Line Monitoring app?

[JohnD]

I have broadband from Virgin Media (boo) used to be NTL

From time to time the connection fails. Phoning the Hell desk they claim there are no network faults and it must be my set-top box, they get me to turn it off and on, run diagnostics on my PC etc, but it is always the line. Usually it starts working after a while, sometimes the next day, and sometimes the Hell desk eventually accepts that there is a fault but don't know when it will be fixed. So I no longer waste my time phoning them.

Anyway, is there an app that will monitor my network speed/availability and leep a log of downtime? Maybe if I can put a case together I can make a complaint, instead of just moaning (everyone just says yeah, they're a rubbish company, which I know)

 

[dave.m]

John,
I have had a look around but cannot find anything that will keep a log of your downtime.

You can use Speedtest.net:
http://www.speedtest.net/index.php
to monitor your speeds whenever you go to their site and run a test, it will keep your results. Use the London test point as it has been proved to be the most accurate.

For further help with your dropout (if no one sorts it on here), try Kitz Forums :
http://forum.kitz.co.uk/
She specialises in broadband problems and solutions.

dave

 

[JohnD]

thanks for your response

 

[Ricardus]

What I use at work is a bit of free/shareware called Pingplotter.
Basically, it runs a tracert every X seconds and shows the output in graphic form on screen with a history.
Just point it at a site that responds to ping and is a reasonably robust site (Yahoo.com f'rex) and leave it running.

Word of caution tho, after a few days it tends to go a bit funny and record dropouts when there arent any, so restart it every now and again.

 

[TonyWarrington]

Not sure if this will do exactly what you want (I have not tried it) but it may be of some help. The application is called IsItUp (nothing to do with Viagra ).
According to the advertising:
Be the first to know when a device (Server, Network, Website) fails.
Monitor your ISP availability or your network provider's service level goals.
IsItUp will test any TCP/IP networked device by using ping or connecting on a user specified port. It tracks the last successful and last failed Trace route to the destination so it can help you determine the point of failure.
Websites are tested using HTTP or HTTPS with content checking built right in. Website content checking lets you know if your website has been defaced.
IsItUp has a unique features to test email servers by bouncing messages off auto-reply accounts. IsItUp monitors the status of email systems, such as Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes, Groupwise or any MAPI or POP3 and SMTP compliant mail system by sending a "probe" email message to the destination email account that has an auto-reply rule setup.
IsItUp maintains complete statistics for each network device it monitors, including up time, maximum response time, minimum response time, standard deviation and a host of other measurements.

Info
http://www2.tarosoft.com:8080/faqs/how_do_you_monitor_ISP.htm

Download trial 30 days - $19.99 to buy
http://www2.tarosoft.com:8080/