The reason my web site wasn’t working was…
[drum roll]
I was logged into a Yahoo Messenger client configured with “no
proxies”, on an entirely different machine to the web server on my LAN.
This makes no sense to me, but probably does to someone. Changing
the Yahoo client to use “Firewall with no proxies” or “Use proxies”
and setting an HTTP proxy – and rebooting the Netgear box –
both seem to work. Haven’t tried Yahoo’s “No network detection”
option. (Note that exiting Messenger doesn’t make it magically work –
you have to reboot the Netgear.)
I first thought it must be something to do with the clock on the
Netgear, as rebooting it seemed to let connections through until it
had set its own time from an NTP server. But then I noticed another
possible correlation: being logged into Messenger. When the Netgear
reboots my wireless connection to it drops, naturally, so I get logged
out of Messenger. When I regain the connection, Messenger seems to
eventually notice and log back in automatically. At that point, I
spotted, my test via http://www.websitepulse.com started to fail. Finally,
something deterministic!
And the pattern fits, of course. People have been able to connect
when I’ve not been at my PC – like yesterday
evening, and when I’m asleep, and when Roger first got through
last weekend. (I turned it all off while I was in hospital.)
Splendid!
Avaragado's blog 
Confused router
Do you have UPNP (Universal Plug and Pray) turned on? It lets client programs reconfigure your firewall to forward stuff to them.
It is also yet another fine quality Microsoft protocol/implementation.
Re: Confused router
Yes, I do, Anonymous-who-writes-like-Rog.
Maybe I should turn it off then.
On the other hand, it works now…
Re: Confused router
(Yes it was me, and no I don’t want yet another bloody user account somewhere else)
The other problem it can be is if you use PPPOE which normally requires some sort of keepalives to keep the connection up. I would assume Y! in proxy mode would be sending keepalives hence it fixing the problem. My Linksys supports PPPOE keepalives, so presumably your toy does as well.
NOGGIN THE NAG
SO HOW IS THE CV GOING AND THE JOB HUNTING?
IF I FIND THAT THIS BLOG HAS 100s OF ENTRYS NEXT WEEK WITH NOT EVEN A SLIGHT SNIFF OF “OH I MIGHT JUST HAVE A PEEK AT A JOB SITE” I WILL BE MOST ANGRY MORE THAN BEFORE!!!!!!
Re: NOGGIN THE NAG
Weeeell…. most of the comments here are from you,
and you’ve got a job….
Re: NOGGIN THE NAG
Yes I have WONDER HOW I GOT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!Not my sitting on my little screwed up arse!!!!!Love me
Re: NOGGIN THE NAG
And you are right I am spending far to much worry about you.
Dont know why. Got enough doggy poo of my own but still hey not my fault I care. Perhaps I should focus on MORE important things and led by example. I messed up my life dont want anyone else to go down that route. So I am nagging BIG deal worry when I stop
Carrie Bradshaw writes
“In this life we often find that systems go down, communication fails and postal workers go on strike. In this modern age with all our technology around us for talking to each other have we lost sight of saying anything at all? Then I begin to wonder when it comes to affairs of the heart have we left love bits to bytes, feelings to faxes and our souls to servers. Has it come to the fact that will the email man ring twice …or not at all?”