Internet up and down today

Checked Air Station settings page. Fails on Name Resolution step.

Called Flets helpline. Received guidance as follows.

Create an internet connection as follows:
Internet Properties -> Connections [tab] -> Setup [btn in top right]
Run wizard
[o] Connect to the Internet
[o] Set up my connection manually
[o] Connect using a broadband connection that requires a user name and password
ISP Name: [anything]
User name: guest@flets
Password: guest

If we can connect here it means that the problem is either in the router or with the provider (e.g. Nifty)
http://www.flets/
(Note there's no .com or .jp at the end)

Was able to view it fine, indicating I may need to call Nifty. He gave me the following Nifty numbers.
0120-818-275
03-5753-2373

Called Nifty and was given these new numbers.
0120-322-210
03-5860-7600

Called Nifty but was told it would be a 20 minute wait. Seems to be OK for now so I won't bother.

Back to square one

PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAVE RETURNED. WILL NEED TO CALL NIFTY.
Uninstalled Yahoo Messenger to see if this changes anything.

Working... for now at least!

• Internet seems to be working fine.
• Verified that I can also connect to iNAGO Japan and Canada VPNs and also access the internet simultaneously.
• Continue to watch out. If things do seem OK then will have to call NTT and report screwy router.

Called Nifty

Problem happening a fair bit, especially in Yahoo! Groups.

Called @nifty光ファイバー専用サポートセンター
0120-539-240
Spoke for a long time with Aihara-san, good guy.

• Try setting primary and secondary DNS in router.
• Still getting the problem.
• He asked if problem is limited to US sites.
• Confirmed that it also happened on Yahoo! Japan
• He suggested two possibilities: The router is buggy or there is a problem in some remote server somewhere.
• To verify the router I disconnected it and connected my PC directly to the modem.
• Had to add a new Nifty connection in Network Connections of the OS.

NTT Support guys arrive

• Difficult to reproduce problem.
• On both phone jacks - office and kitchen - they find something called a condenser.
• They remove the condensers.
• Still difficult to reproduce but happens.

Called NTT Support Line

• The guy said to compare both PCs, mine and Kasumi's.
• If both machines have the problem then pull the plug on PCs then router then modem, wait at least 10 min, turn on modem then router then PCs, and have a look.
• If it is still bad then call again.
• Still bad, so I called again. Scheduled support personnel to visit tomorrow.

B FLET'S connection is touch and go

Sometimes cannot connect to the internet. Sometimes I can but images are not downloaded.
No predictability. Same link, clicked a few seconds later, connects fine. Sometimes have to wait several minutes.