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Are software modems better then hardware modems?
If I choose to buy one of the cheaper software modems, what modem should I buy?
My modem reports no dial tone what should I do?
I keep getting disconnected from the internet, what can I do to fix this?
The following modems work best on our system:
Hardware Modems:
US Robotics Modems
Zoom Modems
Creative Modem Blaster Modems
The following Software Modems (these are the chipsets, modem brand names may differ)
Lucent Win Modem (driver version 5.55 - 5.70
and 5.82 - 6.00) [Windows ME computers comes with 5.79]
US Robotics Win Modem
Modems which we would NOT recommend using or buying.
HSP Chipset Modems (PCTEL) [comes with many
Compaq's and E-Machines]
ESS Chipset Modems.
Cirrius (Ambient or Intel) chipset based modems.
Motorola Chipset (SM56k)
Conexant HCF Chipset modems ( Some Dells,
Gateway and other computers have these installed).
Global Village Modems (Macintosh Modem)
Are software modems better then hardware modems?
As a general rule, hardware modems outperform and have less problems
then software modems. Here are some links that explain the
difference and the pro and cons of software modems.
http://56k.com/reports/winmodem.shtml
http://www.techtv.com/callforhelp/answerstips/story/0,23008,2267154,00.html
If I choose to buy one of the cheaper software modems, what modem should I buy?
Lucent chipset based Win Modems (with the latest
drivers the early drivers didn't work well) and
US Robotics (sometimes sold as 3Com) win modems
seem to work best of the software based modems.
My modem reports no dial tone. What should I do?
Most of the time this is due to an Electrical Storm, bad drivers, misconfiguration in the modem, or telephone line problems (miswired or telephone company problem).
Electrical Storms can cause a power surge in
the telephone line just as easy as in an electrical line. Since telephone
devices cannot have as many variations in voltage, especially
the modem, telephone line voltage surges can
cause problems more commonly. Check this site for more information:
http://www.808hi.com/56k/lightning.htm
Bad Drivers can cause no dial tone.
Most of the time though, if this problem just started happening you may
have changed or upgraded the drivers.
Miswired telephone lines and/or telephone
company problems. Check to see if your telephone line is getting
dial-tone to the computer. Make sure your computer has the
telephone line plugged from the wall to the
modem jack that says either telco, line, or has a picture other than a
phone. If the telephone line does not get dial tone, then the
problem is either in your household telephone
lines, or the telephone company.
I keep getting disconnected from the Internet, what can I do to fix this?
There are several reasons a modem disconnects. Here are three things to check:
1.Are you getting disconnected only when you check your
email?
2.Are you getting disconnected after a long period of
Modem inactivity when you are not send and receiving new data? (i.e.
reading a web page or email message.)
3.Are you getting disconnected at random? It doesn't
matter if you are reading an email/web-page, or downloading a file/web-page/email,
or playing an online game.
1. If you are disconnected right after either checking your email or sending a new message and you use one of the following programs:
2. If you are idle for 15
minutes, our system will disconnect you. This means, if you are reading
a long email, detailed web-page, or had physically left the computer,
our system senses
inactivity and will disconnect you. This is done to free up a telephone
line for others to use the internet, and to avoid unintentionaly tieing
up
the only
telephone line of customers with a single line..
NOTE: If you are getting disconnected after 20 minutes of downloading a file, this is a problem with Windows and to fix it, follow the directions below:
For Internet
Explorer 4.0x click on Start | settings | Control Panel then on Internet
Options and then the Connection Tab. Click on settings then Un-check
Disconnect if
idle for so (many minutes).
For Internet
Explorer 5.0x: click on Start | settings | Control Panel then on
Internet Options and then the Connection Tab. Click on settings then the
advanced
button.
Uncheck Disconnect if idle for so (many minutes).
3. Dropped connections, not
related to the above problems, can occur if a modem gets a sharp decrease
in line quality, line noise, weather, bad modem
drivers/software/firmware,
or just a bad modem. If the problem just started happening, chances
are there was a decrease in line quality (added noise to the
telephone line,
static)
a) Sharp Decrease in Telephone Line quality or Line noise (static).
Line noise can cause a loss of connection and is not easily noticed. Pick
up your phone, dial
a single number
except "0". Now listen very close. Do you hear any noise in the line whatsoever?
Any noise other than silence, can cause the modem to drop
connection randomly.
High speed Internet connections require you to have a very clear telephone
line.
If you experience
any of the above symptoms, contact the phone company and have them check
the line. As a helpful hint, before calling the phone company,
they may not
come out if it is a Internet Related modem problem. They only guarantee
a 14.4kbps connection or depending on who you ask, they give no
guarantee
or only 2.4 kbps. There are a few things to check before calling the
phone company to make sure the problem is not in your house's wiring.
First, unplug
all telephones or telephone line devices in your house except the computer.
Try the internet and see if that helps.
If it doesn't, run a long
telephone cord
from your computer to your Network Interface Box outside your house
(See the front ofyour telephone book under "Repair").
Try the Internet again and
see if that
helps, if it doesn't, the problem probably lies with the telephone
companies
wiring and you should contact them. If the problem occurs only
sometimes or
sometimes of day be sure to mention that the problem is intermittent
b) If the above doesn't help, and your telephone line seems clear,
you may need to find out what kind of modem you have. To do this,
click on Start from your
desktop, settings,
control panel, then on Modems. This should list what modem you are
using. Next, click on the diagnostics tab, then, click on the com
port
that says your
modem after it. Click on more info. Look for the ati3 setting
and it should give you the driver version of the modem. Below lists
the latest driver
versions for
particular modems and what drivers work the best with our server.
Updating the modem, usually works if none of the above problems exists.
If you
have the updated
driver and the modem still is having disconnect problems, try disabling
56k. For a complete listing of modems and disable 56k codes, and
directions for
inserting the codes, click on the following link: http://www.808hi.com/56k/trouble2.htm
1) Lucent LT Winmodem - (Sometimes include with computers from: Hewlett
Packard, Dell, Older Compaq's (Compaq 56DF & 56VSC Modem) - For a More
Complete List
go to http://808hi.com/56k/ltwin7.htm).
- Drivers that
works well are versions 5.70 and 5.82 and above. Driver Versions
5.75 through 5.79 tend to not work well. To update your modem with
the latest
generic driver
go to http://808hi.com/56k/ltwin7.htm
. Some cases updating the modem version will change the modem name. To
make sure dialup networking is
configured correctly,
on your main screen double click on My Computer, then Double click on Dialup
Networking, click once on the dialup networking
connection that
you use then click on file and properties.
- Disable 56k
Codes are: -V90s38=0 or s38=0 or -v90=0
2) Rockwell HCF Modem (Sometimes included with computers from: Compaq's,
Dell, Gateway and Micron. - For a More Complete List go to
http://808hi.com/56k/hcf7.htm).
- Drivers that
work better are versions 2.1.2.164 and above.
- Disable 56k
V90 Codes are: +ms=v34
3) USR Robotics (aka 3Com) - (Sometimes included in computers from: Dell,
Gateway, Micron, and most high end systems.
- Drivers that
work well are Most of the drivers or firmware. To see if US Robotic
has an update follow this link: http://www.usr.com/support/s-main-menu.asp
- Disable 56k
Codes are: S32=66 or S32=98
4) HSP MicroModem - (Sometimes included with some computers from: Compaq's,
Emachines, and Hewlett Packard. - For a More Complete List go to
http://www.808hi.com/56k/pctel.htm).
- Drivers that
work well - NONE Click on this link for more information http://808hi.com/56k/badchips.htm
. Sometimes updating the drivers work, updated drivers
are located at http://www.808hi.com/56k/pctel.htm
, http://www.pctel.com/downloads/drivers_download.htm...
- Disable 56k
Codes are: n0s37=12
5) Motorola (SM56) - (Sometimes included with computers from: Compaq's,
Emachines, Hewlett Packard and other low end systems.
- Drivers that
work well - NONE Click on this link for more info http://808hi.com/56k/badchips.htm
. Sometimes updating the drivers work, updated drivers are
located at:
http://www.motorola.com/networking/products/sm56_pci_software_modem/drivers.html
- Disable 56k
Codes are: *MM12 or +MS=V34
6) Other Modems that are not listed here and some more instructions for the modems listed here, click on this link: http://www.808hi.com/56k/trouble.htm
c) If the above
doesn't help, you may have a bad modem, I suggest having the modem looked
at if your modem is a HSP, Motorola, or IBM Mwave modem. A new
modem may be
what you need., US Robotics (3COM), or Lucent chipset based Win Modem
modems work well with Blacksburg.Net.
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