This close to killing my ISP

[Pachx]

Over the past three to four months, I have been getting random internet disconnections and crashes. For the first time ever, I have also been getting this login request randomly in google chrome and on my smartphone when connecting to our wireless network: 

 

During the past four weeks things have gotten worse. At least once every 1-3 hours the above message pops up, but even after entering the default information (admin for user name and password for password, as these are the default credentials that I have set for modifying the router's settings in a browser) it declines them and gives me a 401 Unauthorized error and does not allow me internet access until it has finished its hissy fit. Starting today I have also begun getting 400 errors just as frequently as the 401s. Our telephone lines have also stated to get disconnected somehow at least twice a day and always have a quiet static hiss whenever we use them.

 

We live in the country and have a DSL ISP, as there are no other alternatives. It has rained heavily here in the past month, and our neighbors on the same ISP have reported similar issues. The general consensus is that rainwater leaking into the copper wiring the ISP uses damaged connection lines, disrupting communication through both phone lines and internet. Is the credential authentication popup something that has gone wrong in the ISP's side of things? I never set up this on the router we have and checked to confirm that nothing is set earlier today. Is there anything that I can really do to fix this other than wait for the ISP to get it in gear and do something? They have been out to my house twice this month to check things and are scheduled to come out again later this week, but they haven't done anything that worked. 

 

I am employed by the telephone company in a town about 20 miles away and we have just recently started offering radio internet using a long-range antenna that is installed at the house that is receiving the signal over a range of up to 10 miles from the main tower. There is a new tower that has just been set up in another town about 7 miles away. Should we just port our home phone number to a cell phone and change our service to the radio ISP? It has unlimited access, unlike satellite internet from companies like Dish and DirecTV. We are currently paying $80 per month for 3 (really 2.5 after distance and copper wiring interference is accounted for) Mbps and phone service. It is nearly impossible for me to do any online gaming for long periods of time with a ping below 150 ms and would really like a solution with some cooperation from our ISP. Would this change be worth it?

 

Thanks!

[Pachx]

Our internet crashed twice during the making of this post. It is getting very frustrating. 

[Aytex]

ay just be glad you dont have atnt dsl hehehe.

[TechNugget]

Have you tried contacting your ISP about the issue?

[Redportal]

I would suggest you phone you'r ISP regarding the issue.

 

It might be somthing as simple as a faulty router, or a problem with your line.

 

Things to try before contacting your ISP or changing provider:

1) Does your phone run of the same line, and if so does it work without any problems.

2) Change your routers line filters or connection cables.

3) Login to the router / modem directly and check it's fault log and settings.

 

If you need help with any of the above, just let me know and I would be happy to help. 

[Pachx]

Have you tried contacting your ISP about the issue?

 

We have and their customer service was less than helpful. They sent a technician out to the area to check the lines and it seems to have improved a bit since then. The speed is considerably slower than it should be (about half), but I guess that is to be expected with a copper network spanning 5-20 miles between the house and the nearest routing facility. They are still using copper lines over long distances, so rain water would have easily damaged them and will probably do so again in the future.

 

 

I would suggest you phone you'r ISP regarding the issue.

 

It might be somthing as simple as a faulty router, or a problem with your line.

 

Things to try before contacting your ISP or changing provider:

1) Does your phone run of the same line, and if so does it work without any problems.

2) Change your routers line filters or connection cables.

3) Login to the router / modem directly and check it's fault log and settings.

 

If you need help with any of the above, just let me know and I would be happy to help. 

 

Thanks for the advice! The entire house runs off of a copper wiring system that both the internet and phone lines share. This system is linked to the main phone box thingie outside by the highway that links to the phone company's network. The phone line was cutting in and out with persistent static in the background. Every three to five hours, the line would go dead entirely for up to an hour. Interestingly enough, these cut-outs didn't coincide with the internet going our or requiring an admin login to access.

 

We have tried the connection with wired connections to the router with three different Ethernet cables and a wireless connection, but all would go out at the same time during a cut-out. They just replaced our modem about three months ago, and it seems to be working fine now that they sent the technician out, though the speed is still slower than it should be.

 

I have been monitoring the router constantly through the whole ordeal, and nothing has shown up in the fault log to indicate a router failure. I also browsed the settings and there is nothing that I could find that would indicate the admin login requirement that I have been getting. This requirement has since stopped appearing since they sent the technician out. It seems odd to me that damaged wiring to the routing facility would cause a credential check to come up at odd times nearing a cut-out, but stranger things have happened.

[iamdarkyoshi]

Ther have been some times I wish I could upgrade to dial-up.

[Pachx]

Just as I say it is working like normal again, it dies once more. I would not wish Windstream on my worst enemy.