xDSL connection monitor

Abstract

A system and method of maintaining communication between a computer and a server, the server being in communication with the computer via xDSL service or dial-up modem service, with xDSL service being the default mode of communication, the method including sending a request to the server via xDSL service to which the server should respond and determining if a response has been received. If no response has been received, displaying on the computer a message (i) indicating that xDSL service has failed and (ii) offering to establish communication between the computer and the server via the dial-up modem, and thereafter changing the default mode of communication between the computer and the server to dial-up modem service. In a preferred embodiment, an xDSL service provider monitors dial-up modem communications and determines if the computer dialing in normally establishes communication with the server via xDSL service. The xDSL service provider can thus quickly and easily detect xDSL failures.

1 . A method of monitoring the availability of Internet access via xDSL service, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) sending a request from a user computer via xDSL service to which a response is expected;    (b) determining if a response has been received; and    (c) if no response has been received, displaying a message on the computer indicating that xDSL is out of service.    
   
   
       2 - 45 . (canceled)