thinkbroadbnd Broadband Quality Monitor. Monitor dynamic IP?

Hi,

I am in the UK using Sky Broadband on a dynamic IP.

Over the last couple of weeks my internet connection has been dropping out one or two times a day at different times for about 15 minutes at a time. It possibly occurs more often than this, except I am not around to notice.

Each time I ring the (next to useless) Sky helpline they run me through the same tests each time (remove filters, plug into test socket etc) and normally by the time they are finished my modem has re-synched to the ADSL line and so assume everything is 'now working okay'.

I want to use some line monitoring stuff so I can get reports to prove to them my connection is dropping out.

The only thing that I have managed to find that can monitor a dynamic IP appears to be DSLReports Line Monitor.

Thinkbroadbands own Broadband Quality Monitor looks great. Cheap (free!) and nice easy layout to use and understand. The problem of course is that it doesn't support dynamic IPs (according to it's webpage). That kind of makes it pretty useless to the large majority of the population as almost all home users are on dynamics.

DSLReports monitor is quite pricey at $10 a month, but it has the advantage of monitoring dynamics. So technically this feature is obviously possible. Perhaps something to be written into TB's version? I am asking on the DSLReports fourms whether it can be used outside the US. I am also wary to pay $10 for a service if I can't even get it going, they should probably do a demo version or something.

Failing success with DSLReports or TB does anyone know of any other software or website where I can achive line monitoring on a UK based ADSL line on a dynamic IP. Free would be better but I am willing to pay a little bit of cash if it works.

Thanks in advance.

The ThinkBB monitor measures latency and lost packets. Latency says nothing at all about how likely you are to lose the connection but will show large splodges of red if the connection is lost.

You can get more useful information on line stability by running RouterStats and monitoring the noise margin. It doesn't support every router but works with many.
http://www.vwlowen.co.uk/internet/files.htm

Thanks very much for the tip.

I had stumbled across Router Stats and had a look. Although I see a couple of potential pitfalls with my setup.

I use a WRT54GL running Tomato firmware and this is bridged to a ST510v6. I'm guessing that Router Stats would be a nightmare to setup because of the unsupported firmware and bridging. I'm no expert.

I'm sure I have seen a setting in the Tomato firmware that allows you to respond to a ping (I'm at work at the moment so can't spend the time to look it all up). This is why I liked the idea of just pinging myself, easy to do and I would just initially monitor and look for the super long pings (ie disconnects), just as you say.

Nevertheless... the disconnections are becoming unbearable so I am going to have to give Router Stats a try. Let me know if you have any other ideas though and wish me luck! lol