# Why can't my computer stay connected to the internet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 9, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-computer-stay-connected-to-the-internet/212289 "2003-11-09T21:36:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horrifying_Howler_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-computer-stay-connected-to-the-internet/212289/1 "2003-11-09T21:36:37Z")
I’ve got windows XP, and I usually use IE, but I also have Mozilla. I use a dial up connection (which is the only thing available out here). It takes awhile for it to get connected in the first place, usually about 7 or 8 attempts. If it doesn’t connect it pulls up the error 678, remote computer did not respond. When I finally get connected it is usually okay for a few minutes, then it will just stop bring up websites, although it still thinks it is online, but I can’t ping websites at this point either (I get an unknown host when I ping by URL). IE totally gives up at this point, it doesn’t even try an pull up sites, as soon as I click on a link it tells me the page is unavailable. Mozilla tries a bit longer, but eventually I get a page cannot be found error. I can’t browse by IP address either. If I disconnect the connection and then reconnect it browses fine for awhile, but sometimes it will not disconnect, and I have to reboot the computer (which is why I suspect it is the computer and not something on the ISPs end) Many thanks in advance for any thoughts ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-computer-stay-connected-to-the-internet/212289/2 "2003-11-09T21:55:52Z")
Have you contacted your ISP for assistance? ---
**Author:** ![Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horrifying_Howler_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-computer-stay-connected-to-the-internet/212289/3 "2003-11-09T22:02:18Z")
My ISP is pretty close to useless. The only thing they did was make sure I had the right username and password, and that they could use my info to connect on their end. ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-computer-stay-connected-to-the-internet/212289/4 "2003-11-09T22:57:59Z")
I don’t know what your ISP is, but it sounds like they are the problem. There are other dialup ISP’s available almost anywhere you live. Why don’t you try one of those to see if there is improvement. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-computer-stay-connected-to-the-internet/212289/5 "2003-11-09T23:22:21Z")
How is your phone jack? No green crud on it anywhere right? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-computer-stay-connected-to-the-internet/212289/6 "2003-11-10T03:16:35Z")
Even if you don’t have an account with another ISP, you can still get their local numbers and try connecting (but obviously not logging in). Are connections with other ISPs quick, easy, and a good baud rate? You can also try “free trial” ISP accounts. (But remember that cancelling some such accounts requires an act of God.) ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-computer-stay-connected-to-the-internet/212289/7 "2003-11-10T04:06:40Z")
I ran into the same problem with one of my PC’s. It looks like the serial port stops talking to the modem every now and again. Different motherboard and all went well. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-computer-stay-connected-to-the-internet/212289/8 "2003-11-10T04:13:37Z")
I have the exact same problem on a brand new computer with XP. In my case I know it isn’t a ISP problem, but it keeps happening and driving me nuts! ---
**Author:** ![Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horrifying_Howler_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-computer-stay-connected-to-the-internet/212289/9 "2003-11-10T14:13:23Z")
I phoned my brother who lives 60 kms away, but uses the same ISP and the same number to dial in. He isn’t having any problems connecting, it does disconnect every so often, though not nearly as often as it does with me. I replaced the phone cord, just to see if that might be the problem, but that didn’t seem to make any difference. Maybe the modem itself? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-computer-stay-connected-to-the-internet/212289/10 "2003-11-10T15:09:47Z")
When it happened to me I put in a new phone jack cause of the green crud I get being near the ocean. To test it first I wire the computer modem directly to the phone box outside. Get a phone cord & cut the jack plug tip off & take those two wires & connect to the box posts. Also, disconnect any other phone wires on the box posts in case there is a short on one of your inside phone wires to another phone in the house. Connect it all back after testing.