I have some sort of internet connection problem, not sure if it is router or computer related, I hope someone here might be able to identify it by the symptoms.

When I try to download a file via browser (doesn't matter if it is IE or Firefox) the download starts and sometimes it soon stops totally.
It usually happens with high bandwidth sites where the possible download speed is higher than my own connection (2 mbit downstream).
The net connection does not reset or anything, the download just stops with no reason whatsoever.

Sometimes when it happens I get the error "426 failure writing network stream" but usually I get no error message.

Browsing, email and torrents work just fine. Only straight downloads not.

Can you try connecting directly, without the router? That would narrow down where the problem is by a lot.

I have been getting the same problem with my browser here. Firefox works though...so I have a second browser just for those links(actually only ones are the links from my bank).

Can you try connecting directly, without the router? That would narrow down where the problem is by a lot.

I can but it is a pain in the neck to either move the machine close to the DSL modem or bypass two hubs/switches with a very long patch cable so it might take a while to overcome my laziness and try that. But will do one of these days....

I have been getting the same problem with my browser here. Firefox works though...so I have a second browser just for those links(actually only ones are the links from my bank).
Since it's a bank site, that sounds like something to do with SSL. Is the link an https:// type (instead of http://)?

Installed a download manager (yea yea I know but I did just fine without one for years) and in its log it says "connection with the server was lost" a few times during download.

Could be ISP related too? I think these problems started around the time when they raised my connection speed from 1mbit to 2mbit, but again, the connection is not dropped when it happens.

hmmm hmmm, in case the router is the issue (I will test it) can you guys recommend a good/reliable NAT router for SOHO environment? Possibly with hardware (not pass-through) VPN.

The cheap ones (LInksys) are just fine. It's just that occasionally they have issues. And they're usually very hard to isolate. You've got to isolate it as Sanchek has suggested.

If you run without the router for a while and still have the problem, call your ISP. If you have a DSL connection, what can happen when you're at the limit of your bandwidth/loop length combo is that the connection will reset occasionally (or often) on teh ISP side. They should be able to see this. It resets quickly enough that, even if it happens often, you only see intermittent problems. It is possible that your line is happy with 1mb but can't really handle 2mb.