Disconnections Whilst Caning Connection

My Zen connection happily stays up for days and months on end in regular use, but I've noticed that pretty much every time I have a need to max it out for several hours at a time to download something large, it will nearly always drop. It always reconnects quickly again of course, so it's no big deal, but annoying all the same.

I've noticed a similar thing occasionally happens (but more quickly) if I'm maxing my connection out both up- and down-stream for a short burst.

Is there anything I can do to improve matters, from a hardware/configuration point of view?

I'm using a Netgear DG834 with an MTU of 1458 currently, but I wouldn't really have any objections to ditching the Netgear if something else would be more reliable.

Or is it more likely to be something at the exchange level and out of my hands?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Hi, check with Tweak Tester II that you get 100% transfer efficiency.

Enable ping within your router for the test, then carry out a tweak test on this website. (Don�t forget select PPPoA for connection)

If you do not have 100% transfer efficiency reconfigure your MTU settings.

I prefer to find the MTU this way,
Finding the largest MTU by EXPERIMENT version 2. - NOT advisable for Vista.

First reset windows with Dr TCP to MTU 1500.
Then reset modem/router to MTU 1500 save it, reboot PC and modem/router.

Next from windows, go to Start/Run and type in, cmd (click OK)
At the MSDOS-PROMPT type,

ping -f -l 1472 www.bbc.co.uk

Then reduce 1472 by 10 until you no longer get the "packet needs to be fragmented" error message or �Request timed out.� Then increase by 1 until you are 1 less from getting again, "packet needs to be fragmented" message or �Request timed out�.

My reading went down to 1402 before I got no packets loss, then adds 28, example 1402 + 28 = 1430 ��....so that makes my MTU 1430.

Now edit the MTU 1430 into Windows with Dr TCP, save and exit.

Now edit MTU 1430 into modem/router save it, reboot PC and modem/router.

Note: If you can ping through with the number at 1472, you are done! Stop right there. Add 28 and your Max MTU is 1500.
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You download Dr TCP from this website . http://www.dslreports.com/drtcp
Carry out a tweak test on this website. (Don�t forget select PPPoA for connection)
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Good info website for tweaking http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/tweak2.htm

There is a calculation for finding the RWIN, but I now tend to use the RWIN that �Tweak Tester� gives.
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what apps/protocol are you using for the download.

Set the MTU to 1500 on the router and it'll have less to do.

Thanks for the tips guys. It's generally NNTP traffic that I notice it with, although not exclusively. I'm also using OS X, rather than Windows.

I'll experiment with the MTU and report back.

OK, I had no problems with the Tweak Tester and got reports of 100% transfer efficiency. I've also had the MTU at 1500 for the last 3 weeks or so and haven't really noticed any improvement - the connection is still very quick, but still tends to drop and reconnect when it's being maxed out for any length of time. I get ~800kB/sec when doing so.

Does anyone have any further suggestions?

ok when you say drop I assume youy mean the router dropping synch.

If the drop in synch is coincidental with heavy use of the connection then I am leaning towards blaming the router, I suggest trying a new firmware and checking its adequatly cooled. Maybe consider trying a different router.