Losing FAOL connection

[ducksterman]

If my computer is idle for about two hours I lose my Internet connection and have to restart the computer and all is fine and stays that way as long as it's not idle too long.

using XP Home and cable broadband so there should be constant access...

Any ideas?

FAOL is my home page and I check it frequently but not always before the two hours is up so it's a pain to restart....see how my question is related to fishing and especially FAOL.[G]

[LadyFisher]

If your internet provider uses 'random' access for your connection, it will eventually 'time out.' This goes back to the old days when they didn't want folks to just leave their computer on, it used up 'their' bandwidth, so they automatically disconnected you when they didn't detect any activity.

We pay for 3 designated connections, one for each computer, which is always the same, and it does not 'time out.' It's not cheap.



[This message has been edited by LadyFisher (edited 18 February 2006).]

[ducksterman]

Thanks, LF, but I doubt that's the problem....have used this provider before with no problem and also my wife's computer is networked in wireless and has no problem.
And I did just call them after your post and they do not do that.

[Jim Hatch]

Hey Duck,

I have cable DSL and run XP. I can
leave my pewter on indefinitly. However,
there was a window in the XP program that
would pop up periodically and tell me I had
been idle for too long and it was going to
close my internet connection. I clicked on
the block in the window that said "Do Not
Disconnect" and after a couple of times, it
quit trying to disconnect me.

Also, you might want to read the following:
"Idle timeouts are another cause of disconnection. This is when the computer detects the connection is not being used, so disconnects it. To turn this function off in Windows 95, 98 and ME double click on My Computer on your desktop, then Control Panel , then Modems. Under the General tab, click where your modem is indicated (usually by brand name), then Properties. Under the Connection tab, untick the box that says ? Disconnect a call if idle for more than ## mins?. Windows XP users should open the connection window and click Properties , then click the Options tab and scroll the idle timeout list to Never". Warm regards, Jim

[This message has been edited by Jim Hatch (edited 18 February 2006).]

[Jed]

If you have a router there is often a setting that will close the connection after n minutes of inactivity. That can be set to 0 or 999999 which ever the manual says to prevent it from closing out your connection.

jed

[ducksterman]

Jim,
I just tried all that but don't find all the tabs you indicate...but I'm not using the modem in the computer..DSL is a phone line and I'm using cable broadband ...no phone line...using a cable modem via coax cable...so that doesn't seem to be it.....and I've not seen that message either...
Jed...I don't know how to access what you say but I have gone direct from the cable modem to my computer...hard wire...taking the router out of the picture..and it made no difference

This is very frustrating and it seems to me it probably relate to just some little thing I should unclick or click...

I've done Google searches ..been on the phone with the cable company and they are real cooperative but we get nowhere...

[ducksterman]

Hurrah!...at least for now... left the computer on overnight and it seems to be working .

I think Jed was on the right track...I used the Windows XP Repair function after finding an article on a Google search...previous searches weren't helpful till I learned the right terms...

We'll see...thanks for your inputs...