Internet cutting off

sakigrant

I'm running Windows Vista with Explorer and Firefox as browsers. I can't get broadband so am limited to archaic ISDN line. My problem is when downloading files, if it takes more than 20 mins to download a file the connection is cut off by the computer if there is no activity (using mouse to browse etc). If I then come back and reconnect the file will not download so I have to start again and basically sit by the computer. Also when I boot up in the morning the computer looks to connect to the Internet immediately with no prompting and if I don't connect will try to every 15 mins or so.

Wish I had never got Vista - can't seem to work my way around it.

I've looked at all the settings in Exploer and Firefox and can't see what is wrong. I'm probably not seeing something very simple but damned if I know.

Please help - I'm going quietly mad!!

BoB_BoT

first thing i'd recommend is getting a download manager, it should allow you to continue downloading a file that gets cut off. here's the first one that came up on sourceforge click

your computer trying to connect every 15 mins or so and after startup is a sign that some program is trying to access the net, be it a messenger program, update program, spyware or virus. just to be sure do a full spyware and virus scan on your machine. your power management for the system may be set aggressively so that it cuts things like modems, network cards etc... to save power.

go into your device manager, find your modem, right click it, bring up its properties, go to "power management" and deselect the box that says "allow computer to turn off this device to save power" and see if that fixes the idle problem.

Overheal

I doubt the reconnect is a Vista issue. Vista utilities like Defender and Update will only check for updates etc. when the computer is connected to the internet: they will not instigate the connection.