Problems with Internet connection

For the past few days my Internet connection has been flakey. Sometimes my browser would find servers and other times it wouldn't. However, today although I was still connected to the Internet, no servers could be found. My ISP is Orange but when I tried a dial up connection with Ukonline I found the same problems It seems to be working again though.

Just to rub salt in the wound I found that my ISP has decided to debit my account twice this month. When I rang them I must have been put through to an overseas call centre which did not help matters

I lost my Internet connection two days ago. The other night I turned on my PC so that I could transfer some money from my bank account and found that although my modem seemed to be connected I couldn't load any Web pages At first I thought it was a problem with my ISP (Orange) but when it wasn't fixed I decided to give the 'technical support' a ring.

I spent about 40 minutes talking to a robot with a script and eventually, because I didn't have one of their modems, was told that there was nothing more they could do and I would have to speak to the technical support for my modem. I managed to find a number to call Netgear who made the modem. After spending another soul destroying 30 minutes speaking to another robot with a script we finally discovered what the problem was.

When I first registered with my ISP I had to login and the connection has always been active. Somehow I must have been logged off and that was the reason for the problem

I was just wondering if anyone else was having problems with their broadband connection. I am with Orange and the connection has been down for the past 4 days. I've been on to their hell desk and was offered the usual helpful tips, but still no joy

There have been problems recently with broadband since BT began the Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) upgrades in Penicuik. Orange are also transferring their system across to BT so that might be a reason for it.
I know what you mean about the "hell-desk" support lines - they tend to be pretty hopeless until you can get on to the second level support sinec most of them are what I call "script monkeys" redaing it off their computer screen. If your problem does not match the script then you are stuck.
Keep at them because it is probably a BT or Orange problem and not at your end. I heard once that a contractor unplugged about 20 lines while doing a job then forgot to plug them back in!

Thanks, although I still haven't got a connection, they have sent a text admitting there is a problem which has been passed on to their suppliers At the moment I'm using my dongle to connect. This morning I decided to use my spare PC. However, after it booted up it suddenly stopped working. My first thought was that perhaps a fuse had blown. I connected up a spare power cable and tried again. It seems that if I plug in the dongle it blows the fuse

It seems that everything I touch at the moment seems to break As well as the electric shower only producing lukewarm water at best, the rotary clothes airer is misbehaving as well.........

dinnae touch thon swich adim ! ah said din

Still no internet connection Phoned the Hell desk again today. If they tell me one more time that the problem is 'internal wiring' I will scream. I have made the checks they asked for using the BT test socket, tried three different modem/routers and the problem must be at their end

The good news is that the shower and rotary drier are fixed....

Seems like you are not the only one - see this thread on the Digital Spy forum.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1290006

If you have swapped filters, disconnected everything else and plugged in different routers then the fault MUST be external to you, either on the line or at the exchange. Try getting them to escalate you to the next level of support and see what they have to say - it seems that mentioning cancellation and non-payment can have the desired effect on the "helpline" people!

Oh happy days Finally, I came home from work to find the wee green light on the router was on all the time. I feel vindicated as it turned out to be faulty equipment at the exchange Orange have said that they will give a refund for the month, so I suppose it's better than nothing.

On the other hand the charger on one of the kid's laptops has stopped working, so I've had to order an new one. Also, my phone bill with Sky was a bit higher than usual. Most of the calls I can understand. However, it seems there were two phone calls lasting seconds to 'Switch' within the
same minute that cost £1.50 each. Does anyone know what this might be for?

A new excuse for broadband failure - rats chewing the cables. See the TRUE story from Fife here:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/10/12/dirty_rat_downs_virgin/