Internet Issues... HELP!

[Songbird]

Okay here's the deal. There are three computers in my house, one of them is wireless, Wii, XBOX 360, and a PS3. For some reason the network is going on and off or just off. They (The network people) are speculating that the consoles could be to blame. They said there might be some virus in one of them that could be disrupting the connection. I'm not saying it's totaly bogus, but I'm getting really pissed off of the old "Oh it's probably the video games fault from them and my family."

We recive wireless internet in the house so it's not directly connected. We've had issues with it before, but now since I've been playing online this past January everyone says that is the reason why the internet is being crappy. I still say the problem is the giving and receiving towers, but I have to wait with no online gaming for several days to see if it's really the cause... which I DOUBT. :mad:

[Terraguy]

Unfortunately that's a big part of troubleshooting.... pulling things down and seeing if things change. Still, they want you to keep it off for several days? That seems a bit excessive. Is your internet dying every few hours, or like over a few days, or what? If it's over a few days, I can understand why they want to not use your consoles for a few days. If it's over a timespan of a few hours, a few days is probably excessive.

[Songbird]

This morning the one computer that had internet was hiccuping so I disconnected that one and connected a different computer and so far it hasn't had any issues.

To answer Terraguy's question it varies. Two days ago I played on Xbox Live up to midnight and the next morning there was no internet for the whole day. The day after that it came back on just in time for the Network People to come to my house; which wasn't good because they need to see the problem themselves to figure it out. The past few weeks has been essentially a game of Russian Roulette; it may work just fine for several days straight or it will be several days straight of working five minutes then stop working then come back on again only to do the same thing again or it won't work at all.

Just for the fun of it I called Xbox Live Support to hear what they say and the operator said the idea of the console being the reason for internet outage is ludicrous; he didn't say it like that, but you get the idea. What he did say a few reasons why it could be doing, but the main key is the bandwidth and our modem. Unfortunately I lack such knowledge so I need to do some homework to see what factors are causing problems.

[don]

I have no knowledge of any video game console virus.
And I go further and say for with a fair level of confidence there isn't any out there.
First of all, consoles are protected against enthusiastic developers (homebrewers) and there is no great information out there about the system insights. Someone who would decide to code a virus for them would have to relay on the "jailbreaking" scene community (which I can say that would not welcome such project) and would have to do a lot of study and exploration on the systems to get info.
Secondly, really, it serves no great purpose. I don't see anyone motivated to do it. Even if the virus creator would do it for the sole purpose to proving he could do it, the work involved would be much more of a shore than an intellectual challenge.

Moving ahead: once again, with "internet towers" you may mean modems and routers.

If the problems are not consistent, I'd say it is you ISP's provider fault. I really can't help from here. If you want help, PM me, and I'll try to help. However, what I think you should do is call them again and ask to talk with their superior (write down his name) if they continue it this crap. "I'm not stupid, Mr. <insert name here> there are no console viruses nor witches nor Dark Santa Claus, so I'm paying your company, do your job or I'll change my ISP provider or simply sue you".

[Worf]

Get a wired connection and a proper router. The wireless internet you're using is being abused by others.

It's not a console virus (they don't exist unless intentionally released by Microsoft or Nintendo, though the PS3's thoroughly hacked and anyone could create one). It's just someone either generating a bunch of interference, or more likely, there is someone using the connection up.

That's a first guess - how's your wireless internet provided? Is it a box on the roof and you connect to a router? Or is it like an apartment where you just connect to a shared system?

[don]

Get a wired connection and a proper router. The wireless internet you're using is being abused by others.
And how would you know that?
Anyway, if other would be using your connection, the very worst it could do to it would be slowing it down for you (aside from noticing an increase in you payement if you don't have unlimited.
Anyway, if you have issues with it set you security configurations to a WPA encryption (WPA 2 if possible) and use a biggish password, say, over 16 characters long, with no dictionary words, and letters and numbers (preferably letters, numbers, and other characters, with semi-random capitalization).
It is unlikely it gets cracked, because right now the best known attack, and I say known as in, to a wide audience, is bruteforcing.
Also, change your SSID (Service Set Identifier -the name you see when you want to connect to your router) into something non-standard (because SSID is related to the generation of the cryptography-thingy of the WPA2 cypher).


It's not a console virus (they don't exist unless intentionally released by Microsoft or Nintendo, though the PS3's thoroughly hacked and anyone could create one).
And why would they do that?
And since you are so keen in contradict me without justification, I dare to create one for PS3 then, since it's so easy. I'm not saying to release it, that would be illegal, but I dare you, I double dare you to create one.
I go further even, I dare you to find a vulnerability that could be used to inject your payload.

[general_mee]

wow no need to fight boys. Sheesh.

And when Songbird speaks of "internet towers" Im pretty sure I know exactly what she means... I live in out in a largely unpopulated rural area, a few miles west of the middle of nowhere. We have two options for internet here: dial-up, or something that I will call "long distance wireless". It probably has a real name, but I don't know what it is. It would be possible I suppose to get a satellite version of internet too, but it is probably exorbitantly expensive...

Anyway, the internet is beamed to us from a tower probably at least 12 miles away, and we receive it with a line-of-sight dish-like receiver mounted on the roof. The signal is brought inside to a router, and we can run the internet through wires indoors or set up a indoor wireless system, whatever, that's our personal decision. But the actual internet that we receive IS ALREADY WIRELESS. There is no cable, line, pipe, hose, or umbilical that connects me to my ISP. It's all in the air... Radio waves or something, similar to cell phone coverage (which, incidentally, is rather poor out here, and good luck using a smartphone). And while it doesn't happen often, if there is an issue with the actual tower (12 miles away, remember) from which our internet emerges, we are without internet completely, possibly for days at a time, because that tower is the only one that we are able to aim our receiver dish at. Until that tower is up and running, we are SOL.

Now, as for Songbird's actual problem, I'm not really the person to ask... I'm not an internet/computer whiz. My brothers have xbox's, but they've never used xbox live here, so i don't know how/if that would have made a difference, even IF there were viruses. And if Songbird is receiving from a tower that other people are receiving from as well, and they are having no issues, then, logically, I would say that it has to be something that occurs after her internet gets to her house. Whether or not it has anything to do with consoles, beats me. But if other customers are also having major troubles with their internet, then the internet company needs to pull up their socks and sort it out.

Songbird, check with your neighbors: are they having similar issues? Maybe if you are all screaming in their ears, around the clock, the ISP will smarten up and do something. Hope things get better soon :/

[Songbird]

wow no need to fight boys. Sheesh.

And when Songbird speaks of "internet towers" Im pretty sure I know exactly what she means... I live in out in a largely unpopulated rural area, a few miles west of the middle of nowhere. We have two options for internet here: dial-up, or something that I will call "long distance wireless". It probably has a real name, but I don't know what it is. It would be possible I suppose to get a satellite version of internet too, but it is probably exorbitantly expensive...

Anyway, the internet is beamed to us from a tower probably at least 12 miles away, and we receive it with a line-of-sight dish-like receiver mounted on the roof. The signal is brought inside to a router, and we can run the internet through wires indoors or set up a indoor wireless system, whatever, that's our personal decision. But the actual internet that we receive IS ALREADY WIRELESS. There is no cable, line, pipe, hose, or umbilical that connects me to my ISP. It's all in the air... Radio waves or something, similar to cell phone coverage (which, incidentally, is rather poor out here, and good luck using a smartphone). And while it doesn't happen often, if there is an issue with the actual tower (12 miles away, remember) from which our internet emerges, we are without internet completely, possibly for days at a time, because that tower is the only one that we are able to aim our receiver dish at. Until that tower is up and running, we are SOL.

Now, as for Songbird's actual problem, I'm not really the person to ask... I'm not an internet/computer whiz. My brothers have xbox's, but they've never used xbox live here, so i don't know how/if that would have made a difference, even IF there were viruses. And if Songbird is receiving from a tower that other people are receiving from as well, and they are having no issues, then, logically, I would say that it has to be something that occurs after her internet gets to her house. Whether or not it has anything to do with consoles, beats me. But if other customers are also having major troubles with their internet, then the internet company needs to pull up their socks and sort it out.

Songbird, check with your neighbors: are they having similar issues? Maybe if you are all screaming in their ears, around the clock, the ISP will smarten up and do something. Hope things get better soon :/

Hey now, keeping the peace is MY JOB! I tease, I would of jumped into it sooner, but I had a busy day.

general_mee is spot on with how my internet works; save I don't live near Courage the Cowardly Dog. I haven't run into any problems since the last issue and the computers seem to be working just fine; however, I haven't been able to test my consoles yet. I was hoping that the rain we're having would do something to it, but nothing yet. They said that would effect it, but that wouldn't explain why it would go bad on a perfect day.

The tower we use is shared by several houses so that does apply to its amount of strength. What doesn't make sense is it is just about a year since I've being using it and it was great; we had a few issues here and there, but they weren't common. Then I started gaming online with the Xbox 360 around late December to mid January; I stopped playing then due to a technical reason which took over 2 months to fix. It seemed during those months there was a increase of issues, but then during April I stated playing again and it was doing okay. Then May came and the internet becomes dicey as ever.

I'll try to be as demanding as I can, but I must note that without their service I would be internet-less.

And a thank you to everyones support.

[Terraguy]

Don't forget that when dealing with customer service, it usually pays to be courteous yet firm. Don't be the crazy mean person when calling, or the freakishly demanding one...that generally doesn't get you a lot of sympathy.

[Worf]

OK, that's a different wireless than most other wireless.

Some places get wireless where someone sets up a WiFi AP and everyone in the building uses it (or a ttrailer park, etc). This type is most common and usually results in it being horrible because it's so highly abused.

The other type is using a WISP (WIreless ISP) which uses towers and is done in a more point-to-point fashion. This is what you have. This usually happens moreso in the rural regions and is pretty much the only viable way to get broadband short of satellite. The underlying wireless backhaul could be WiFi, but is most likely transitioning to WiMax or other more reliable methods. The dish or antenna connects to a receiver box that usually terminates in an Ethernet cable down to your router which then provides Ethernet and WiFi service to your house.

In this case, you need to do two tests. The first thing is to disable the wireless in your router and connect your Xbox360 and PS3 directly to it via Ethernet cable. This way it'll ensure that it's not your local wireless that's the issue. If you don't experience any issues, then there's something near you interfering - either consider wiring up your house with Ethernet, or find the interfering device. It could be a satellite receiver, a microwave, etc.

If you don't see this, the next step is to identify if it's your router. If your WISP gave you a roceiver with built in router, you can't do this step as you can't separate the two. If they're separate boxes, try plugging it directly into your console. Unless you have the latest up to date antivirus and firewall on your PC, do not connect it to your PC (we don't want to get your PC infected). Repeat the test. If the gaming is good, your touter is at fault.

If it still doesn't work, it's at your WISP level - perhaps either your dish got misaligned (the dishes are very demanding to aim). Perhaps a fierce wind storm or something blew it out of alignment. Or it could be at the tower end - something blew their tower out of aligntment. Or perhaps a tree or other obstacle is now between you and the tower.

Also - how's the weather been? Weather can play havoc with wireless equipment, especially stuff like snow and rain can really attenuate the signal.

[Songbird]

Just to add a few things. The router we were using was a wireless router however there would either be one computer directly connected to it along with a console or just two computer. The third computer is wireless along with the wii; that was how it was originally set up. Since the beginning of this test they gave us a different router that's not wireless and as I said before the next morning the issue came up, but when we disconnected that computer and plugged in another one the issue ended. Right now the said two computers are the only ones online and there hasn't been an issue since.

I'm aware with how the weather can mess up the connection; all too well. However, there have been days with no weather issues and it can have the problem.

There is one interesting thing though which as me worried. A neighbor not to far from my house once shared the same tower; not my tower, the main tower. They at some point started to have the same problems which I'm experiencing. One of their kids had been playing Online, I think it was WoW, but I might be wrong. It got to the point were it got so bad that they couldn't get any internet which doesn't make any sense at all considering their location should get better signals than mine. What I'm afraid is my provider is trying to cut me off because I'm playing online.

Another thing I should add is I've played on the Wii online before Xbox Live and during those months we didn't have that many issues. It wasn't until this year that we've had these problems which coincidently is when I've started playing on Xbox Live; however, I don't have to be on Xbox Live in order for the problems to start occurring.

[don]

Another thing I should add is I've played on the Wii online before Xbox Live and during those months we didn't have that many issues. It wasn't until this year that we've had these problems which coincidently is when I've started playing on Xbox Live; however, I don't have to be on Xbox Live in order for the problems to start occurring.

So, someone who is a glutton for punishment decided to create a virus for XBox 360 and discovered a security breach to infect the machines. Not only did he do that as the virus attacks the internet access structures connected to the console. Do you really think this is a reasonable assumption?
I'm sorry, but for them to suggest this to you reveales one of two: they know nothing about their work or they are mocking you.

If my knowledge has any worth on this discussion, here's another assumption, that I don't have any prove or anything that supports it, but is far more credible to me at least: your traffic increased, "they didn't like it" and they cut down on it.

[Worf]

If your internet is dying without you being online, then it's not your fault.

And online gaming isn't that bad - well, WoW updates are, but generally they aren't huge traffic loads. I don't think your WISP is trying to get you to cancel simply because you're playing online, unless you're on some plan that explicitly prohibits it.

And the only real console virus I can think of would be for PS3 whose security was completely blown away months ago, but is very unlikely to be an issue. You can bet that if you unplug your Xbox360 and PS3, you'll still have issues.

Now, you say you have 3 PCs, and two of them are wired, and the third is wireless, and since having this issue, you swapped routers, and unplugged one of the PCs and plugged in the third, at which point you don't see the issue.

A reasonable guess might be that PC you unplugged is infected? It happens - usually some Flash or PDF thing you may have run across (usually an ad). If that's the case, some ISPs do monitor the networks and disconnect anyone who may be infected (to avoid infecting other customers and the like). Usually stuff like sending a huge amount of emails or scans or such. What antivirus/malware scanner do you use on that PC?

It could also be the router.

How is your router positioned? Is it under a pile of papers or is it sitting out in the open?

Also, if you have a chance, try gaming online while observing your router. There's a good chance your router is resetting due ot the demands that online gaming puts on the firewall. Since you obtain your router through the ISP, it means, unfortunately, that they're really awful cheap pieces of garbage built to a price. They work great if all you're doing is surfing the web or such, but do something a bit more strenuous and they'll crash and/or reboot on you, which disconnects you.

In addition, there are the forums at DSL Reports (I'm not sure if I can link them, so a quick Google will do) who may have more insight into your issue - they have ISP-specific forums that may have a FAQ or a thread that has your specific problem mentioned and ways to fix it. Maybe even the magic words you may need to say to get proper support from your ISP. GIve it a try.

[Myrph]

I have no issue with outside links given that you appear to be a respectable poster who isn't just going to spam up the forums with dubious links to sites selling dodgy products...

[Worf]

Well, here's a link to the Forums at DSL Reports (http://www.dslreports.com/forums/all). I'm not sure what WISP you use, but if there's no specific forum, there should be a catchall. There's also regional forums that might be appropriate as well.