If your connection normally works fine but suddenly becomes slower than normal only to speed back up without any input from you, then it’s highly likely that you’re losing your DSL signal, due to a problem in your phone line or a problem in your modem itself.

Start by checking the lights on your DSL modem. Most often you’ll have a power light, a line status light, a connection light, and an activity light which blinks when your PC is downloading data. These lights may go by different names on your particular modem. The line light is often labeled Sync, Ready, DSL, ADSL, PPPoE, Status, Network, or Line. The connection light is often labeled Ethernet, USB, Link, or LAN.

If the line light is amber, red, or slowly blinking in any color, consult your modem’s user guide for the correct interpretation. Often it means there’s a problem between your modem and the phone line, or a problem in the phone line itself. If that’s the case, there’s a help desk call in your future, since there’s little you can do to fix your phone lines yourself.

You can, however, try using a different jack; sometimes merely switching jacks will clear things up.