Comments on: Ask the Expert: Fixing a broken internet

By: Cueball

Cueball — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 22:28:21 +0000

@Duncan Ironically, in the few hours since this piece was posted i’ve actually managed to do this again. Really messed up the pins this time – and still still managed to bend them back into place using a pen knife.

I find the best way to re-align them is to gently run a thin knife down each column and row until all the pins appear straight when you hold the chip up to the light – but be really careful as too much ending will snap them off.

By: Cueball

Cueball — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 22:25:20 +0000

Could be power – but you mentioned that you could still access the router set-up page, just not the internet didn’t you DrugCrazed? I’m guessing you’ve already checked any built-in Firewall and DMZ settings?

Are you on Windows 7 by any chance? Might be worth disabling IPv6 in your network settings.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 22:21:51 +0000

I’ve pulled AMD processors out of sockets before because they’ve stuck to heatsinks, and they’ve all worked fine afterwards. If you’re worried about it happening again I think turning your PC on for a few minutes before turning it off and taking things should help loosen up the thermal paste.

By: Tartrazine

Tartrazine — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:23:56 +0000

If power mode was the issue, the steam web client would be borked as well…..

By: Ravenger

Ravenger — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:26:20 +0000

@DrugCrazed

Are you using a wireless USB dongle? if so the computer might be putting the ports into power saving mode.

To fix this in XP:
Open the device manager in the System control panel
Expand the Universal Serial Bus controllers section.
Right click on each of the USB Root Hub devices in turn, and do this for each of them:
Click the ‘Power Management’ tab
Make sure the ‘Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power’ checkbox is cleared
Click OK.

If you’ve got a built in wireless card instead then that may be being turned off to save power too, and the same method may work.

Not sure if the same method works for Windows 7.

By: Tartrazine

Tartrazine — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:24:02 +0000

You could chase your tail on this. First off i’d be interested if anyone else with a wireless connection to the same router has any problems.

Although it would be good to prove that a wired connection does not display the same issues beforehand, i’d look into getting ethernet over power – where you get two electric plug like attachments that connect to power sockets and let you run ethernet via the power lines in the house. i got some for my sons room as his Wireless connection was forever dropping, and was sluggish when it was connected. Works really well.

By: DrugCrazed

DrugCrazed — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:41:08 +0000

Ah, I’m sorry Mr Oxford I tried using Safari and that didn’t work. And using the Steam Web client in game was usable.

It has a habit of doing this and then suddenly fixing itself. It’s just very annoying and I was wondering what the hell the cause could be.

By: Coccyx

Coccyx — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:30:47 +0000

@Lee. the elders of the internet? The ELDERS OF THE INTERNET?? know who adam oxford is! incredible.

By: Lee

Lee — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:15:08 +0000

I hope you got permission from the Elders of the Internet before fixing it. And don’t forget to put it back on top of Big Ben.