UK NTL Cable broadband subscribers please read.

[Craig Tucker]

I posted this a few days ago under a different subject heading but recieved no replies, so I thought I'd make the title more descriptive.

I am in the uk and have a 512k broadband connection with NTL. I use Imesh for downloading movies and when I first connect I get download speeds ranging from 50-70kb/s.

As long as I am surfing the net or checking my email this speed can be maintained, but if I leave the pc for a while and then come back to it the speed has usually dramatically dropped down to just a couple of kb/s or even 0kb/s, its as if its going into some kind of sleep or idle mode. If I then start working online again the speed usually goes back up.

My service provider supplies some software called correct connect which monitors the state of the servers, these being:-

Default gateway
My ntlworld news
Incoming ntlworld email
outgoing ntlworld email
My ntlworld homepage

There is also a status bar for the ethernet card.

When I first boot up all these servers have ticks next to them showing that they are available, and the status bar shows connection to my netgear ethernet card.

If I leave my PC unattended before too long these ticks become crosses showing the servers are unavailable, and the statusbar reads no NIC/Ethernet adapter detected. Although sometimes it can still be downloading all be it at a much reduced rate.

If I then start browsing online, before long the ticks come back and the speed increases, although the statusbar still reads no NIC/Ethernet adapter detected.

If I don't have Imesh running the servers will remain available for a long time unattended, its the combination of running imesh and not using the PC that seems to cause this problem, kaaza lite had the same effect.

Anyone any idea as to why this is happening, or anyone on ntl broadband in the UK have the same problem. If I could just maintain 70kb/s my downloads would go a lot quicker, as it is I have to keep an eye on the computer to see if I am still online.

Sorry for the long post, but I felt it was needed to fully explain the situation.

If you've got this far, thanks.

Craig

[bugster]

Hi Craig, I too am an NTL Cable subscriber and have seen similiar issues with several P2P applications. I havn't investigated and don't run the 'correct connect' software you mentioned. Afraid all I can say is that I have give up on P2P and use other methods to 'share' files. Sorry this is no help but at least you know you are not alone!

[Craig Tucker]

Thanks for the reply bugster, I think a call to ntl is in order.

Craig

[Frankanger]

Hey hey, I'm a Telewest Broadband user and exactly the same kind of phenomenon can be witnessed using Imesh on my cable connection.

I stopped looking at the speeds of downloads a while ago, because this phenomena can make you crazy -- always switching to see if you're absence has lowered the speed. Just leave Imesh running == best time is late at night = and remember to reboot every so often, cause it can screw up your system if you leave it on too long.

Another thing, I wouldn't bother phoning NTL and then telling them it's screwing up your IMesh. If you haven't heard yet, the European version of the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) -- EUCD -- will be enforced soon in this country. If you're sharing movies etc on the MEsh, it won't be long before you start getting 'removal' orders from your ISP, who will have most likely been coerced by one of the media tracking and copyright enforcement companies like MediaForce, to name but one.

Just a heads up to everyone in the UK - watch out - keep your firewalls burning, and don't let the combined might of Hollywood and it's bully-boys stop you from sharing.

[Craig Tucker]

Does anyonw know of an easy way to keep explorer active automatically. e.g changing to another web page every couple of minutes, as this sort of activity seems to keep imesh downloading at maximum speed. It's when I leave explorer unattended the download speed drops. Just automatically switching between a couple of pages would probrably do the trick.

Craig

[tenders]

you might try and look for a program that will do this. try searching for one at: download.com they have tons of programs there.

[KingJohn]

Does anyonw know of an easy way to keep explorer active automatically. e.g changing to another web page every couple of minutes, as this sort of activity seems to keep imesh downloading at maximum speed. It's when I leave explorer unattended the download speed drops. Just automatically switching between a couple of pages would probrably do the trick.

Craig

Is your CPU shutting down to standby

I don’t know what your problem is, I also use NTL broadband with Kazaa lite and "Speed up" the only time the speed would drop, if a user went offline "Speed up" will keep searching for more sources and will add to the download speed.

Here are a few pages you might be interested in

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/cmtips.html#cmfile

(Don’t uncap your cable modem its illegal )

http://www.cablemodemhelp.com/ Some test you can do

http://www.annoyances.org/ a few tweaks

[Craig Tucker]

Actually on further investigation it seems to be mouse inactivity which is causing the problem. Once I start using the mouse again the speeds increase. I have a logitech itouch cordless keyboard and mouse which I think go into sleep mode during inactivity to save battery power. This seems really wierd though I don't see why this should affect my download speeds.

I dont have any power management saving switched on for monitor hard drives or anything.

Craig

[tenders]

try one of these: http://download.com.com/3120-20-0.html?qt=mouse+move&tg=dl-20&search=+Go%21+

[Craig Tucker]

I just downloaded and ran bob 1.1 to keep the mouse active and this actually seems to work. Thanks a lot tenders

Craig

[Craig Tucker]

I just got up and my connection is still running at over 60kb/s, I cant believe mouse inactivity could cause the connection speed to drop. But as long as the problem is fixed I dont care.

Cheers guys.

Craig

[KingJohn]

I just got up and my connection is still running at over 60kb/s, I cant believe mouse inactivity could cause the connection speed to drop. But as long as the problem is fixed I dont care.

Cheers guys.

Craig

Have you just moved over to brodband from dial up NTL ?
Sounds like your system still has settings for dial-up

[Craig Tucker]

Yes, couple of months back. But how do you explain the moving of the mouse solving the problem. What would this have to do with dial-up settings. Where can I check my settings.

Cheers

Craig

[KingJohn]

Ok, what I am thinking is some of the NTL programs that were installed. If you used one of the NTL disks to set up a dial up account.

I am also thinking about periods of in activity that would trigger the timer, then the timer would disconnect you. I know about the 2 hour re-dial, but I'm not talking about that. Apart from NTL you may even have installed other ISP packages like AOL ?

Moving the mouse is obviously not starting the timer, but that’s really not the cure, you need to find out what your system is doing when your not doing anything.

The links I gave above are full of interesting articles, a lot of them are transitions from dial up to broadband.

You could ring Swansea, after 12:00PM they might know exactly what the problem is.Some of those people do know things

I would start by removing any NTL software, its not needed anyway, I assume your using a modem (Terayon) not a Digital Box with in built modem, if your no longer using dial up for anything you can remove all DUN's from your system and the dial-up adaptor.

I would also go through all your settings, if your running Outlook in the background, make sure all of its settings are set to LAN, delete any dial up accounts.

As long as you have your user name and password safe for FTP or Mail, there is nothing else to remember.

Inactivity can trigger all sorts of events, Screen savers can also bypass power management, CPU shut down, LAN shut down even. Even the BIOS has LAN settings.

When you used dial-up you probably would not have noticed a drop in download speeds, as they were low anyway, so this must have started when you first set up broadband, or did they set it up ?

What I do know is, a lot of friends with NTL broadband using Windows 98, ME, XP are not having any of those problems, so its got to be your system settings or a program running to close connections on inactivity.