Need A Program to Monitor Broadband Connection

**Wiredwrx** · 11-07-2005, 02:57 PM

All,

For the past several months, my cable service has been "going down" quite regularly on the weekend. Of course, a call to the providor results in a "We have no outages in your area" When they attempt to ping the modem, NOTHING, so they setup a service call for 2 or 3 days later. When he gets to the house, guess what? Yeap, all is well. Until the weekend comes again, and no service. Mind you, this sometimes happensduring the week, and is quite annoying. BUT, we have a contract, and canceling early is a no no, UNLESS, I can argue with them that losing service is rediculous and see, here is a log of how much time I did not have service.

Soooo, I am looking for a program that I can install and run 24/7 that will create of log of the "down" periods. I have searched some, and found program that monitor a broadband connection, but not for "down time" I did find one, but it does not create a log, it just lets you know if there is a connection currently, cause of course, opeining a browser and checking is just so much harder then having a program tell you.

So, if anyone knows of such a program, please let me know.

Michael

**MatrixPC** · 11-07-2005, 03:21 PM

You can set up an AT command (windows scheduler) as often as you like to do something like this.

Code:

ping_or_tracert whatever_server_you_want >> C:\logfile.txt.

Well you get the idea. May do an echo command to output the date as well.

**Wiredwrx** · 11-07-2005, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by MatrixPC

You can set up an AT command (windows scheduler) as often as you like to do something like this.

Code:

ping_or_tracert whatever_server_you_want >> C:\logfile.txt.

Well you get the idea. May do an echo command to output the date as well.

Can you PM me with more details.

Michael

**BoyNextDoor** · 11-07-2005, 03:35 PM

try DUMETER. it logs up/download speeds. not sure if it would work for u, but you can give it a shot...

**MatrixPC** · 11-07-2005, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by Wiredwrx

Can you PM me with more details.

Michael

Nothing fancy. Create a bat file with the following entry (modify to your need) and save it in the root directory (C

drive prefer.

Code:

DATE /T >> C:\LogFile.txt
TIME /T >> C:\LogFile.txt
TRACERT www.yahoo.com >> C:\LogFile.txt

TRACERT take longer to complet compare to PING, but at least it tell you where the network connection broke. You can subtitute www.yahoo.com for an ip address.

1) Now go to Start -> Program -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks
2) Double click on Add schedule task
3) The wizard start and click Next
4) Under program click Browse button and navigate to the bat file create ealier and lick OPEN
5) Select daily or how often according to your need.
6) Select time the task will runs.
7) Enter name/password and done.

Go back to step 2 if you want to add another (same) task to run at different time.

Of course there are other way to do it as well, but this is the most getto way to do thing.

**Wiredwrx** · 11-07-2005, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by MatrixPC

Nothing fancy. Create a bat file with the following entry (modify to your need) and save it in the root directory (C

drive prefer.

Code:

DATE /T >> C:\LogFile.txt
TIME /T >> C:\LogFile.txt
TRACERT www.yahoo.com >> C:\LogFile.txt

TRACERT take longer to complet compare to PING, but at least it tell you where the network connection broke. You can subtitute www.yahoo.com for an ip address.

1) Now go to Start -> Program -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks
2) Double click on Add schedule task
3) The wizard start and click Next
4) Under program click Browse button and navigate to the bat file create ealier and lick OPEN
5) Select daily or how often according to your need.
6) Select time the task will runs.
7) Enter name/password and done.

Go back to step 2 if you want to add another (same) task to run at different time.

Of course there are other way to do it as well, but this is the most getto way to do thing.

Cool, I will try it. Just curious, will the log file be replaced each time, or will it be added to as the batch file runs.

Michael

**MatrixPC** · 11-07-2005, 04:33 PM

No, If the log file does NOT exits, it will create a log file. Otherwise new info is appended to the end of existing file.
More info on DOS stuff http://www.computerhope.com/msdos.htm

**Wiredwrx** · 11-07-2005, 04:53 PM

Cool, thanks for all the help.

Michael

**StrataG** · 11-07-2005, 05:06 PM

you may also want to add a ping of your ISP's website and gateway. The gateway will obviously be hit by the traceroute, but having a direct attempt at the gateway will help avoid wannabe know-it-alls in the tech support department. I've had situations where even though the trace doesn't get out of my network, they say they cannot guarantee access to XXXXX site. That it could be XXXXX's site is down. A ping directly to the gateway will prove it's on their end.

**Wiredwrx** · 11-07-2005, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by StrataG

you may also want to add a ping of your ISP's website and gateway. The gateway will obviously be hit by the traceroute, but having a direct attempt at the gateway will help avoid wannabe know-it-alls in the tech support department. I've had situations where even though the trace doesn't get out of my network, they say they cannot guarantee access to XXXXX site. That it could be XXXXX's site is down. A ping directly to the gateway will prove it's on their end.

I will add that to the btach file.
Thanks for the help.

Michael