ajpenn

Thanks, that's useful. I think the phone line problems just confused the matter and you are right. I don't think it's the computer because I've tried 3 different PCs/OSs, so I'll talk to my ISP about the router etc. All the best, Andy. Thanks also, I'll try your suggestions. Nice to get some useful comments!

Reply to all: No, they did it to get my internet connection and phone line working - I've been paying hard earned cash for 10 months for a crackling phone line and a 0.5MB broadband connection when it should be running at 5MB and no crackling! Section 14 1979 Sale of Goods Act 'goods and services must be fit for purpose'. What else would you expect them to do - keep charging me a premium rate for a 1990s speed service - would you pay? If I bought a car and three of the wheels fell of I'd expect the manufacturers to fix it, irrespective of the cost, why is broadband any different? The router was the first thing they changed - but I'll look into the router settings. I was asking if people thought that the problem with Steam and the phone line are connected ('maybe the line problems are just a coincidence') or if, now the line appears to be fixed, it's something else - particularly if anyone had experienced the same problem with ALL being kicked from the server when they connected. I hoped someone on the forum might know something about this. Based on the comments (not yours in particular) I'll try another forum. Increasingly think it's just a problem with my Steam account. BT are currently working with Local Authorities (LAs) to provide Fibre - but they are starting with Fibre to businesses first. If you contact BT Openreach (or maybe your LA) - and get someone who knows what they are talking about (good luck!)- they should be able tell you the plans for your area. 'bullcrap' to expect a decent broadband service for my hard earned cash - bullcrap to expect anything less!

Apologies in advance for all the detail! I have a real bad problem with L4D2. I’ve played L4D and LFD2 from first release and love the games. However, for months now I’ve had a problem. When I start a game it plays for a while and then looses connection to server – not just that – it also seems to take everyone else who’s playing out of the game as well!! You can imagine how unpopular this will make me! I’ve had phone line problems and broadband problems and have had BT engineers (phone line and broadband engineers) out numerous times for over 6 months. They have replaced my master socket (with one that includes a micro filter – the latest kit), hub, the line up to the telephone pole outside my house and the connection at the pole, and today they have had a team of engineers (I threatened them with OFCOM!) checking and fixing the connections underground and the connections at the local server! I’ve also replaced my Ethernet cables and used several PCs and OS. They have done everything short of spending “a million pounds” digging up the road up to my local exchange. They have now fixed the problem with the phone line and my broadband is running at 5MB/S (ping is about 40, jitter 1) and all the tests, using the latest equipment, are fine. However, I still have the same problem with Steam. I can’t think what else to do and maybe the line problems are just a coincidence. Has anyone had a similar problem – i.e. losing everyone’s connection to server at the same time (hopefully the line stuff is a coincidence). Please help as I’m desperate to kick some zombie ass! Thanks and all the best, Andy.