Still Online

We are 'officially' online again but practically our internet connection is best described as tenuous. I noticed this morning as I was acquiring some large files that the download would suddenly totally stall.  When using free download sites this isn't uncommon.

When I checked the modem I saw the ADSL light was shining brightly but the "Internet" light was off when this happened.  And when I lose the internet this is what is happening.  However a few seconds later the light returns and I am back online 'officially' again.

The download was stalling because the internet connection was dropping out!

I have a program on my PC which shows graphically how any download is going.  When in action, the download shows up as green on the graph.

During the dropout observed in this screenshot, you can 'see' when the download stopped and then when it recommenced as the connection returned.

So I am having repetitive short drop outs of my internet service, especially when it is under some load.  So it was back onto my ISP "Support" on the phone again this morning. They verified there were several short dropouts and that the internet service was still not operating properly.  A further escalation of the fault was created seeking further attention again from the wholesaler.

In this country Telstra are the major supplier of telephony services.  They have built much of the infrastructure and they 'own' it.  So my ISP has to 'rent' its internet connections from Telstra to onsell to me.  It is only in the larger centres where various ISP's have installed their own equipment in telephone exchanges. Needless to say, internet access through a private company's own equipment is less costly!

I still get a slightly cheaper deal with my current ISP rather than using the Telstra's "Bigpond" internet service.

At least this time I didn't have to climb under the office table again to manipulate plugs and things at the phone point!

There was quite a few great movies to acquire today, one being "The Imitation Game".