Your modem is simply a telephone for your computer to use to communicate. Most modems are actually very similiar to an ordinary telephone inside with no external handpiece for you to use. The original modems that some of us started with had a cradle that you would place a telephone handset (from the old rotary dial telephones) into so the modem could access the telephone line.
All the handpiece on a telephone does is convert your voice into electronic signals for sending down the line and vice versa when someone talks to you.

We therefore should treat a modem just like a telephone.

To start at the beginning ....

Error 1. "No Dialtone" or "Server not Answering"

Remember a modem is a telephone for your computer. When you make a telephone call the first thing you hear is a dial tone. This error message says your computer modem can not hear a dial tone. We treat this just as we would your own telephone.

A. We suggest checking your telephone line is plugged in correctly. Check from the wall socket to the computer and make sure the telephone line is plugged into the correct socket on your computer (usually maked as "line").

B. Take an ordinary telephone and plug it into the end of the line where it would normally connect to your computer, use the same cable as your modem would. Can you hear a dial tone? If you can not then your computer is unlikely to hear it either.

C. Remove any double adapters and extension cables from the line. These may be broken or faulty. Then repeat steps A. & B.

D. Check your modem country code. Each country has a unique dial tone for the user to detect. If you have your modem set for example to the USA it will sit until it hears the American dial tone before dialling correctly. If your modem does not have an Australian setting it is likely it is not approved for use in Australia and you are risking heavy fines and penalties if it damages the Australian telephone system.

E. Your modem may be timing out. If you a country user you may try turning off the "detect dial tone before dialling" setting as the modem may be timming out waiting for the delivery of a dial tone over a long telephone line. We know this sounds funny but we have found this solved at least one country users dailling problems.

Error 2. "Can not find modem"

This error normally means either your modem has died or the software driving the communications with the modem has become corrupted.
Please call the Support Deskfor assistance.

Error 3. My connection keeps failing

The reasons behind this can be many and varied. The most common reasons are as follows;

A. Multiple devices
Remove any other devices sharing the telephone line with the modem and retry. We have found for example that the older Telstra T200 touchfones will pick up the telephone line every 15 minutes or so to recharge their battery. This drops out the modem if it is in use at the time. Other devices can do the same, whether faulty or not. So disconnect them and try again.

B. Call Waiting
If you leave Telstra Call Waiting enabled on the telephone line it gives a "beep" when an incoming call trys to get through when you are on the line. If you are using a modem on this line when it comes through this "beep" will hang up the modem. To turn off Call Waiting pick up your telephone and type #43# and then type *43# to turn it back on when finished.

C. Has it rained recently
Weather changes and poor telephone lines comtribute to failing connections. We all try and operate the dialup modems well beyond the capacity of the telephone lines and all it takes is a bout of rainy weather and the moisture causes interference in the lines and this drops out the calls. Place an ordinary telephone on the line and listen for static or crackling. This is the interference. A short term solution is to dial our 02 9440 9033 modem bank, the correct solution is to contact Telstra or your telephone company and ask them to correct the problem. Be persistent as it is their responsibility.

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