modem connectivity SNAFU

[gwcrim]

I have three computers at our new house. None of them will dial up the 'net. All three have dial tones coming out when I plug a phone into them.

Two were previously used with a cable modem and a home network. One had a phone modem. The other didn't and I installed it when we moved. On these two, there's no dial tone when the modem is initialized.

I've tried all the settings and even run the Net Zero Connection Wizard. But the computer still won't get a dial tone.

The third has a modem in COMM2 port but the computer doesn't know that there is a COMM2 port. Where do I tell it that there is indeed a COMM2 port?

 

[JasonJ]

Why do you say the modem is on Comm 2?
Only way I know of so specify comm 2 is by using an external serial modem, or with an older internal modem using a jumper (OLD ISIA) slot modems, I have never seen a 56K or V 90 modem with comm jumpers.
What OS are you running?
What type and make of modems are you using?
Do you have the right drivers for the Modems and the OS.
If you have the correct drivers on hand, go to your control panel and remove all modems, reinstall using the supplied drivers.
NetZero and Juno use thier own dialing software and it has been know to not work sometimes :bang: . They also do not support Windows Dial Up networking connections even though you will see DUN entry for Net zero, with all 5's for the #,,, Why they do that?????

 

[gwcrim]

I spent over an hour on the phone last night with a pal who is an IT tech. He swears I have a bad modem. But two? Three? And one is brand new.

Anyway, I'm going to try a machine at a different location. Something about new digital phone lines or something.

How bizarre, how bizarre.

 

[gwcrim]

Why do you say the modem is on Comm 2?

Because when I pull up the modem info it says it's on COM2. I really don't think anyone physically changed anything inside this machine.

>What OS are you running?

Windows 98

>What type and make of modems are you using?

All different.

>Do you have the right drivers for the Modems and the
>OS.

I have what they came with.

>NetZero and Juno use thier own dialing software...

We tried to dial with Hyperterminal and still no dial tone. That's why my buddy seems to think the modem is bad. I'm beginning to think that my house was built in the Bermuda Triangle and it sucks internet connectivity into a gaping black hole.

 

[JasonJ]

People often neglect to run thier modem phone lines through a surge protector and phone lines are subject to surges and lighning strikes, Modems often blow out due to this, the system dose not have to be on for them to get hit, so it quite possible to have 2, or even 3 bad modems in a house.
If you can plug in a single line phone and get dial tone, your modem should too.
In the control panel, under modmes, if you go to modem properites you should see a diagnostics tab, querry the modem, of you get response AT info and command list Like ATHO, the modem is usally ok.
As far as I know, a Comm port has to be installed for it to show in the modem comm port list. Creating a new comm port is tricly as you need free IRQ and IO addys, and if its not on your system chances are your UART dose not support the ports.
You can try swapping your system modems with known good ones to test.
You may also consider a wireless or wired Local Area Network and use Win 98 SE Internet connection sharing insead of 3 modems where only one system can be online at a time. Once system connects to the net and the others use it as a gateway.