My internet woes... Help me please... anyone....

Have you ruled out that it works fine 1) with a wired Ethernet connection to your own network and 2) with a dongle/mifi using another network?

Also, is the whole broadband connection lost, or just internet access e.g. voip/skype works, but the browser doesn't connect.

Yes. Even bought a new laptop to disprove the thought that it was a tech problem this end.

Everything works fine on another connection next door.

It's a total loss. All comms are down  - but the Landline is still live (So it's not a duff line)

that is tricky as it could possibly be the area /provider you are under...Has anything changed new TV etc as they can cause issues if the router is next to it

When I was with 02 they were the best provider around then sky bought them out and was like you constant down time and drove me bonkers then I moved to BT and my world changed..

Yes Andy, it's so tricky to tie down. Nothings new. It's never really worked. Every possible combination has been tried to rule out internal problems.

But, ditto the case at the exchange, yet the problem exists. (They haven't changed their hardware their end)

I can't believe I still have it from 3 years ago..try this thread

http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/t181.html

Don't know if it is still valid ,but give it a try

Ah yes,  And it's a really good recommendation. A noisy line will effect data.

Sadly, I've been here before.
When I first logged the fault, there was a tonne of noise on the line, and the DP was sort of rewired to a new pair. 

Sadly... the line is sweet.... for voice 

Madness... It's been stable today... The fault must know Im talking about it!

Really feel your pain and have been there

Never used to have a good word for BT, after they wired up our ISDN system back to front years ago, but more recently they've been pretty good.

We had similar issues to yourself with intermittent outages which was very frustrating, like you we replaced the router, and when the internet was down, the voice line was fine.

We had an engineer on site, and I'm trying for the life of me trying to remember any jargon which may be useful 

He said to us (in laymans terms) the problem is at the exchange, and there is a setting which can adjust the Signal to noise ratio. By default it is set to X, but for us he tried setting it to Y. That was over 3 years ago and we haven't had a single problem since. I've no idea what X and Y are, but X is whatever the normal setting is for SNR at the exchange.

I had to report the fault a number of times, but the winner for us was when they did some diagnostics (magic wand/pixie dust?) while our broadband was down, which prompted them to come out and make the tweak at the exchange.

I did get lots of technobumble and told they shouldn't have to make the adjustment, and every other business in the same building with their own independent BT line was fine. But make the change they did, and touch wood, we've been problem free ever since.

Intermittent broadband is on a par with an unreliable car for frustration and stress factor!

Ah yes...

X and Y are to do with digital exchanges, which have replaced the glory days of Strowger. 

I think the difference these days is about functionality...System X was developed by the GPO and others, and System Y was developed by a third party, so that there could be a competitive tender. They ended up with both? Not totally sure, could be back to front, could be totally wrong. All I know is it's typically British.

Either way, I'm on system X. 

Now... You'd think me knowing this was because I have a fetish for phones...

Well, I do, kinda, but, I know this because I think it's sadly been addressed.

I think there's an additional piece of hardware in the exchange to do with the modern data levels we send and receive as oppose to the 1993 levels X and Y were made for. 

Today... the net has not dropped once. 

I wonder...

Since it is random when it's working fine or not, has any other interference been rules out. Lord knows what, i'm thinking like tv's can be affected by car remote controls, other RC's, speakers and signals, and so on. Like some sort of radio wave interference or whatever. Maybe every time you put thee kettle on??!! haha