So, what's at fault here then ?

Guys

For the past couple of weeks I've been having internet problems. I can be surfing away, maybe for an hour or two, maybe 10 minutes,then all of a sudden there's no response when I click on a link, just a crawl of the green line and then it stops.
Restart IE/Firefox/Chrome and I get the no connection message. That's not true, because at the same time, my network is working fine and I can still surf on the laptop or the Archos 7, and my lad is still playing on line with his 360.

The only cure for it is to restart the PC.

I thought it was maybe IE8 - yeah I know, but I like IE. Anyway, got rid of that & went back to IE7. Same thing happens. It's also the same if I'm using Chrome or FF, it just appears more often to be IE as that's what gets used most on my PC.

I've also carried out a system restore back to factory settings because of other stuff, but that hasn't cured it. VM have kindly supplied me with a new modem to update my 7 yr old one (and correctly activated it), but it still happens. Flushed the DNS, reinstalled IE8, no change. Someone suggested it could be the new AVG 8.5 and Vista, so this time I went straight to Avast.

I'm just wondering now if the ethernet cable is maybe knacked in some way. I have had one pack up on me before a year or so ago.
I have noticed that when d/lding, not only do the up & down lights flash, but also the Ethernet light. Can't say whether this has always happened as only had this new modem 2 days.

Can't think what else to try.

Any suggestions ?

i'd definitely change the network cable ,and also the cable to the modem ,if your using the same one .if your on dsl then also try using new filters.

As far as I know, your ethernet light should not be blinking.

on = connected.
off = not connected.

So that would be a good place to start checking things.
Could make sure your ethernet isn't running with your power cords or speakers that might be causing problems.

Ok, cables replaced, modem replaced, IE8 replaced - still happening.

Oh, and the PC has also had a system restore.

Do you have a router? Or possible access to a laptop so you can rule out if it's software or hardware.

theer's a wireless router, but it's connected to the PC via ethernet.
It's got to be something in relation to the PC, I just can't put my finger on what. I did wonder if the ethernet socket had shot, but I ruled that out as there's no pattern to when it happens.
At the same time that the PC internet craps out, I can still browse happily on the laptop or my Archos via the wireless with no problem. Browser is not the issue either as it happens with IE7 & 8, Chrome & Firefox