Modem Problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jethro
  • Start date Start date
J

Jethro

I have two machines - each with a dialup modem. I have them connected
Line > Machine 2 > Machine 1 > HP AIO Printer> Telephone.
My telephone works fine on voice.
My AIO printer works fine sending FAX.
My dialup on Machine 1 works fine connecting with Netzero.
Machine 2's ControlPanel>Phone and Modem shows machine 2's modem
properly and the diagnostic there does a successful test of the modem.
But I can't get Machine 2 to dial Netzero. It tries the correct
phone number, but as I listen on the phone, the dialtone is not
interrupted as if the machine is not connected to the phone.

Any suggestions as to what I can try next to make Machine 2 connect to
Netzero? Maybe my modem is bad or not installed right? It is a 'Best
Datafax Modem'.

Both machines are WXP PRO SP2.

Thanks

Jethro
 
I have seen this happen with bad modems, usually after a power surge.
The correct troubleshooting procedure would be to connect the phone line to machine 2 only and see if the symptoms change. Turn the modem speaker on and see if you can hear a dial tone before it dials.
 
Mike Walsh wrote: (** and top-posted - fixed **)
I have seen this happen with bad modems, usually after a power surge.
The correct troubleshooting procedure would be to connect the phone
line to machine 2 only and see if the symptoms change. Turn the modem
speaker on and see if you can hear a dial tone before it dials.
Click to expand...

Please don't top-post, and please limit your line length. Absolute
max of 80 chars per line, but 65 or 67 is a better value.

The most likely problem is that the OP has the gazinta and the
gazouta phone line receptacles interchanged on Machine 2.

--
<http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.txt>
<http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/423>

"A man who is right every time is not likely to do very much."
-- Francis Crick, co-discover of DNA
"There is nothing more amazing than stupidity in action."
-- Thomas Matthews
 
I have seen this happen with bad modems, usually after a power surge.
The correct troubleshooting procedure would be to connect the phone line to machine 2 only and see if the symptoms change. Turn the modem speaker on and see if you can hear a dial tone before it dials.
Click to expand...
Thanks for response.
I did what you suggest - namely connected ONLY machine 2. Same
result. I have a dial tone plus I can use the phone on voice. The
modem seemingly won't dial up Netzero. I figure the modem is bad or
not installed right. I do know that it used to work.

Jethro
 
Jethro said:
Thanks for response.
I did what you suggest - namely connected ONLY machine 2. Same
result. I have a dial tone plus I can use the phone on voice. The
modem seemingly won't dial up Netzero. I figure the modem is bad or
not installed right. I do know that it used to work.
Click to expand...

Try using different software e.g. hyperterminal to see if it will dial out to anybody; you can dial your own number and it should report a busy signal. Try removing and reinstalling the modem (not likely to fix it because the diagnostic test passed). Try a different modem.
 
Jethro said:
Thanks for response.
I did what you suggest - namely connected ONLY machine 2. Same
result. I have a dial tone plus I can use the phone on voice. The
modem seemingly won't dial up Netzero. I figure the modem is bad or
not installed right. I do know that it used to work.
Click to expand...

Sorry for coming in late, but you're sure that you have it cabled
correctly? If you manage to use the wrong jacks on your modem, your
phone will still work, but the modem won't.
 
Grinder said:
Sorry for coming in late, but you're sure that you have it cabled
correctly? If you manage to use the wrong jacks on your modem,
your phone will still work, but the modem won't.
Click to expand...

Which is what I told him yesterday, but he ignored.

--
<http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.txt>
<http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/423>

"A man who is right every time is not likely to do very much."
-- Francis Crick, co-discover of DNA
"There is nothing more amazing than stupidity in action."
-- Thomas Matthews
 
Sorry for coming in late, but you're sure that you have it cabled
correctly? If you manage to use the wrong jacks on your modem, your
phone will still work, but the modem won't.
Click to expand...


I agree with that! No - I connected the same two phone wires to a
second machine and its modem works. I figure it must be the modem
itself (Motorola 62002-51), even though it used to work. I am trying
a second modem now(Conexant RS56-PCI). Maybe it will work.
 
Jethro said:
I agree with that! No - I connected the same two phone wires to a
second machine and its modem works.
Click to expand...

That would not diagnose the potential problem I am suggesting. Your
modem has two jacks: Line and Phone. If you connect the phone to the
Line jack, and the wall to your Phone jack, the phone will work, but the
modem will not.
I figure it must be the modem
itself (Motorola 62002-51), even though it used to work. I am trying
a second modem now(Conexant RS56-PCI). Maybe it will work.
Click to expand...

Good luck then.
 
That would not diagnose the potential problem I am suggesting. Your
modem has two jacks: Line and Phone. If you connect the phone to the
Line jack, and the wall to your Phone jack, the phone will work, but the
modem will not.


Good luck then.
Click to expand...

Actually, I had it backwards. The Conexant RS56-PCI is what I had in
the machine that the modem diagnostic in Control Panel said it was
working, but I could get it to dial Netzero. I double-checked what I
connected the phone lines (phone/line) to, and even though they were
correct, I switched them anyway. Same result. Dial tone one voice
phone, but will not dial Netzero. The other modem I was going to try
is a Motorola 62002-51 (possibly SM56?). I can't get the one driver I
found on DriverGuide to work. So I am at a stalemate - at least until
I can get my hands on another modem.

Thanks

Jethro
 
Your problem is complicated in that you are using two unkonwns -
hardware and the complex Operating System access to that modem.
Simplify by breaking a problem down into parts - then solving those
parts. Otherwise the problem becomes exponentially more complex.

One simple program to do this is Hyperterminal (or any other
terminal simulation software). If using Hyperterminal, don't enter a
name for a new connection (hit cancel). Now we will dial the ISP
directly AND see what that fancy Operating System saw and did not show
you.

This connection will default to eight data bits, one stop bit, and
no parity.
Under File>Properties , find the Connect Using option and select
the modem. If modem is not listed, try the procedure below to various
serial ports (COMx:).

Now Hyperterminal's window is talking directly to the modem. Enter
AT&F , then hit enter. The modem (if listening) will respond with
OK . If every character entered is not echoed in Window, also try
entering the ATZ command. Now every time you enter AT (and
enter), then modem will put that AT on Window, and then respond with
OK on next line.

To increase the modem speaker volume, enter ATL3 (if I remember
the correct command).

Now that you are talking to the modem's computer, then modem is
ready to dial out. Enter ATDTxxxxxxx where xxxxx is the phone
number. Try dialing to another phone in the house. Also try it with
xxxxxxx as the ISP phone number. Do it to any ISP including those you
are not registered with. If modem makes a connection, the ISP will
answer and display Logon: or something equivalent.

This proves all hardware and wires are properly connected, or
identifies hardware as suspect. If necessary, do same on other
computer to see what a good machine does.

.. Move on to diagnose the Operating System settings. Without doing
this Hyperterminal test, then the problem is exponentially more
complex because even hardware integrity is unknown.

Report back since other things that appear to work may be indication
of other problems. Yes, this Hyperterminal test provides that much
additional information.
 
Your problem is complicated in that you are using two unkonwns -
hardware and the complex Operating System access to that modem.
Simplify by breaking a problem down into parts - then solving those
parts. Otherwise the problem becomes exponentially more complex.

One simple program to do this is Hyperterminal (or any other
terminal simulation software). If using Hyperterminal, don't enter a
name for a new connection (hit cancel). Now we will dial the ISP
directly AND see what that fancy Operating System saw and did not show
you.

This connection will default to eight data bits, one stop bit, and
no parity.
Under File>Properties , find the Connect Using option and select
the modem. If modem is not listed, try the procedure below to various
serial ports (COMx:).

Now Hyperterminal's window is talking directly to the modem. Enter
AT&F , then hit enter. The modem (if listening) will respond with
OK . If every character entered is not echoed in Window, also try
entering the ATZ command. Now every time you enter AT (and
enter), then modem will put that AT on Window, and then respond with
OK on next line.

To increase the modem speaker volume, enter ATL3 (if I remember
the correct command).

Now that you are talking to the modem's computer, then modem is
ready to dial out. Enter ATDTxxxxxxx where xxxxx is the phone
number. Try dialing to another phone in the house. Also try it with
xxxxxxx as the ISP phone number. Do it to any ISP including those you
are not registered with. If modem makes a connection, the ISP will
answer and display Logon: or something equivalent.

This proves all hardware and wires are properly connected, or
identifies hardware as suspect. If necessary, do same on other
computer to see what a good machine does.

. Move on to diagnose the Operating System settings. Without doing
this Hyperterminal test, then the problem is exponentially more
complex because even hardware integrity is unknown.

Report back since other things that appear to work may be indication
of other problems. Yes, this Hyperterminal test provides that much
additional information.
Click to expand...


Whew!

Okay I'll try. I'll have to find Hyperterminal first.

Jethro
 
Your problem is complicated in that you are using two unkonwns -
hardware and the complex Operating System access to that modem.
Simplify by breaking a problem down into parts - then solving those
parts. Otherwise the problem becomes exponentially more complex.

One simple program to do this is Hyperterminal (or any other
terminal simulation software). If using Hyperterminal, don't enter a
name for a new connection (hit cancel). Now we will dial the ISP
directly AND see what that fancy Operating System saw and did not show
you.
Click to expand...
I found Hyperterminal, and am looking at it on my WORKING machine so
that I can see how it is supposed to work BEFORE I try it on my
problem machine. I did as you say above and am now looking at the
hyperterminal window, It says 'New Connection - Hyperterminal'.
Under Properties, I entered Netzero's local phone #, and for 'connect
to' I selected my working modem name. Then I clicked OK.
At this point, I am stuck - I can't enter any commands like 'AT&F'.
I listened on the voice phone and I hear a dial tone - so I take that
to mean I am not connected - yet if I try to repeat all this, it says
I am already connected. I can cancel out and get out of this, but
where do I go from here? I looked at WXP's helps, but didn't see
anything that adds anything for me to try.

Any thoughts?

Sorry for being dense.
Thanks
Jethro
 
Your problem is complicated in that you are using two unkonwns -
hardware and the complex Operating System access to that modem.
Simplify by breaking a problem down into parts - then solving those
parts. Otherwise the problem becomes exponentially more complex.

One simple program to do this is Hyperterminal (or any other
terminal simulation software). If using Hyperterminal, don't enter a
name for a new connection (hit cancel). Now we will dial the ISP
directly AND see what that fancy Operating System saw and did not show
you.

This connection will default to eight data bits, one stop bit, and
no parity.
Under File>Properties , find the Connect Using option and select
the modem. If modem is not listed, try the procedure below to various
serial ports (COMx:).

Now Hyperterminal's window is talking directly to the modem. Enter
AT&F , then hit enter. The modem (if listening) will respond with
OK . If every character entered is not echoed in Window, also try
entering the ATZ command. Now every time you enter AT (and
enter), then modem will put that AT on Window, and then respond with
OK on next line.
Click to expand...

Okay - I figured out how to use Hyperterminal to dial out. It
connected with Netzero fine and asked me for my login & password which
it accepted. But There I sit now, I cannot enter commands such as
AT&F. Maybe that's because Netzero doesn't allow direct connecting
like this? If so, who can I try just as a test. If not, what am I
doing wring now?

Thanks

Jethro
 
Your problem is complicated in that you are using two unkonwns -
hardware and the complex Operating System access to that modem.
Simplify by breaking a problem down into parts - then solving those
parts. Otherwise the problem becomes exponentially more complex.

One simple program to do this is Hyperterminal (or any other
terminal simulation software). If using Hyperterminal, don't enter a
name for a new connection (hit cancel). Now we will dial the ISP
directly AND see what that fancy Operating System saw and did not show
you.

This connection will default to eight data bits, one stop bit, and
no parity.
Under File>Properties , find the Connect Using option and select
the modem. If modem is not listed, try the procedure below to various
serial ports (COMx:).

Now Hyperterminal's window is talking directly to the modem. Enter
AT&F , then hit enter. The modem (if listening) will respond with
OK . If every character entered is not echoed in Window, also try
entering the ATZ command. Now every time you enter AT (and
enter), then modem will put that AT on Window, and then respond with
OK on next line.

To increase the modem speaker volume, enter ATL3 (if I remember
the correct command).

Now that you are talking to the modem's computer, then modem is
ready to dial out. Enter ATDTxxxxxxx where xxxxx is the phone
number. Try dialing to another phone in the house. Also try it with
xxxxxxx as the ISP phone number. Do it to any ISP including those you
are not registered with. If modem makes a connection, the ISP will
answer and display Logon: or something equivalent.

This proves all hardware and wires are properly connected, or
identifies hardware as suspect. If necessary, do same on other
computer to see what a good machine does.

. Move on to diagnose the Operating System settings. Without doing
this Hyperterminal test, then the problem is exponentially more
complex because even hardware integrity is unknown.

Report back since other things that appear to work may be indication
of other problems. Yes, this Hyperterminal test provides that much
additional information.
Click to expand...


While I was waiting for your response, I took a look at problem
machine 2. I find that hyperterminal is NOT installed on that
machine. No idea why not - it should be like machine 1 in that
respect. How do I install hyperterminal? I tried what a web site
said to do under add/remove programs, but I couldn't get it to work.

Someone help me? I've fallen and I can't get up! :<)

Jethro
 
You have to get in command mode to use AT commands. Wait two seconds press +++ wait two more seconds. OK will appear when you are in command mode.
 
With most versions of windows hyperterminal is under add/remove programs - windows components. On my WinXP PC it is not there, but it was installed by default during windows installation. When you install it you will probably have to tell it where to look for the CAB files.
 
You have to get in command mode to use AT commands. Wait two seconds press +++ wait two more seconds. OK will appear when you are in command mode.
Click to expand...


Hi Mike

When I use hyperterminal to connect to Netzero, it connects fine (on
the machine that works) and asks me for login/password. When I supply
that, it returns an OK. But there I sit - I cannot enter anything
with the keyboard +++, AT&F, or anything else for that matter. I
agree that I must not be in command mode - so how do I get there at
this point?

Thanks

Jethro
 
With most versions of windows hyperterminal is under add/remove programs - windows components. On my WinXP PC it is not there, but it was installed by default during windows installation. When you install it you will probably have to tell it where to look for the CAB files.
Click to expand...


Thanks again Mike

I found and installed it on the problem machine. Now if I can figure
how to use hyperterminal on the good machine, I'll try it on the bad
one.

Jethro
 
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