The past couple weeks we have had a spotty internet connection. Everything would work fine for a while, then nothing. I logged into the router admin interface and noticed that the router was having problems getting an IP address using DHCP. Figuring it was a Shaw problem I gave them a call yesterday.

I didn’t have to wait too long to talk to a rep, but then it was the usual crap to deal with. Unplug the power for the modem. No fix. Unplug the power to the router. No fix. Unplug power to both. No fix. Reboot the computer. No fix. Plug computer directly into modem. No fix.

FInally the tech pulled out some bizarre command line instructions:

netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt
and
netsh winsock reset catalog

I asked him what these were for, and he said that sometimes windows can get confused on bootup and not correctly configure itself. Bullshit. I called him on that. I asked: “How would that fix the problem when the computer had no problems getting an IP address from the router, and it was the router (not running windows) that couldn’t get an IP address. ” His reply: “Hmm good question”.

Turned out that these instructions did something. I got limited connectivity. He had me run a speed test and it was sloooow. My upload speed was faster than my download speed (both right around 340 KBits/sec). He asked me to wiggle the cables in the back of the modem, and as soon as I did that, the speed test completed. Interesting. Loose connections inside the modem?

The answer was to swap out for a new modem. Did that yesterday before closing time, and voila, blazing fast internet connection again. Stable too.