that might be a good test.

See if you can borrow?? or buy a pc or laptop and use it with your system to see if the problem still happens. If you test with a new one - make sure you can return it easily if the problem still happens....

then you would know if it is your pc that has the problem or the dsl/modem/router side of things??

Yeah, do what Jo just suggested.

If it doesn' work, take the computer out of the house, bring it to your woodshed, and take an ax to it.

Hey, it will definitely make you feel better.

And I think I had problems learning audio files??

Going to shut up right now.. lol

mel

We have determined that if this is down, and NOT turned off, the wifi upstairs running on this router, goes down too.

If this is OFF, totally, I can run the Wifi off the same router.

And my husband's VPN connection will run alone, on this router. But not when
this unit is "on".

This first long down we had back around Dec 6th, we ran off the laptop down here...using the wifi portion.

My son wants us to disconnect the router entirely and run the modem and this only and see if it goes down. That is the next test.

I have noticed that my "clicks" from the mouse sometimes have to be done
twice. That's been going on for a while now before this problem.

Next is enticing my son to come here and actually see what is happening..for himself. Let him work on it --the hardware. Fresh eyes so to speak. It is just getting him here..if you know what I mean? sigh

Mrs. D.

You lost me when you started talking Wi-Fi and routers and VPN connection.

You know MUCH more about what you are talking about than I ever could!!

I'd still take the ax to it!!!

mel

Mel--

We have a laptop upstairs running off this router on wifi (no cable)

I just don't like typing on it. It doesn't have my files on it either.

My husband has a new HP from work laptop that runs VPN which is
another network. It was what started this whole thing. He brought it home
Dec 6th and it crashed my desktop. His old one that was replaced due to
its small harddrive ran fine with my desktop...never crashed, and it has the same VPN program on it..downloaded from his old harddrive in fact.

So we thought that was the issue...but apparently there is more than one
thing happening. Perhaps a rotating IP address issue. ( I found some things about it on Google, but it said a router can separate the IP addresses. Which ours did previously).

He is plugging into the router now, so I am testing the wifi laptop upstairs.
We'll see if I last.

VPN- Virtual Private Networks

[Basically, a VPN is a private network that uses a public network (usually the Internet) to connect remote sites or users together. Instead of using a dedicated, real-world connection such as leased line, a VPN uses "virtual" connections routed through the Internet from the company's private network to the remote site or employee. In this article, you will gain a fundamental understanding of VPNs, and learn about basic VPN components, technologies, tunneling and security.]

more about it and how they work-
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/vpn.htm

If the typing on the laptop is a issue- add a nice regular keyboard?
copy your pc files onto a portable exterior Hard drive or jump drive??
just some ideas I had to tide you over til it gets figured out.

My husband was gone most of the day...came home and there was a reply finally from MITS (his help desk)... He explained his problem, (again) and this tech is sending a "ticket" to instruct the locals to check his network settings.
This involves an appointment and he has to go downtown to have it done.

Such a rigamarole. But it does sort of make one wonder, if there is some network settings I can change here? That his computer corrupted my network settings?

I will run this by the kid... tonight.
I don't expect the techies downtown can address our computer..since they didn't check the settings before...duh?

Sounds like a real nightmare MrsD, when i am stumped for answers i go to -
http://pressf1.pcworld.co.nz/ for help, its a totally free forum and normally very helpful.
good luck
Brian

Yes, it is pretty infuriating.

But we have a hint now:

http://www.watchingthenet.com/repair...x-utility.html

Now instead of just going down, I get red X's in a rhythm... since the DNS cache is gone, I must have been linking to the cached addys all along?
So if I wait it out. Hit stop, refresh, wait again, then the retry screen comes up and I hit it a couple of times, and I can do stuff. Very wearing, but at least it works.

I am now begging for my son to come this weekend and work on it. beg beg...
I have no shame in this regard. I will pull out all the guilt stops too! LOL

I'll check your site after dinner, as I am too fritzed out now. Good thing I am not working now...I'll be throwing stuff !!!!!

Nothing much came up.
1 Adware called Fun Web
1 malware called _BHO_MyWay
removed these two.

5 cookies which I left.

Mike Weins at OBT suggested this scan.

I am still having problems however.