In message <mailman.7744.1263576309.14599.rootsweb-help@rootsweb.com>, rootsweb-help-request@rootsweb.com writes Hi Judy, There's some diagnostics you can try by opening a command prompt (that is start > run and type in cmd A black box will appear. If you type in this black box tracert www.msn.com This will show you how your computer is trying to link to the msn web-site. The first step it shows is how your computer gets to your wireless router and the tcp address is likely to be 192.168.1. something (1 or 254 likeliest. Depending on how you are linked one of the next lines will have something like your isp's name in it somewhere (in my case I have sbcglobal.net). There will be a number like 123.123.123.123 - make a note of this number (this is the tcp address of your ISP's router). If you hit Ctrl and C together this will stop the tracert command. Now do the start > run type in cmd again - so now you have two black boxes. In one type ping -t 192.168.1. Whatever the last number was above This should give you a steady stream of lines that looks like reply from 192.168.1.254 bytes=32 time=10ms TTL=225 In the other black box type in ping -t - and the address of your ISP's router so ping -t 123.123.123.123 (whatever you noted down above). Leave the two CMD boxes open and get on with whatever you want to do until you get a balloon notification. If it's your wireless connection both boxes with have time-out errors. If it is your ISP only the second box will have a time-out error. John > >We all know those "balloon notifications on the Windows Explorer Toolbar. >For example, one balloon might open to say that you have an Internet >Connection and the quality of the signal strength. > >Well, I want to know the kinds of reasons that a balloon would open to tell >you (repeatedly throughout the day) that you have an Internet Connection and >the quality of the signal strength is excellent. > >My ISP and I have been fighting for years about repeated drops of service. >I contend that the balloon notification would not continually open to tell >me I have an Internet Connection, unless the service drops out and comes >back (thus, the balloon opens). Am I right? Note this is not the only >"symptom" of being dropped; the notification is just one reason I know the >connection was temporary/intermittently dropped. For example, I can be "on" >a web page and ask to go to a different page...but it doesn't load fast... >then, the notification pops open...then the page loads fast or loads if I do >refresh. > >I had plain wireless, modem only--- lots of signal problems. They put in a >router with the modem. It hasn't helped much. Therefore, the ISP contends >that "something" must be dropping the signal between the modem and >computer. Note: I am less than 3 feet from the modem and router. >Previously, I was 8-10 feet away, direct line of sight (no obstacles), with >the same symptoms occuring. We also tried a hard-wire directly to the >computer. > >I contend it is not a problem with my computer because this is the 4th >laptop over the past 4 to 6 years, and with each laptop (different >manufacturers) the intermittent problem has remained the same-- some days >better, some days worse. > >Any ideas? > >Any ideas for how I can prove to the company that it is their problem/ their >equipment dropping the signal? > >Judy > > -- John Gibson Chalmers - john@dgnscrn.demon.co.uk Homepages ... http://www.dgnscrn.demon.co.uk/ and ... http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~chalmers/