Going to client who's Laptop keeps loosing connection need advice

[vr6rafal]

Hello, this Saturday I'm going to a client who's complaining that his laptop looses internet connection, He says it works for 5 minutes then stops working. I'm not that familiar with networking, what should I look for? Any advice is greatly appreciated!!!

[XT18]

Most likley a router problem id suggest you bring a extra wireless router with you and test it out and see if it still loses connection. If that works try to update the firmware on their router to latest one should fix it if not they need a new router.

[Simmy]

Take a few spare microfilters and check every socket in the house that has a phone connected has a microfilter too (assuming they have broadband). Could be something as simple as an auto-disconnect feature after a period of inactivity.

Could be a phone line problem, so take your own laptop/computer/phone cables and basically eliminate all of the customers own hardware. If you get the same problems from the master phone socket, using your laptop and router then you most likely need to speak to the phone provider. Good luck.

[SandTech]

Just went to a customer house for same problem yesterday, they didn't have filter on all the house phone line, so every time they turn the phone on they lose internet connection to the DSL.

[tartis]

You can pick up DSL filters from your local Radio Shack if you are in the US. I think that they are about $14.00.

[iladelf]

IF this is Windows Vista, you may want to uninstall the Vista driver for it and install the XP driver, assuming we're dealing with a wireless NIC.

I had a customer who's computer kept dropping their internet connection all of the time after either a shutdown or when the laptop would be brought back from hibernation. Seems it's a known issue with Vista (hopefully fixed with the upcoming SP1). If you don't believe me, Google this problem, and you'll find that right now, this MAY be the only solution for this issue.

Of note, this lady still OCCASIONALLY has drop issues, but she tells me it only happens during hibernation, and very rarely now, so we both consider it a fix. For now, anyway.

[philthyone]

Just realized this event already happened. Posting too early in the morning will do that...

While everyones answers here are good, perhaps it is something much more simple. Most laptops have agressive power managment settings when running on battery. The way you describe it, makes me think it could be the customer is experiencing the OS shutting down an idle conection. More specificly, shutting down the wireless or ethernet when there is no traffic for a specific amount of time. 5 minutes sounds like the right amount of time.

Be sure to check that out before you start getting all ninja on it.

[vr6rafal]

Actually it was even more simpler than that, the client had BOSE wireless speakers that was causing interference, unplugging the wireless speakers fixed the problem.

[SandTech]

See that was simple, had problem with my laptop had to update drivers working fine now.

[Bryce W]

Glad you fixed it. Ive seen plenty of wirelerss phones that run on the 2.4ghz band which causes issues with the wireless.