wide problem, centered around networking

[blitzgp]

Goode evening everyone!

I have a networking problem that has spanned multiple cable modems/routers, installations of windows, and different outcomes. I was hoping that someone here might be helpful. I will start with my system and variations of components used just in case there are known conflicts i am unaware of:

AMD 64 x2 6000

Abit KN9 SLI

eVGA Geforce 8800GTS 320mb

2 gig OCZ Platinum 6400

Soundblaster Audigy

cable modems I have used:

Linksys WCG200 ver2 (two different types)

Motorola surfboard SB4100 (obsolete cable modem)

Motorola surfboard SBG900 (the newer version that includes a wireless network)

cable company:

Wave Broadband in Washington area

And now my problem:

I upgraded my computer about 2 months ago with the mentioned hardware, and had originally owned a WCG200v2. It started out fine, but sometimes I would randomly get disconnected. These disconnects would get more frequent over time, until a couple weeks ago I was reseting my modem every hour. I exchanged it and got the same model. It started out good, but within 2 days was right back to the same situation of reseting every hour or more. I switched the cable modem with my old original cable modem, the SB4100. The connection was pretty stable, but its performance was garbage. So I went to the store and bought the SBG900. I had called my ISP to activate it and got it running, but as soon as I hung up the phone, it had disconnected me. I rebooted my computer and when I got back online, it disconnected me soon after. If I use the repair feature for my connection, it comes back and then disconnects me at some random interval afterwards. I tried a clean installation of windows, updated only the basics, and now Im still having the same problems.

It is possible it is the cable modem messing up, but since all I have to do is the repair function to back and running, I have a feeling it is windows networking settings. Any help or redirection to another place would be greatly appreciated.

** edit **

just as an update, ill use world of warcraft as an example. In the past, any hiccup in my connection would lead to an inevitable disconnection from the server. However with my current problem, I can alt-tab out of the game (due to the symptoms of a disconnect), use the network repair feature, and everything works fine and I stay connected.

Edited November 25, 2007 by blitzgp

[cluberti]

Are you using USB or Ethernet to connect the modem to the PC?

[blitzgp]

using ethernet

[cluberti]

OK - the only other three questions I have are as follows:

1. Is the PC using the same NIC (and thus NIC driver) amongst all of these reinstalls of Windows?

2. Have you tried a Live Linux distro boot CD to see if the problem happens there?

3. Have you tried a different physical machine on this connection?

[ringfinger]

Thats my suggestion as well. I'm thinking its a hardware issue or the driver for the NIC. When it "drops" does it just straight up disconnect or goto limited or no connectivity or what?