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Other modem problems
Not all problems with modems are associated with disconnections and drop outs after you have established a connection between your modem and a remote modem. A number of problems exist that may stop you from making a modem connection in the first place. The problems that most commonly stop you making a connection in the first place are usually related to incorrect wiring of the modem, incorrect installation of the modem, old or corrupted drivers or a damaged modem.
This list is not an exhaustive troubleshooting guide as some problems are caused by a series of faults that could involve detailed troubleshooting of not only the modem but your Internet software. Please remember that if you are in doubt as to how to correctly troubleshoot and repair a modem related problem, please contact NetXP customer support in the first instance. If the problem appears to be related to a damaged modem, call the vendor from whom you purchased the modem.
Your computer does not receive a response from your modem
This problem usually occurs due to the following reasons:
The modem is not connected to the computer - check that all the cables are correctly connected to the modem and that the power is on if you have an external modem. If you have an internal modem, make sure that it is seated firmly in its slot on the computer mainboard - you may need a computer technician to do this if you are not confident with opening your computer case and playing with its innards. Remember that you must have a certified technician open the computer case if the computer is still under warranty otherwise your warranty will probably be made void.
Old or corrupt modem driver - at times the software that is used to control the modem, known as the modem driver can become corrupted or, over time become outdated as new technologies are introduced. This problem is corrected in one of two ways. The first method simply involves closing down all your programs and shutting down your computer then wait approximately 30 seconds before restarting your computer and attempting to connect to the Internet again. If this does not work then you need to reinstall your modem drivers. First of all you must uninstall your modem. After you have done that you then need to reinstall your modem. Select your particular operating system from the links below for instructions on carrying out the uninstall and reinstall. Please note that these links are for Windows systems only. Macintosh based computers have a fully automated install and uninstall process for hardware. If you do not have the latest drivers for your modem, have a look at the modem manufacturers list to see if your manufacturer is listed.
(Insert links here to uninstall and reinstall a modem)
Modem is busy or "Port is already open"
This usually occurs when the modem has not properly disconnected or is being used by other software when you attempt to connect to the Internet. The first step to take is to close all programs that your computer may be running then restart your computer. This usually resets the modem after which you should be able to connect to the Internet.
If this does not work then the modem is probably being used by some other communications program you may have installed on your computer. Common programs that can "take over" your modem include fax and telephony software that may automatically start when you turn your computer on. If there is another communications program running that uses your modem, close the program in question then try to connect to the Internet. If this does not solve the problem, check the documentation that came with the communications programs on how to disable them or, contact the vendor of the software.
A final problem may be that the modem is sharing its resources with another hardware device. This means that the modem will not be able to operate if the other device is using the resources. Once again, contact the vendor from where you purchased the computer or a computer technician to have this problem resolved.
No dial tone
This problem can be caused by four main problems as listed below:
Modem not correctly connected - The telephone line may be connected to the wrong jack on the modem. Ensure that the phone line that comes from the wall socket is plugged into the "line" or "wall" socket in the modem.
Too many devices on the phone line - If you use only one phone line for your mode, phone and / or other communications devices, unplug them so that the modem is the only device connected to the line. Also make sure that there are no splitters along the phone line and that the line between the modem and the wall socket is as short as possible.
Need to disable wait for dial tone before dialing - On occasions your modem may attempt to dial the remote modem before the dial tone on the phone line has had a chance to be sent down the line. If the modem is set to detect a dial tone and does not hear one, then the attempt to dial the remote modem will be cancelled by your modem. To correct this problem, you need to follow the instructions for your particular operating system listed below to disable the wait for a dial tone.
Modem is damaged - This can occur if an electrical storm has happened in your area. A lightning strike during a storm can send a power surge through phone lines that will "fry" the electronic components that consist your modem. A lightning strike does not have to hit your house to cause this problem. Below is a checklist that you can go through to determine if your modem may be damaged:
1. Has the modem all of a sudden stop working even though it worked fine previously ?
2. Have you changed any of the software settings for the modem recently ?
3. Have you changed any of the modem cabling recently ?
4. Have you installed a new modem without removing the software for the old one ?
If you answered yes to question 1 and no to the rest of the questions and you receive the No Dial Tone error then your modem may be damaged. The only way to correct this problem is to either return the modem to the place of purchase for an exchange or repair or, you can purchase a new modem. Just make sure that the modem is truly damaged before opening your wallet !!
(Link here) Modem Index page (Link here) Modem Manufacturers END PAGE
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