cable internet access issue

[chrisinthesun20]

I'm having a very strange (and annoying) cable internet "issue" - its quite involved so I apologise in advance for the length of this post!:

I have a NetGear FA311 network card, and I'm using Chello Cable Internet (I live in the Netherlands).

Everything is configured and set up correctly, there are no obvious conflicts etc etc BUT:

Sometimes, NOT all time, when I type in the address of a website and hit return it spends ages saying "Connecting to site blah blah...." before the site itself starts to load - once I've connected to the site its fine but that initial connection can takes ages, and sometimes the browser just errors, saying it cannot fine the site.

Also, when I am having this problem, the Repair Connection option (or IPCONFIG / RENEW) fails. It can do this sometimes right from bootup - or sometimes the connection will be fine for an hour or so, and then suddenly it starts. it is important to note that even when my browser cannot find sites - other services which do not go via the DNS (such as MSN messenger) work just fine - which again makes me think it might be an ISP issue.
I've tried manually changing between the two DNS server addys I've been given, but that does not help. I've tried manually and automatically setting IP and DNS settings - no difference. I've tried resetting the cable modem but the generally does not seem to help either.....

At first I thought it might be my network card, but various driver revisions seem to have ruled that out. I'm inclined to think it is an issue with my ISP (I've not tried to call them as Dutch Customer Service is EVEN WORSE than English customer service!)

The only thing I've not tried is swapping out my network card - i did try to do it yesterday, but because my ISP has not given my details on how to swap the MAC address when I put in a new NIC I can't do it, so I've as yet been unable to try a different network card. The thing is, once I've connection to a site, even if it takes ages, I get my full d/l speed of about 130kb/s, so it does not seem to be bottlenecking at the network card itself - and also it cannot be the cable.....

System specs as follows:

AMD 1.1Ghz
Kinetiz 7T m/b (running latest VIA 4in1)
1GB 133mhz RAM
40GB HDD (I forget the make - been through so many!)
Creative Geforce II GTS 32mb
Soundblaster Live! Value

I really don't know what the most likely cause of this problem is - any help would really be most appreciated - as I hate having to pay 47 euro a month for a distinctly flaky net connection!

Thanks!

[Grendel]

Any firewalls on your computer?

Any 3rd party crap like Kazaa, New.net, Bonzai Buddy, DivX spyware ver.,Wild Tangent, etc; anything like that?

Disable 3rd party browser extensions from Internet Options/Advanced.

Clear out your ActiveX controls. Internet Options/Settings button/View Objects button
Any sites you visit that need them will just tell you to install them again when you visit; no biggie. Some may be corrupt.

Is all your hardware and software XP compatible?
Latest BIOS?

Let us know if anything helps.

[chrisinthesun20]

Cheers for your response,

I have Kazaa Lite installed, but I only have it running when I want to use it, so i can't see that it would be causing the problem.

All my hardware is XP compatible (see my system specs in original post). Also, I have no third party browser extensions installed.

I am running Norton Anti-virus 2003 full registered version, and also ZoneAlarm Plus full registered version - I also have the XP firewall disabled. I've tried running my system without these two programs active but the problem is still there.

The strange thing is this problem is not something which happens all the time - sometimes when I turn my PC on the net conenction is fine - other times when it first gets into windows it will spend ages polling the connction, and other times it windows will load fine, but connecting to sites will take ages - after the intial conenction everything is fine for that particular site.

The problem i have is that is very difficult to tell if the issue is at mine, or the ISPs end - as far as I can tell there are no conflicts etc on my PC, as every is listed as working correctly, and I am not noticing any other issues, stability or otherwise.

I've got a stong IT background and am skilled with PCs - however this is the first time I've had a B/B net connection so I'm a bit in the unknown at the moment!

The only thing I think it can be is my NIC - but that is all listed as working correctly, and there is nothing to suggest that it is causing a problem - even when it takes ages connecting to a site, once I'm connected I get my full 130kb/s download speed - very strange.

The other thing left for me to try is to swap out my NIC, but Chello did not leave me instructions on how to link a new NIC to my cable modem - so until they send instructions though I'm a bit stuck......

[chrisinthesun20]

I'm now starting to get the impression that I might have a duff cable modem - all I've got to do now is to try and get a new one out of Chello - wish me luck!