Let’s face it: not many of us have a soft spot for our internet service provider (ISP). Unfortunately, ISPs tend to have a bad reputation in the tech industry.
In my case, the situation with my home internet was more than just a minor annoyance. It had reached the point where my connection would drop off as many as 50 times a day. Yes, you read that correctly – 50 times. And to make matters worse, I was locked into a contract with an ISP that wasn’t taking my issues seriously.
Feeling powerless, I decided to do some research and stumbled upon a simple tool that helped me prove that the problem was on their end, not mine.
The frustrating struggle with my internet connection
Let me share my story of battling with my internet connection, or should I say, my internet provider.
As someone who works from home and enjoys gaming, a stable internet connection is essential. It all began a few months ago with occasional disconnections here and there. But then, the disconnects became a daily struggle. I would lose connection on all devices in my house multiple times a day, ranging from 2 to 30 minutes each time. It got so bad that my mobile internet was more reliable than the fiber connection I was paying for, which would go down dozens of times a day.
Before reaching out to my ISP, I attempted troubleshooting but suspected a deeper issue. Both Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections were unstable, indicating the problem was not with my devices. Despite the ISP’s attempts to replace equipment and cables, the problem persisted, and they failed to address the root cause.
Frustrated and feeling helpless, I turned to an unexpected solution.
An unexpected rescue
Dissatisfied with my ISP’s response, I sought to prove that the issue was on their end. A tool called Net Uptime Monitor (NUM) offered a simple yet effective solution.
NUM allows users to monitor their internet connection’s reliability by sending periodic pings to servers. By differentiating between local network failures and ISP-related issues, it provided me with concrete evidence of my ISP’s poor service.
NUM’s meticulous monitoring and logging capabilities enabled me to gather irrefutable proof of my ISP’s incompetence. Despite its initial skepticism, the tool proved invaluable in confronting my ISP with undeniable data.
While the free version of NUM has limitations, investing in a license for continuous monitoring proved worthwhile for me.
A (kind of) happy ending
Armed with NUM logs, my ISP acknowledged the issue but failed to provide a timely solution. Frustrated with their lack of action, I switched to a different ISP, which finally resolved my connectivity issues.
Despite the challenges, NUM’s logs proved instrumental in terminating my contract with the previous ISP without financial repercussions. If ever faced with similar issues, consider using tools like Net Uptime Monitor to support your claims with solid evidence.
