Internet connection slow, anything I can try?

Factual Questions
1

First, I’m running XP and my ISP is not the same as my phone company. I have DSL modem and a wireless router. My computer connects to the modem which connects to the router which has my ISP log-on information.

For about a month, the connection has been really really slow. I’ve tried calling my ISP and my phone company and they blame each other, or suggest I do a battery of tests that they have me repeat over and over again. Or transfer me to someone else that never picks up.

This is what I’ve tried so far:

~Disconnected the wireless router and plugged the cable directly into my modem and just log in that way like I used to do before I got the router. Doesn’t work, connection’s still slow, but it increases the speed just a tiny bit (don’t know if that’s significant)

~Shut off the router and modem. Unplugged them and waited, once for a whole night, and then reconnect

~Checked the router to see if someone else is piggybacking off my wireless connection. Yes, one person, but we’ve sinced blocked them but the connection’s still slow. Besides, if it was his fault, my connection should be restored once I unplugged the router and used my DSL modem directly

I will continue to call my ISP and phone company hoping to get someone competent that’s not located in India, but in the meantime, is there anything else I can try? The modem’s a little old, I suspect it’s time may be up but my ISP says that if I’m still connecting, even if it’s slow, then the problem can’t be the modem. I think I may lie to them to get them to send me a new modem because this kind of thing happens every few years although in the past, I’ve been unable to connect at all(I’m on my 3rd or 4th modem).

My phone company is surprised I don’t use them as a DSL provider, so they have been reluctant to send someone out here to check the lines. I might start making up shit about phone calls sounding odd and hearing things on the line to get them to come out. It’s been a month and I’m desperate.

What else could it be? Is there anything else I can try?

2

Try unplugging the other phones, etc, that you have plugged in besides the modem. I had connectivity problems once and the ISP technician was able to narrow it down to a DSL filter on another phone that had apparently gone wonky.

3

Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh! You did it! It works!!! :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: Baracus, I could kiss you, or sex you up, whatever you want! I unplugged the phone that connects to the modem and boom, the problem went away!

Did your ISP tech tell you what to do in order to fix it? Is it the wire that connects to the phone that is bad or the phone itself? I still need a phone so I wonder if I should get a wire or a new phone.

4

Do you have a DSL filter on that phone? If not, get one immediately. If you do, replace it first.

If that doesn’t help, replace the phone. The chance it’s the wire itself is tiny (although if you have a spare it’s a cheap and trivial thing to replace too).