How does the reset gateway option work?

[adamg1]

My uncle has been having problems with his DSL internet connection and had to call his ISP multiple times. Nearly every time he had to press the resest button on the back of the modem (for 90 seconds), and log back in through the modem/router options page in his browser just to get back online.

One of these times, he was fiddling around with the settings and clicked the Reset Gateway option--which seemed to revert the device back to factory settings. He had to re-enter the device access code and some other settings guided by his ISP on the phone.

My question is two-fold: What can be causing such a bad connection?--is that just the nature of his older DSL wiring ('cause it's a new router and modem that he's using)?
What does resetting the gateway actually do?

 

[Someone Somewhere]

When a DSL connection starts, it does what's called 'training'. Basically, this tests the phone line to see how much data can be pushed down it. It then runs at that speed until you reboot the modem, or the errors get so bad it disconnects, and tries to re-train.

Rebooting your gateway forces it to re-train, and hopefully select a slower, more stable speed.

Completely resetting the gateway clears all the settings, including the passwords.

Common causes of DSL issues are not having DSL filters on every device connected to the phone line (this includes stuff like house or medical alarms, and cable/satellite TV boxes that use a phone line), and water in poorly-done joints.

 

[adamg1]

When a DSL connection starts, it does what's called 'training'. Basically, this tests the phone line to see how much data can be pushed down it. It then runs at that speed until you reboot the modem, or the errors get so bad it disconnects, and tries to re-train.

Rebooting your gateway forces it to re-train, and hopefully select a slower, more stable speed.

Completely resetting the gateway clears all the settings, including the passwords.

Common causes of DSL issues are not having DSL filters on every device connected to the phone line (this includes stuff like house or medical alarms, and cable/satellite TV boxes that use a phone line), and water in poorly-done joints.

Thanks for your reply. This pretty much answers my question...
Is it a good idea to reset the gateway more often in these cases, or is that just overkill?

 

[Someone Somewhere]

Not really. Unless you've changed something, resetting the gateway more than once shouldn't help.