[YLUG] Broadband Internet Advice

[hxi3]

Hello,



I have been having some frustrating difficutlies with my ADSL connection, and was hoping that you might be able to spare a few minutes and give me some advice.



About two weeks ago, I signed up for Virgin broadband.  My decision was based upon their unlimited download allowance, one month contract, and availability in Halifax.  Since that time, I have experienced frequent dropped connections--while I'm surfing the internet, the connection will be cut off out of the blue.  There is no rhyme or reason as to when the connection is dropped.  It can happen during a download, or when the connection is idle.  It can happen at peak usage times and during the low usage times.



I have contacted Virgin, and they have suggested that I plug directly into the BT test socket in my home--it is the socket just after the BT line enters the house.  To be fair, this fix has dramatically reduced the dropped connections.  However, I'm still experiencing some interruption in service.  Do you have any ideas on what could be causing the dropped connections?



I am using a Speedtouch USB ADSL modem that was supplied free of charge by Virgin.  It is worth noting that my USB modem is located at the end of a 15m telephone extension cable.  Could this be corrupting the signal in any way?  It has been suggested to me that a broadband router would provide a more stable connection and that network cable is much better at carrying a signal over long distances, however I don't want to spend money chasing this potential solution without getting some feedback first. 



Finally, have I made a mistake in chosing Virigin for my broadband service?  Is there a better company out there that you could recommend if my troubleshooting efforts don't work out?  I have considered cable, but unfortunately, it is not available in my area.



Any help, advice or recommendations would be very much appreciated.



Thanks,



John



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Core 2 Duo 2GHz running Suse 10.1/Windows XP dual boot.







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