Modem Issue

mathomas · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 7 Location: NC

It seems that something is wrong with my modem or phoneline. I am using a dialup connection, when I disconnect it seems that my modem is not hanging up, so when I go to use the phone or reconnect there is a busy dignal or that loud repititious alarm sound on the line. At one time I disconnected my connection by pulling the phone line out of the RJ 45 slot for the phone line. Could I have damaged the jack when I did this. I had to disconnect in a hurry so my boss could use the fax. I didn't yank it out I depressed the little lever stub and took it out properly but I am thinking that when I did this, because I was connected, it may have somewhat arced causing burn damage: although there is no visual damage. Can someone give me some advice on this?
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M.A. Thomas

Barry Watzman · Guest

No, disconnecting a live connection should not have caused any damage.

The obvious answer here is: try a different modem.

Modems have a relay in them to connect and disconnect. These are
usually mechanical and they can get stuck, or the contacts can even get
burned and "welded" in the off-hook position.

This may be beyond your ability, but the AT commands ATH0 and ATH1 will
cause the modem to go off-hook and on-hook. You should be able to test
the modem by going into a communications program that allows direct
connection to the modem (I think Hyperterminal will do it) and directly
issuing these commands and seeing if the modem responds accordingly
(it's not necessary to dial a number or make a connection to test this,
you should be able to hear the modem's relay clicking, or be able to
tell from another phone on the same line if the modem did it's thing or
not).

mathomas wrote:

mathomas · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 7 Location: NC

Thanks Barry,

I don't think that is it. when I go to connect I can hear my modem switch click and then it tells me there is no dial tone, so I jiggle the phone line - and even unplug it and plg it back in. I am thinking it may just be the phone line, but this happens at work too. There is no indication in Device Manager that anything is wrong. Most likely I figure if there was something wrong with the modem it would show up here. Woulsdn't it?
_________________
M.A. Thomas

Gerard Bok · Guest

On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 00:10:16 GMT, no@spam.invalid (mathomas)
wrote:

Barry Watzman · Guest

No, a problem with the on-hook relay would not show up in device
manager. The computer would, in fact, have no way of knowing that there
was a problem at all.

What kind of modem? It sounds like the modem has problems.

mathomas wrote:

Michael A. Terrell · Guest

Barry Watzman wrote:

mathomas · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 7 Location: NC

Hey guys,

I went into windows help troubleshooter and it suggested that my com port may be shut off. It told me to go into device manager and click on ports but there is no listing for ports in the device manager. What the heck? I am using XP Home Ed. Version 2002 Service Pack 2. Somewhere I read something that suggested if there is no ports listed they are on. Can someone confirm this? I would hate to think my modem is bad. This is a fairly brand new laptop, Toshiba A55-S106 Satelite It has an RJ45 (LAN) and an RJ11 (dialup) I was corredted by someone. I am refering to the RJ 11 jack.
_________________
M.A. Thomas

Jerome Stanek · Guest

Have you taken a look at the MS dial up problems with update MS06-025 patch.
"Barry Watzman" <WatzmanNOSPAM@neo.rr.com> wrote in message
news:44993CD1.9040304@neo.rr.com...

mathomas · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 7 Location: NC

Barry,

I will check into that patch you were talking about. Come to think of it I did recently download a windows update.

Let me ask you this:

I looked into my system information under hardware resources and found that my modem is sharing its irq with several other devices, including my wireless network card.

when I am at work and out on the road I use my wireless connection often. I will turn off my wireless connection when I use dial up from now on. I will observe to see if this problem persists. If it does what do I need to do to separate my modem-- I mean, can I give my modem its own irq?
_________________
M.A. Thomas

Barry Watzman · Guest

I'm not the one who mentioned the patch, but that is a very, very valid
suggestion [for those who don't know, a Microsoct critical update issued
last week and automatically applied by anyone who had turned on
automatic critical updates, or who downloaded and applied it manually,
"broke" certain types of dial-up internet connections].

IRQ sharing in a modern PC is ok and should not cause problems.

mathomas wrote:

mathomas · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 7 Location: NC

Barry, can you tell me where to look on my computer for that update install? I will look in add remove programs. Should I uninstall it or is there a fix patch for it?
_________________
M.A. Thomas

Barry Watzman · Guest

I'm not sure, but there was a ZDNet news article about it yesterday. I
only skimmed the article since I don't use dial-up. It's the second
time in the past 60 days that a Microsoft "critical update" has caused
some significant problems.

mathomas wrote:

mathomas · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 7 Location: NC

Barry,

Thanks for all your help. Let me be more specific in regard to my last question.

When automatic udates download and install an uppdate patch is there a location on my computer where I can see the history of my updates in order to determine what updates I have installed on my computer?
_________________
M.A. Thomas

Barry Watzman · Guest

Yes; there is a check-box in the "Add or Remove Programs" applet of
Control Panel for "show updates" (it's near the top). If you check
this, it will show the Microsoft updates, and also allow there removal
(in most cases, but some are non-removeable).

mathomas wrote:

Kathy · Guest

I'm having a modem problem as well, but this was before I downloaded a
critical update.

This is a very strange problem and was wondering if you could tell me if
you ever heard of such a problem.

I too am using dial-up (all I can afford at the moment), anyway, I have
a U.S. Robotics 56K Fax PCI modem. It's been fine for at least 5 years -
the speed was always 56 kbps - for the past week and a half I am only
connecting at 24!! I called the ISP and they basically told me to do
already what I had done before I called them. I uninstalled the modem
and reinstalled and still the same slow speed connection. I changed
slots - the same problems - I also got an updated driver and still the
same problem. I always thought modems just die when something goes wrong
- never heard of it slowing down! Oh I had also used my other computer
and it connects at 56, different modem, so I can't blame the phone line.

Any ideas?

Kathy

Barry Watzman wrote: