Modem Problems

This is a subject that warrants an entire book, however I have encountered several common problems recently, which are documented below.

a) Broadband connection troubleshooting advice – Generally speaking broadband products are split up into two categories, those that connect directly to one computer and those which connect directly to a network. Where the broadband connection is established directly from one computer then there may be a dial up connection or logon script that needs to be initiated before the Internet Connection is available. Usually with this type of connection there is a green arrow symbol at the bottom right hand corner of the screen that confirms that the connection is available. Also the broadband modem will usually display one or two solid green lights; however if the broadband connection is unavailable then one of the lights will go out or in the case of a single light modem this will turn red. In the case of an orange light appearing the modem may not be installed properly, although often restarting the computer will resolve this issue.

If a router based connection is established the Internet connection should always be available, providing Internet Explorers connection setting is set to LAN and that also the network card has a valid IP address. Occasionally a router will need restarting in order to re-connect and if the Internet settings have not been permanently saved to the router, the connection settings will also need to be re-entered if the router is switched off. On rare occasions the router may need to be restored to the factory settings and the relevant settings re-setup.

b) Dial up connection troubleshooting advice - When troubleshooting modem problems it is best to first go into control panel and modems where there is a listing of the modems set up on the computer. There is usually a tab for diagnostics, which should be clicked, the modem selected and the more info button pressed. After a few seconds a page of technical data should be displayed on the screen, which will confirm that the modem has been identified and normally means it is working properly. Two common error messages are explained below.

1) “Modem not found” error message - “Modem not found” may mean the internal modem card has slightly come out of it’s socket ( a common problem with most ISA / PCI cards ) in which case it will need to be removed from the computer and re-inserted firmly. Sometimes this message is due to the modem software not being setup properly and so this may need to be uninstalled, the computer reset and then the software re-installed again

2) “Port already open” error message - “Port already open” problems can mean other communication software is causing the modem to not be available. Try closing down any other communications software running in the background. Often, as with many problems, restarting the computer can resolve a temporary problem or conflict. Sometimes Internet software can take control of the modem and refuse to allow other Internet providers to access the modem.

c) System Conflicts – As with other hardware peripherals it is possible that the modem is encountering a problem accessing the required computer resources. Conflicts can be identified in the Device Manager tab of the System icon in Control Panel ( most versions of Windows ) and are illustrated with either a yellow or red flag displayed next to the device with the problem. Most versions of Windows also have a hardware trouble-shooter built in which may help to solve the problem. Many devices also have a range of possible settings and so can be changed to a value that does not conflict with other devices in the computer. Right clicking on the computer symbol in device manager lists the resources allocated by the computer to all the different devices.

d) Speed Issues – Most broadband connection speeds are adequate for a standard user or a small office, unless extensive amounts of information need to be downloaded on a regular basis. The Internet may become slower at certain times of the day and some websites may develop bottlenecks causing pages to display very slowly, which is not a reflection on the end users Internet Service Provider. If possible start with a basic broadband package that is unrestricted in use, unless the Internet is being simply used for occasional email. Most Internet Service Providers then allow the speed to be upgraded when required with no penalty charge.

e) Modem problems when re-installing an operating system - Occasionally problems are encountered when re-installing the operating system. On one occasion it was necessary to remove the internal modem, turn on the computer without the modem, turn off the computer and then re-insert the modem before the computer would recognise it and prompt for the software to be installed.

f) No Dial Tone Errors – Apart from the obvious unplugged lead, phone adapters are the biggest cause of this problem. If in doubt remove the phone double socket adapter and plug the modem lead directly into the phone socket. Also if the phone line used has an answering service provided by a phone company, the modem will not access the phone line if there is a bleeping tone on the line from their messaging service.

g) Storm Damage - After recent major storms there were widespread reports of modems not working. Apparently many modems that were plugged into the phone socket at the time, were effectively blown up! Unusual though it may sound, my advice to customers is now to unplug modems from the phone socket whenever there is a severe storm, or better still to purchase a telephone line and mains surge protection device.

h) General Line or Modem Issues – If the modem is failing to connect to the Internet this may be due to excessive noise on the phone line, or alternatively the connection may only show a small number of bytes being transmitted. Listen for noise on the line when connecting and if possible try a different phone line, or in Windows XP turn on line filtering. Alternatively contact your service provider or try a different modem.

Please email support@ITCroydon.co.uk for questions or support on modem issues.