problems with timed-out connection

Just a couple days ago my internet connection has started acting up. On my computer that is connected to a wireless router via usb adapter, the internet suffers severe stutters.

My basic network set up is:

modem > wired router > wireless router

I have a computer hooked up with a cable to the wired router, and my second computer wirelessly. For the past year this has been working fine, so I don't think it's a configuration error. On my wirelessly connected computer, when I go to Run, and run cmd, i type in
ping -t www.google.ca
and I get about 50% loss in packets. The ones that make it even out to an average 70 ms ping. The same thing when I run MS-DOS on the wired computer (it's a windows 98), I get the same amount of lost packets, because of Request timed out.

So what i've tried to do, is access my wired router and tell it to get a new ip address. Didn't help much. I tried changing my DNS to the ones on www.opendns.com but I haven't noticed any change.

I don't think its a hardware problem from the usb adapter, because the wired computer is seeing the same problem, of the requests timing out. So what should I do? Give my isp a call? It's Telus, a rather big (and i think shitty) ISP in Canada.

Thanks for your time

no one has any suggestions at all?

Have you got access to another modem? It could be that the modem is starting to fail or even the wired router. Have you tried turning off your firewall & pinging the google site again or any other site for that matter. Obviously, turn your firewall back on after testing.
How about firewalls on your routers, do they have them are they functioning correctly?

As far as another modem, I don't think I have a spare one lying around unfortunately.
My wired router... well I have a second wireless router that I could use as a temp wired, to see if the wired is at fault.
I don't think it's firewall related because I haven't made any changed recently, not to mention my wired computer doesn't have a firewall on it (yet it suffers the same problems as my wireless one).

One thing that confuses me is that some days the internet is fine, and other days it takes 5 minutes just to load a website, because of the constant lags.

Do you think there's any chance it's my ISP? I'll try to borrow a modem from a buddy if I can, and switch the wired router, and see if either helps.

Thanks for the tips kestrel

Originally Posted by rabidgecko

One thing that confuses me is that some days the internet is fine, and other days it takes 5 minutes just to load a website, because of the constant lags.

That does sound like an ISP fault, but could be an intermittent fault at your end.
Do you know anyone else who uses the same ISP & if so are they having the same problems?

Try hooking one computer up directly to the modem, and seeing if it is still acting up.

Hmm... well it's been behaving itself today, so I can't try either of your guys' advice... but next time it does I'll definitely try.

aha! just as I said that my internet acted up again :P
I went to the wired computer, ran ping -t and kept an eye on the modem just low the desk
every time the internet stuttered, and i got the request time outs, the ADSL link LED on the modem went out. and once the pings were getting through, the ADSL link light was on again.

so it seems I'll have to give my ISP a call... since it seems that my hardware is ok, right?

yup...

Yeah, I would go with that. Could always be a problem on the line in to your premises though.
I would go with the ISP option & work from there.

oookie dokie

Thanks for your help guys.