Dial up craziness

**RedFury** · August 5th, 2002, 05:39 PM

Here's the problem. My friend has been having a serious problem with his dial up. It connects in the morning, but won't connect at all afterwards. When it does connect, he is only getting connected at about 1/3rd his usual speed. Nothing has changed in the computer. We actually wiped the system clean, bought a new modem and reinstalled everything to no avail. Most of the time, after you initialize the modem, the com port won't close. I had this problem with AOL years ago, but I haven't had it since I switched to MSN. We tried a total of 3 modems in the dang thing and are stumped as to why it just won't connect. You can hear it negotiating with the server, but it just hangs making the same two tones over and over until it quits and tries the next number. None of the other numbers he tries to dial into work either. We kinda need to get this computer up and running soon, considering he's my Fantasy Football commisioner!

**nodnerb2** · August 5th, 2002, 05:57 PM

Hi,

Can you listen to the phone line without dialing a number?

Noise- Cracking and hissing on the line can play havoc with modem connections.

Do you have the latest drivers for the modems you ave been installing?

Cheers

Nodnerb2

**cowboybooter** · August 5th, 2002, 06:07 PM

When you say it connects in the morning, are you really being time specific ? As in, Before 12.00 it connects however many times, but PM won't connect at all ?

The closest I have had to this was a LAN that would not function properly at night. Solution - the cabling parallelled the fluorescent tube lighting cables, when the lights were on the noise was so bad it distorted the signal thru the network.

CBB

**originel** · August 5th, 2002, 06:27 PM

yeah, like cbb said, is there any interfering electronics near the line anywhere in the house (fluorescent lighting really is horrible, screwed up a monitor of mine)? also have you called the company yet? it could be something on their side.

**RedFury** · August 5th, 2002, 06:38 PM

The modems were brand new, so I'm thinking it isn't a driver issue. Never had a problem with AOL in the year he has been living in his house. He's going to have the phone lines tested by the phone company. He's had static when I've talked to him on the land line, but mostly from the cordless phone he uses. He usually connects at least as good as 33.6, although I've seen him connect at 19.2 before, and he redials and connects at faster speeds. Now the best he's gotten is about 14.4. The only time he gets connected it first thing in the morning...only once. After the first time ( when he disconnects ) it won't connect again.

His computer room only has the computer in it, along with his wifes ceramic collectables and his football cards. Regular incandescent lighting..no flourescent. There is really nothing on that entire level of the house that would cause interference.

I'm wondering if this could be an issue other than the modem, like dial up networking settings, or if he might have some other problems with the computer, although that seems unlikely as it runs fine other than this issue.

**originel** · August 5th, 2002, 06:42 PM

it wouldn't be the dial-up network settings cause AOL uses their own dial-up networking infrastructure, i.e. independent from windows (at least it use to anyway). that is one of the reasons i detest aol. by any chance is there someone he knows that connects via modem that isn't through aol that he could "borrow" the connection from. (what i used to do before cable came around is when troubleshooting a friends dial-up probs, i'd create a new dial-up connection that dialed my isp and that would tell me a lot). once again, have you called aol yet? they could be having problems (wouldn't be too surprised either)

**cowboybooter** · August 6th, 2002, 04:13 PM

Spot on originel, a high probability is the AOL thing ( I hate ALL TLA's )

Has a different ( real ) ISP been tried, just to rule out American Out Law ( AOL ) ?

CBB

**RedFury** · August 6th, 2002, 09:37 PM

actually, I tried setting up dial up networking with my msn account. It would'nt even dial the number. AOHell did say they were having some problems, but other friends of ours in the same area code are connecting without problems. I'm going to test his original modem tonight and determine if it is the culprit in any way, which I doubt is the case.

**LiLRiceBoi** · August 6th, 2002, 10:55 PM

Sounds like AOL is the problem. Does MSN use their own software of can you setup DUN w/ it? Strange that it wouldnt dial the number...

I dont get it, why do people use AOL? It cost more and it sucks (IMO)... so why use it?

**flashingcurser** · August 7th, 2002, 12:05 PM

MSN uses dial up networking. I set up a DUN connection for my father in law who has msn. The only thing you have to do is add:

MSN/username

to the user name. If your modem is not dialing, then you still have a problem other than MSN. Regardless of the number of modems you have tried.
Try making a connection like above and give us the error code. It will be 6xx or 7xx. With that it will be easy to get you connected.

**Cruez** · August 7th, 2002, 12:14 PM

Umm... long shot but it may be a heat problem...not on your end though..

If your line leaving the house is aerial and the cable that is feeding it is aerial... that may be a heat issue...the resistance increases a lot more in aerial cables when you add the heat figure in it.

Is there any other problems with the phone line..? You may want them to have it checked....humming, clicking, popping on the line is not good.

**RedFury** · August 7th, 2002, 10:51 PM

UPDATE: He's getting DSL. Funny how a connection problem motivates someone to upgrade, huh?

I tried installing the modem on both of my computers and couldn't get it to work. It would detect a PCI communications device but wouldn't install any drivers for it. Generic ones wouldn't work, an it wouldn't recognize the modem in diagnostics with a generic driver installed. I'm not totally sold that the modem is bad, but I can't find the right driver for it, and since he is upgrading and has a new modem anyway, I'm not going to push this subject any further. Consider this case unsolved, but closed.

**originel** · August 7th, 2002, 11:10 PM

well, good to see some good come from this afterall. (btw, he's not using aol broadband is he?)

**LiLRiceBoi** · August 8th, 2002, 01:54 AM

Stay away from AOL....

**RedFury** · August 8th, 2002, 08:59 PM

AOL? Oh no, he's not staying with AOL. They gave him 2 months to compare his new service to for free though ( of course..the bloodsuckers )

Talked to him today. Phone tech came out and found the culprit. A corroded phone line going to his Pool house. :SNIP!:

Who needs a phone in the pool house when you have wireless anyway, right?