no dial tone

[Gary_M]

Hi Again RR,

Have a look at the cable on your brother's computer (the end that goes into the modem) and see how many wires are going into it. Check yours and see if they are the same - I have seen cables with 2 wires, 4 wires and VERY occasionally 3 wires

Having saying this, do we know if the cable that came with the modem (and computer) was the same one the previous owner was using.

I am reluctant at this stage to start saying 'swap modems' with your computer as his one tries to dial out, so that would suggest that it is on the right 'com port', software is installed ok, etc.

Even if his cable works in your computer, it doesn't mean that it is the right cable for his modem. Also, unplug his cable and look into the socket - check that none of the little copper 'strips' are bent or broken.

Do you have a little 'back-street' computer shop near you? It might be worth taking his computer down there. I really don't think there is much wrong here, so I guess the costs wouldn't be very high and it might be the fastest solution for you

 

[redrunner]

hi again to you gary-m. might be somat or nothing/ but you have picked up on something, the cable i have been using on mine for dial up has 2 pins going into modem , and that was the 1 we tried in his ./ but the 1 that came with it and has allways been in it has 4 pins./ but the release tab has been broken and that is why he thought it was moulded in . untill i got him to take side off so we could release it and put another 1 in [ 2 pin one ] . BUT we did first start with that one in [ original ] even straight into the bt box. / and no joy .
anyway ive told him to go get a new one in morning as it is possible for that to be damaged inside ./ /
as for strips inside he says they look ok./ ?.
anyway i will give you an update tomorrow. cheers. r.r.

 

[Spark123]

Some phone cables are crossovers and others are streight through connections, hence there may be a difference. It is maybe worth biting the bullet and buying a new modem for what it costs, the last one I fitted (after a lightening strike) cost £15 from the local computer shop.

 

[redrunner]

just a thought but this dial up modem board ? that the cable plugs into on inside , are they mostly the same . ie. would mine swap with his as i can do that with no bother. .
thats if we get no luck with a new cable . just a thought before we think of taking it to a comp shop ./? over to you . cheers .r.r.

 

[Gary_M]

Hi,

Yes, you can swap yours with his - but make sure that you have the 'driver/software' disc for your modem, or if you know the name and make of your modem, download them from the internet.

 

[redrunner]

thanks for that gary-m, ive think ive talked him into getting a new [modem ] / ive found a place does them for £4.25+vat. which hopefully he will do on wednesday/ [ didnt know they were that price ] anyway can it just be slotted in and thats it ? or does it involve doing anythink complecated ?. also he did get a new cable the same as the original only an extra length one AND gold fittings. only as that was all they had in . £9.00. anyway. still no good though .
and he has done a restore back to the day he got it from his lad incase he had done ot wrong./ apart from area code for cov./
think thats about it , oh/ thanks to spark-123 for your input last night.
well i will keep you updated on anythink new if it happens. yours.regards. r.r.

 

[Spark123]

The modem should come with instructions, generally they just slot in and when windows loads it detects new hardware and prompts for the cd. Following this if hyperterminal will dial out there shouldn't be a problem loading the tesco disk etc.
Good luck!!

 

[Gary_M]

Hi RR,

Your brother should take the cable back and say it was not suitable for his modem - the proceeds can buy you TWO new modems

Good luck,

Gary

 

[redrunner]

thanks spark 123 , and you gary-m./ i thought afterwards it probbaly comes with software [ disc ] im getting good at this now , the same as when i fitted firewire in mine .[ which i didnt need as i found out afterwards i could just use windows picture maker to download my camcorder. / anyway if you knew how tight my bruv is gary m, and how much talking i had to do to get him to buy it / you wouldnt go down that rd. and then persuade him to let more moths out his wallet for a new modem , when he gets it ? but i know what you mean .
anyway because of him now know what a modem is, i thought it were the big box underneath with all the wires/cables init ./ so you can guess what i thought a tower was . still ive learned from this last week or so.
well i will let you know what happens / and hopefully be able to tell you of some tesco bargains on offer. regards. r.r.

 

[Gary_M]

If you need any info about putting the modem in, post a message here. They are actually very straight forward. Just make sure that it is fully 'seated' into the pins.

I would suggest that when you open the 'tower', make sure the power cable is unplugged and try not to touch anything other than the modem. There is probably a warning in the modem that says you have to wear gloves or something similar as 'static electricity' can ruin your modem. I have changed MANY modems, soundcards, graphics cards, motherboards, etc and never earthed myself, and had no problem (just preparing you in case you see the info and panic ) - just don't go sliding about nylon carpets before you change it

You can get external modems too, so you are right when you say a box with wires - although I have a feeling that what you are describing is a 'router' (let's not go there )

I would definitely tell your brother to take the cable back (it is not totally dishonest to say that it was not the right one for his modem - because there is a 50/50 chance that it isn't). Maybe then you can persaude him to buy you something with the refund for all the help you have been giving him

You know, I just had another thought - did the computer come from an office? It is possible that the modem was set to dial a number to get an outside line first Did you happen to hear anything after the modem tried to dial? i.e. very faint woman's voice? (automatic message from BT about dialing incorrect number) Sometimes it can be heard faintly from the modem.

Sorry, I'm confusing matters again

Best of luck anyway

 

[redrunner]

hi gary-m, thanks for the advice,and offer of help./ duly noted i did go in to mine to upgrade the ram before i could go b.band. to 256mb , so i know of what you are saying. mind you that didnt go quite right , someone said leave the 127 mb ?out as it would be to much, but then i was told on here to put it in as well as you could not have to much. ?.
as for the cable he bought i think he will keep it as it does away with any extension one,s./ ........so dont think ill get a cut out of it mind you it would cover time on here/ time on phone / and go,go juice for the motor. i live in hope . oh, no the comp was at a home address and no/ i never heard any voices from the modem .only the ones in me head or any message about wrong number , still you never know./ keep you informed. regards.r.r.

 

[redrunner]

hooray at last./
thanks to all for your help/ especially spark123 and gary -m. who was a great help to a novice like me, who put everythink down in a easy to follow way.
me bruv still wouldnt give in till the death, he never got the new modem on wednesday but asked me to try it on my phone line / so i went and fetched it on friday night ,tried it NO GOOD/ . so took a chance and took mine out put it in his , AND BINGO./ it worked. so went and got a new modem for his on sat morning £5.21. put it and away it went. .
put mine back in , had a couple of scary moments . anyway he got online today [ sunday ] . AND./ i got a reward for me time and go,go, juice . . so thanks again for all the replys and advice . . [ps] now me g,daughter wants me sort her,s out, same problem . still i got a good start thanks to you on here . all the best . r.r.

 

[Gary_M]

...... now me g,daughter wants me sort her,s out, same problem........

Run away !!!!!!

Glad to hear that all went well with your brother's new modem.

Best wishes,

Gary

 

[redrunner]

re, my posting , no dial tone on g,daughters comp./ went through what i had been told on here as with me bruv,s ./ came to conclusion it was modem ,bought new one anyway only £5.21. fitted it in / wouldnt work on hyperteminal or aol dial up . then after a few trys it made a connection with aol and started to load it BUT didnt last very long just went dead . then left me we a click went i pressed the dial tab/ and that was that.//
so plugged phone into extension lead and phoned it up and it rang/ . so far so good, so tried to dial aol number and it would let me get so far and then go dead. ./
THEN/ i asked g,daughter was her mum still using bt phone lock code ?no out going calls to which [ yep u got it , lol. ] she replied YES./ will that make a difference ?. . .well i told her to try it when she could and yes its ok and got aol back on. . [ i had told my daughter i would be up to do it ]
anyway the modem had gone default as i had been up in the past [ last year ] to try and sort it out AND the phone line was on then .
so thanks for all help on here. and gary m. regards.r.r.