started service with Avantel about a year and a half ago. For the first two months my service was fine just like it was in the US with the same computer. Then the disconnections started. After about 5 telephone sessions with Avantel technicians, they told me it was "noise" on my line. I contacted Telmex and they sent one of their technicians to the house. They could find no problems with my phone line and no noise. I then spoke personally with the manager of the Telmex office here. He said that Avantel was blaming "noise" on the Telmex line because they,(Avantel), did not want to bother to fix the problem. Since then I have had about 20 Telephone sessions with the Avantel technicians where they change the configuration of my computer. Nothing works. Avantel refuses to admit that there is a problem with their service. They say the problem is with my computer or my phone line. I have now installed a telephone line noise supressor and there is no change. I just got my Telmex bill and it lists 157 calls to Avantel. I only go online twice a day. So, that means I had 97 disconnections last month.

Does anyone know the causes of dial-up disconnections and any remedies? Has anyone else had a problem like this?

johanson / Moderator

Apr 22, 2004, 6:43 PM

Post #2 of 5 (763 views)

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Re: [johnv] Dial-up Internet Disconnections

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Sorry I did not answer this sooner. I averaged about 1.6 calls per completed connection when I used dial-up. The cause is usually a bad connection between your modem and the ISPs modem. The question is to try to find out where. Usually if it is not your modem or the settings in your modem, the problem is in the poor telephone line quality between your modem and where your in house wiring connects to Tel Mex.

I agree with Avantel, the problem is usually with your computer or the telephone line. I am lucky enough to have a laptop that I can easily plug into different outlets. When I last had trouble I took my laptop to a location next to the telmex switching station and connected to the internet there. I did not have the problem there.. I later found a non soldered twisted pair in my house, that once soldered gave me a much better connection.

Trying to find the problem could be a real bitch. Good luck

johnv

May 5, 2004, 8:24 PM

Post #3 of 5 (725 views)

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Re: [johanson] Dial-up Internet Disconnections

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Here is an update on the Avantel problem: It looks like it turned out to be the problem of Avantel, and not my computer or my phone line, as I have suspected from the very beginning. Five days ago I again called Avantel technicians due to 4 disconnections in 10 minutes. If I understood the broken English of the technician correctly, he said that they had established a "special line" to see if the problem is their server or the customers equipment or phone lines. He had me go to, dial-up networking, and then, make new connection. The name of the new connection was Pruevas. He then supplied me with a user name and ID, other than what my Avantel user name and ID are. And also a new dial-up phone number. I now have a Pruevas icon on my desktop in addition to Avantel. Using Pruevas I have not had one disconnection in 5 days and it seems that the speed of my computer is faster. Somehow my emails are being sent out and being received under my old user name from Avantel even though I am not logged on through Avantel. I was given no other instructions such as to contact them if there was an improvement. So, I am just going to keep using this Pruevas, which is equal to or better than what I had in the US. It would be nice if they'd send me a check for all the phone calls, above the 100 free ones, that I paid for while connecting to their faulty server over the last 14 months.

johanson / Moderator

May 5, 2004, 8:32 PM

Post #4 of 5 (722 views)

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Re: [johnv] Dial-up Internet Disconnections

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Cool John. I am glad I was wrong. The important thing is that you are now staying connected and not having to re-dial. Keep us posted if anything changes

esperanza

May 5, 2004, 9:01 PM

Post #5 of 5 (718 views)

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Re: [johnv] Dial-up Internet Disconnections

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Guess what--Prodigy keeps a log of all those connection calls you made. When they look at the log, if the connection time was under one minute they will deduct the call from your bill. First you have to call the number for Prodigy (01-800-123-2222) and talk to them about it; they'll give you an authorization number for a refund. Then you have to call the Telmex number on your phone bill for aclaraciones. They'll give you the refund. You won't get any actual money, but they'll give you credit on your Telmex bill. Tell them (or get somebody bilingual to talk to them) that this has been going on for 14 months and that the source of the problem has only now been discovered. They should be responsive to you--they were to me, when I was experiencing disconnects every two seconds.

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