General Internet Troubleshooting

Windows goes through several steps in order to establish a dial up connection to the Internet. The following steps should be memorised in order to understand how Windows connects to the Internet. If a problem persists in Step X, then the fastest way to troubleshoot would be to look at the Step X or the Steps above it.

The following are the steps used by Windows to connect to the Internet:

Step 1: Go into dial up networking

Step 2: Double click a dial up connection ie: My Connection

Step 3: Type in username and password

Step 4: Click the “connect” button.

Step 5: Windows checks which modem driver is specified in the dial up connection

Step 6: Windows checks what port the modem is installed on

Step 7: Opens a port to the modem

Step 8: Sends modem string (if one specified in connectoid)

Step 9: Takes phone line off the hook and looks for dial tone.

Step 10: Dials the phone number

Step 11: Modem handshake (See How Does A Modem Work?)

Step 12: After handshake finishes it gets to verify username and password

Step 13: Sends username and password.

Step 14: If username and password is correct then an IP Address is assigned to TCP/IP. (Only if username and password is accepted)

Step 15: Windows will report that you are now connected.

For example if Windows reports an error 630 (“No response from modem”), that means Windows has not been able to open a port to the modem (Step 7) or if there is an incorrect modem string inserted that may also cause the problem (Step 8). There would be no use in checking the phone number or username/password in this situation, as Windows has not yet reached that step.

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Procedure Used By Windows To Browse On The Internet

Once a connection is established to the Internet, the most common use is to “browse” on the Internet. This is done using a browser, ie: Internet Explorer or Netscape. The user enters an Internet address (URL) into the browser and the browser retrieves the web page from the Internet and displays it on the screen. But how does it retrieve it? And how do we troubleshoot a problem where a user can’t browse?

If a user can establish a connection to our network but can’t browse there are some steps that must be taken to find where the problem is. First step is to make sure there is a connection to the Internet available. Next step is to check all browser settings to cover any obvious mistakes (mis-spelt proxies). The next step is to make sure that there is a “live” connection to the Internet. This is done using the “ping” command in a dos window. A ping sends small packets of data to a specified address and counts how many milliseconds it takes for the data to return from that address. If the data returns then there is a live connection, if the data does not return then the problem is “connection” related and not browser related. Checking for new email or telneting into our mail servers can also test this.

The following are the steps Windows takes to browse on the Internet:

Step 1: Follow steps above to connect to the Internet.

Step 2: Open up your browser.

Step 3: Browser will have a start page listed…browser will try to go there first.

Step 4: Browser checks if it needs to route through a proxy server.

Step 5: Browser connects to the DNS server on your ISP to look up the address (ie: www.cisco.com)

Step 6: DNS server returns the IP Address for the address you are looking for (ie: www.cisco.com = 198.133.219.25)

Step 7: Browser then opens a socket connection to the IP Address and requests the web page

Step 8: Web Page is displayed in browser window.

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Procedure Used By Windows To Email On The Internet

The procedure used by Windows to email is very similar to the procedures used to browse on the Internet. The user loads the email client (ie: Outlook Express). They click “send and receive” or the client equivalent. Windows checks the mail account that is configured in the mail client. It checks to see what type of connection it should use and then connects to the DNS server and looks up the domain name. It then connects to the mail server and transmits the username and password. It then downloads the emails to the mail client.

Step 1: Follow steps above to connect to the Internet.

Step 2: Start up email client.

Step 3: Click send/receive or equivalent

Step 4: Checks to see if it should connect via modem or LAN, if it is via modem then it dials in, if it is via LAN it goes to the next step.

Step 5: Mail client checks what mail server address it needs to connect to

Step 6: Connects to DNS server to look up address

Step 7: DNS server resolves the address to an IP address (mail.bigpond.net = 198.133.219.25)

Step 8: Mail client then connects to the mail server

Step 9: Sends username and password

Step 10: Verifies username and password and then checks mailbox

Step 11: Returns information about mail box such as how many emails are in there etc.

Step 12: Begins downloading emails to the client computer.

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PROCEDURES TO TROUBLESHOOT COMMON PROBLEMS

There are many different problems we must try to solve when troubleshooting. Outlined below are some guiding points for solving common problems that we have encountered whilst troubleshooting.

Procedure Used To Troubleshoot “Can’t Dial Out”

Error 630: The Computer Is Not Receiving a Response From The Modem or Port Is Already Open or Port In Use By Another Application

When Windows attempts to make a connection to the Internet, one of the first steps it takes is to open the port to the modem. Sometimes however this attempt fails and the result is an Error 630: The Computer is Not Receiving a Response From The Modem. To fix this problem we must test a few different things and follow the procedure below:

· Cold boot the computer

· Run a diagnostics on the modem to see if the modem responds. Also check how many modem drivers are installed in Control Panel as there should only be one modem installed.

· If there is more than one modem installed, test the other modems to see if any of them works. If one of them does work, then that tells us that the modem is plugged in correctly and is functioning. Make sure the modem that DOES respond to the diagnostics is the one that is selected in the My Connection connectoid. This information also tells us that something else is causing the modem not to respond so we must look elsewhere.

· If the modem does not respond when you run a diagnostics on it we need to investigate it further.

· If the modem is external, check that all the cables are plugged in correctly and that the modem is turned on.

· Check in the “systray” if the user is running any software that may open a port to the modem. For example, faxing software opens a port to the modem while it waits for any incoming faxes. Disable any programs that may cause this port opening. Press Ctrl-Alt-Del and “End Task” on every process except “explorer” and “systray”. Once you have done that, try to dial out again. If the modem is then able to dial out, that means there is an application opening a port to the modem which needs to be resolved.

· This step is very important to solving this problem. If a modem string has been issued in the past and it is not compatible with the installed modem, then the modem will not accept the string and report a “No Response” back to Windows. Remove the string from “extra settings”, cold boot the computer and try to dial out again.

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Error 680: No Dial Tone

· Telstra Message-Bank Problems. A customer with Telstra Message-Bank may experience this no dial tone problem. Ensure that the user has retrieved ALL Telstra Message-Bank messages before trying to connect again or they may experience this error.

· Check that the phone line is not in use. Pick up the handset and if there is a clear dial tone, check the physical connections to the modem. Ensure that the telephone line is directly connected from the wall jack to the modem's socket labelled line, which has the picture of a wall jack and not the other socket which has the picture of the phone. You may also have to remove any devices that are connected to the same line as the one connected to the modem - for example, a fax machine, incorect filters, splitters or surge protectors.

· You may have to add a modem init string - ATX3 under "Extra settings" in the modem properties. To get to extra settings, open My Computer > Control Panel > Modems. Highlight the appropriate modem and click on Properties. Select the Connection tab and click the Advanced button located in the bottom right hand corner. You should see extra settings at the bottom of the current window. If the user is using Windows 98, the “AT” command does not need to be added. (eg-just “x3”)

· Remember that putting X3 into the strings will make the modem blind dial, so even if there is no line connected to the modem, it will happily dial away and give you an Error 678 – The Computer Your Dialling Is Not Answering. The operator that takes a call after X3 has been put in will be totally confused, as the error has nothing to do with the problem. The moral is - don't put X3 in extra settings unless you are absolutely sure that the modem is connected properly to the phone line.

· Ensure that the phone line is going into the right port (line) behind the modem

· To ensure that it is going into the right port, if the customer has a second line, get them to call their mobile if the have one, or the line which you are speaking (hopefully call waiting is enabled on the normal phone line) - remember to put X3 in the extra settings (this means the modem doesn't wait for a dial tone before it dials out). If the call gets through, then you know its safe to leave X3 in the extra settings, if it doesn't then either the line is not connected properly or the modem is faulty.

· If they only have one line, then make sure the modem is on the line and go to MS-Dos Prompt: type atd9>com# where # is the com port number. In this case, we are dialling the number 9 using the modem. If you hear the number being dialled (just like you would if you accidentally pressed a number while talking to someone on the phone) then the modem is on the line and you can put X3 in.

· Also think about changing extension lines. A new extension line is cheaper than a new modem or having a dedicated line. Extension cords are massed produced with little to no quality control (it is just copper after all) and they can wear out like anything else.

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Procedure Used To Troubleshoot “Can’t Connect”

There are many different reasons for a user not being able to connect to a dial in network. For simplicity we will break this problem down to a “per error” structure and place them in order of error number.

Error: Could Not Negotiate a Compatible Set of Network Protocols

This error is caused when the PPP connection is initiated and the remote computer requests to know which protocol the user will be connecting with. If the user’s computer is not configured correctly then the two computers will not be able to complete the connection. Another cause of this error is if TCP/IP or Dial Up Adapter is not functioning correctly and is not allowing Windows to initialise it.

To fix this problem do the following:

· Cold boot the computer

· Remake dial up connection.

· Reinstall Dial Up Networking

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Error 5: Access is Denied * Windows NT *

This error is caused when there is a loss of synchronisation is lost between the user’s computer and our authentication server. This error occurs when the user reaches the “verifying username and password” stage.

To solve this problem do the following:

· Cold boot the computer.

· Check all settings in the My Connection phonebook entry. Ensure that “accept any authentication including clear text ” is enabled and that X.25 is set to “none”.

· Check that the user has the correct username, password and that the “domain” section is blank. Windows NT inserts the user’s NT username as the Internet username by default so we need to make sure it is correct.

· Remake the phonebook entry.

· Make sure the user is running the latest service pack.

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Error 629: Could not establish dial-up connection OR Dial-Up Networking could not complete connection to the server OR You have been disconnected from the computer you dialled

To fix this problem do the following:

· Cold boot the computer.

· Ensure that the account is active

· Username and Password may have been typed incorrectly. Retype username/password all in lower case and no spaces

· Check DUN settings. Ensure that “log onto network” is not ticked and that “data bits, parity and stop bits” are all set correctly.

· Try recreating the dial up connectoid.

· Check that the customer has DUA & TCP/IP installed in Control Panel -> Network (refer: Important principles for reinstalling Networks)

· A reinstallation of Dial Up Networking may fix the problem if it is being caused by a registry link error to TCP/IP.

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Error 645: Internal Authentication Error

This error can be caused if Dial Up Networking is not functioning properly. The modem will proceed passed the handshake and gets to verify username and password. When Windows tries to initiate the PPP connection and tries to send the username and password. Windows then sees that the PPP has failed and gives this error message.

To fix this problem do the following:

· Cold boot the computer.

· Remake the dial up connectoid.

· Reinstall Dial Up Networking.

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Error 676: The Line is Busy

This error can be caused by a few different sources. Troubleshooting this is similar to troubleshooting no dial tone.

To fix the problem do the following:

· Cold boot the computer.

· Make sure the phone number is correct

· Make sure the area code and country code is NOT ticked

· Check the status of our network to see if the POP is busy or not

Change the dial in number to dial a NON-ISP number. For example, have the user dial their own mobile phone, if the user’s mobile doesn’t ring then the problem is not with our network. Pull the cable out of the modem and plug it into a phone and dial our number. If our end answers, then that means it is a problem with the modem because the phone line is working.

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Error 678: The Computer you are dialling into is not answering

A few different things can cause this error. To fix the problem do the following:

Cold boot the computer.

Make sure the phone cable is plugged into the “line” socket on the modem and into a phone socket on the wall

Check that the phone number is correct

Disable Area Code and Country Code

Check to see whether there is a modem string in extra settings. If there is check to see if it has X3 in it. If the string has X3, that forces the modem to dial blind. A few tests need to be run to find if the problem is with the modem or the phone line. Unplug the phone cable from the modem and plug it into a phone. Dial the ISP dial in and if a modem answers then it is a modem related problem. Plug the phone cable back into the modem and dial the user’s mobile. If that phone doesn’t ring then it is a modem problem. If it is a NON-Austel approved modem, the phone carrier may not be able to recognise the dial tones. These are not supported by Australian ISP's. Another problem that occurs is jack on the modem for the phone cable does not work

When Windows issues a dial out command to the modem it then waits 60 secs for the modem to connect into us. If after 60 secs Windows does not receive a “connection” response from the modem it assumes that a connection has not been made and produces an error that stats that our network is not answering.

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Error 666: Device not Ready/Functioning (aka.“The Devils Error”)

This error will not commonly appear in your troubleshooting travels, but it is annoying as it is rare. Try the following:

Cold boot the computer and modem (if it is external). Wait 20 seconds, then power back up again. Make sure the

modem is turned on BEFORE the PC

If this does not solve the problem, you may find that the error message resolves to Error 629. This is the totally

frustrating part of the error. The next best thing would be to get the user to uninstall their modem driver and reinstall

it. The memory stack inside the modem MAY be corrupt, so this will help.

Also try performing a diagnostic check on the modem to see if it will respond. If it does, then we can scratch the

modem as part of the problem.

Also try deleting the connection, cold boot, and remake the connection if all else fails.

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Procedure Used To Troubleshoot “Getting Disconnected”

There are many reasons for a user being disconnected from our network. We will break this down to the common known causes. Unfortunately because there are so many reasons for disconnections the problem could be caused by a combination of a few problems.

Problem: User gets disconnected approx 30 secs after connecting

Reinstall TCP/IP and Dial Up Adapter. If the problem persists than that means that Dial Up Adapter and TCP/IP has not re-established itself with Dial Up Networking. In this situation Dial Up Networking needs to be reinstalled.

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Problem: User gets disconnected approx 15 mins after connecting

A touch-tone phone on the line normally causes this problem. Normally the phone on the line tends to be a Telstra Touch tone phone (Series 200 is a big offender, but 400 can also be one on the cards). Make sure they remove all phones and fax machines from the phone line. Also make sure that the phone cable is short and not running through any other devices (surge protector, splitters).

NEW: Also in recent times (April 03), a cordless phone (Particularly Panasonic brand) will also react in the same way, using the same method as the Telstra TouchPhone. This also reacts with ADSL too (in general- any modem, digital or analogue, will have issues with these phones). Panasonic is in the midst of developing their own method of overcoming this, and I know with ADSL, they are in the midst of developing a customised line filter, but until this is made accessible to the public, either disconnect the phone and try again, or call the manufacturer. This should be able to be replaced free of charge as far as we have been made aware.

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Problem: User gets disconnected randomly

To properly troubleshoot why a user is being disconnected we need to analyse several aspects of their connection to our network.

· How often is the user disconnected?

· Is their phone line quality acceptable? (Example- do we hear lots of lovely noises on the phoneline?)

· What speed are they disconnecting/connecting at (The semi-intelligent user will know this, or the user with 2 phonelines)

· If a user experiences random disconnections from our network then we must compare dial in connections from the "good" connections with the "bad" connections. There must be a reason for their disconnections, to find it we must use a process of elimination. What changed in between the "good" and the "bad" connections?

· Phone quality is very important when dialling into a computer network. Modems rely very heavily on a clear phone line. If there is interference on the phone line then the modem is forced to compensate. It does this by retraining and renegotiating its speeds and possibly modulation. This can be obtained via a MOLDS test done by their Telco. Or asking simple questions, such as “When did this start happening” or “Are Telstra/Telco doing any work in your area?”

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Procedure Used To Troubleshoot “Can’t Browse”

A common problem that occurs is that a user makes a successful connection to their ISP, but is then unable to browse. This problem is pretty straightforward to fix and relies on a few easy questions to be asked to the user.

To fix this problem do the following:

· Ask the user if they are able to email or ICQ/MSN Messenger?

· Are they connected to another ISP, if so, does it work with them?

· How long has the problem been occurring, if it is a new problem, did anything change?

· First settings to check are the browser settings. Do they have their proxies enabled? Are they set to the ISP's? Make SURE their proxies are spelt correctly, have the user SPELL the address to you exactly, for example: P for Peter…R for Romeo...O for Oscar etc.

· Give the user instructions on how to PING. The user should ping both IP address and Domain name. The results from the PING will determine whether they are able to transmit data.

· If a user can NOT PING an IP address or Domain name then their connection to us is "dead". To resolve this problem we would first remove and remake the dial up connectoid. If the problem persists after doing that, the next step would be to reinstall Dial Up Networking.

· If a user can PING an IP address and get a reply then their connection to our network is functioning. If the user then can’t PING Domain names, this indicates that the user is unable to "look up" that Domain name on our DNS server. Make sure the DNS entries are set to "server assigned". If they are already set to server assigned, try hardcoding them in as the primary and secondary DNS IP's.

· If you have configured their settings correctly and they still can not PING Domain names, have the user run this command:

· For Windows 9X: Start -> Run -> winipcfg. This will open a dialog box that will show the user's current IP address, subnet mask and default gateway. Make sure that the IP address and Default Gateway are the same. If they are NOT the same that means that Windows is trying to send its packets through a different route. Check the Gateway Tab in TCP/IP Properties to see if the packets are being re-routed. Also check that "use default gateway on remote network" under the "TCP/IP Settings" window is ticked.

· For Windows NT: Start -> Run -> CMD. This will open a Command Prompt (DOS Prompt). Then type: ipconfig. This will show the user's current IP address, subnet mask and default gateway. Make sure that the IP address and Default Gateway are the same. If they are NOT the same that means that Windows is trying to send its packets through a different route. Check the Routing Tab in TCP/IP Properties to make sure the IP Forwarding Box is NOT ticked. Also check that "use default gateway on remote network" under the "TCP/IP Settings" window is ticked.

· If all these settings are correct then the next step would be to remove and remake the dial up connectoid. Doing this will re-establish the link between the TCP/IP settings in our dial up connectoid and Dial Up Networking. If the problem still persists after remaking the dial up connectoid, the only remaining step is to reinstall Dial Up Networking.

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Procedure Used To Troubleshoot “Can’t Email”

A common problem that occurs is that a user makes a successful connection to our network but is then unable to email. This problem is pretty straightforward to fix and relies on a few easy questions to be asked to the user.

To fix this problem do the following:

· Ask the user if they are able to browse or ICQ?

· Are they connected to another ISP, if so, does it work with them?

· How long has the problem been occurring, if it is a new problem, did anything change?

· First settings to check are the email settings. Check that they have their ISP specific mail account in their email client. Make SURE their mail server names are spelt correctly, have the user SPELL the address to you exactly...for example: P for Peter...R for Romeo...O for Oscar etc. Their email server names should be set to <incoming mail server> and <outgoing mail server>

· An alternative to using their email client is to use “telnet”. Start -> Run -> telnet. This will open up a white window. Click on “connect” on the menu and then click on “remote system”. Type in mail.bigpond.net into the “host name” window and change the port to 110. Next step is to click on “connect”. It should basically give you some sort of mail server greeting. This message tells us that the user has connected to a mail server and it is waiting for a username/password. This then shows us that there is a problem with the email client in which case a reinstallation would be recommended after checking ALL settings. If telnet fails to connect then that means it is a connection problem.

· Give the user instructions on how to PING. The user should ping both IP address and Domain name. The results from the PING will determine whether they are able to transmit data.

· If a user can PING an IP address and get a reply then their connection to our network is functioning. If the user then cant PING Domain names, this indicates that the user is unable to "look up" that Domain name on our DNS server. Make sure the DNS entries are set to "server assigned". If they are already set to server assigned, try hardcoding them as the primary DNS IP and secondary DNS IP.

· If you have configured their settings correctly and they still can not PING Domain names, have the user run this command:

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Procedure Used To Troubleshoot “Slow Browsing”

During your troubleshooting adventures you will come across users who experience “slow browsing”. This problem should be relatively easy to fix provided we have the right information.

· Check the browse to make sure its settings are correct. Auto-Proxies should be enabled and if they are using Internet Explorer 5, make sure that “automatically detect settings” is not ticked. Also make sure that the auto-proxy URL is correct and manual proxies are not specified.

· Check the modem to make sure it is using the right drivers and also check its firmware (diagnostics) to make sure it is using a firmware revision that works with our network.

· A non-functioning TCP/IP stack can also cause this or corrupted Winsock files. Poor telephone quality or line

interference also causes problems when browsing.

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My 56k Modem Only Connects At X Speed, Why Is That?

You may find that a user is not able to connect any higher than X speed, which is slower than their modem is capable of. What causes this drop in speed? To solve this problem we must look at several different things:

· Modems rely very heavily on the phone line they use to connect to the Internet. Make sure that there are no other devices connected to the same phone line as the modem. Any other devices on the line may cause interference and thus cause a slower connection speed. Also check how long the phone cable is that connects to the modem. Some people run a 20-metre extension cable from one side of the house to the other, while other people include an extension at the end of the existing extension, this causes loss in signal from the modem as it passes from extension cable to extension cable. This is a BIG NO NO!

· There are certain parts of Australia where the telephone cabling has been restricted by Telstra to 28.8k (example- Parts of western and central Queensland), which has been done to save money for the phone company rolling out the phone cable to these areas. Unfortunately if a user is in one of these areas they will need to contact Telstra to discuss their options. There is also a case where in estate and cul de sac areas, Telstra have split the phonelines in half to save money to each household. This is called “pair gain”. Again, Telstra must be called to discuss the possibility of laying a line with full duplex capability. (ie- a normal line!)

· Check the modem to make sure it is using the right drivers and also check its firmware (diagnostics) to make sure it is using a firmware revision that works with our network.

· Check to see if this is something that just started happening now or something that has always happened.

§ If it is something that just started to happen now, find out what changed. Did they move house? Install a dedicated phone line? Buy a new computer or modem? Install any software recently? Reinstall Windows?

· If it is something that has always happened, find out if the user has connected any higher with another ISP. If they have, check the modem firmware for compatibility with our network. If the user experienced the same problem with other ISP’s too, find out if they have any devices on the phone line? Ask the user to try to dial in from another location, as it may be a phone line/exchange problem?

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Correct Procedures To Reinstall Dial Up Networking

While troubleshooting some problems you may find that Dial Up Networking needs to be reinstalled. This may be done for several reasons. Before reinstalling Dial Up Network we must understand the correct procedures for removing and reinstalling Dial Up Networking.

NOTE: Before proceeding make sure the user has a copy of the Windows CD, or correct cab files on their hard drive (See Correct Procedures to Reinstall DUA and TCP). Also make sure it is the same version of Windows that is installed on their computer.

The procedures for removing and reinstalling Dial Up Networking is as follows:

· Delete the dial up connectoid.

· Go into Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel

· Click the “Windows Setup” tab

· Take the tick out of Communications and click the OK button

· This will remove Dial Up Networking from the computer.

· Reboot the computer

· Go back into Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel

· Click the “Windows Setup” tab

· Put a tick BACK into Communications and click the OK button

· Hit “No” to restart the PC. This saves time.

· Double Click the Network in Control Panel and check what adapters and protocols are installed. The only adapters and protocols that should be installed are Dial Up Adapter and TCP/IP.

If the user is running Windows 95, they will have the following:

· Client for Microsoft Networks

· Client for Netware Networks

· Dial Up Adapter

· IPX/SPX Compatible Protocol

· NetBEUI

We need to remove all of them except Dial Up Adapter. We then need to add TCP/IP.

NOTE: If the user is running Windows 98 you do NOT need to do the steps mentioned above as Windows 98 installs all the necessary components automatically.

· Now reboot the computer

· Go into Dial Up Networking and Remake dial up connectoid.

· Restart PC again so that the TCP stack can be come acquainted with the new connection.

NOTE: Please see the section labelled “Correct Procedures to reinstall Dial Up Adapter and TCP/IP” for more information about how to do reinstall/install TCP/IP.

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Correct Procedures To Reinstall Dial Up Adapter And TCP/IP

Like Dial Up Network, you will come across some situations where the reinstallation of Dial Up Adapter and TCP/IP is necessary. This is a relatively easy procedure but we still need to make sure it is done correctly.

NOTE: Before proceeding make sure the user has a copy of the Windows CD. Also make sure it is the same version of Windows that is installed on their computer.

You can also check to see if the Windows .cab files are installed on the users hard drive. This is a less desirable option, but if they do not have a CD, win95 cabs can normally be located under c:\win95, or c:\windows\options\cabs. Win98 cabs are normally located under c:\windows\options\cabs. ALWAYS CHECK THIS BEFORE PROCEEDING!!!!!!

To reinstall Dial Up Adapter and TCP/IP do the following:

· Double Click Network in Control Panel

· Highlight Dial Up Adapter and click Remove

· Highlight TCP/IP and click Remove

· Click OK and reboot the computer

· Double click Network in Control Panel

Windows 95 users do the following:

· Click Add

· Click Adapter

· Click Add again

· On the left hand side in the Manufacturers listing, scroll down until you find Microsoft and click on it

· On the right hand side in the Product listing, highlight Dial Up Adapter and click OK

This will add Client for Microsoft Networks, Client for Netware Networks, Dial Up Adapter, IPX/SPX and NetBEUI. Remove them all except Dial Up Adapter

· Click Add

· Click Protocol

· On the left hand side in the Manufacturers listing, scroll down until you find Microsoft and click on it

· On the right hand side in the Product listing, highlight TCP/IP and click OK

· Click OK once more

· Reboot computer

Windows 98 users do the following:

· Click Add

· Click Adapter

· On the left hand side in the Manufacturers listing, scroll down until you find Microsoft and click on it

On the right hand side in the Product listing, highlight Dial Up Adapter and click OK. This will automatically add Microsoft Family Log On, Dial Up Adapter and TCP/IP

· Click OK

· Reboot Computer

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MODEMS

How Does A Modem Work?

The word MODEM is an acronym for MOdulator-DEModulator. Modems accept digital data supplied by the local PC, and convert it to a modulated analogue waveform that can be transmitted over a normal analogue phone line. And conversely, modems also accept a modulated analogue wave from the telephone line, convert it to a digital form, and pass it on to the local PC.

Almost all modems today claim to be Hayes-compatible, a term which is as meaningless IBM-compatible when referring to PC’s. It does not refer to any one communication protocol, but to the command set required to operate the modem.

A 28,800 or 33,600 bps modem can send data over a phone line up to fourteen times faster than a 2400 bps modem, and a 56k modem over twenty times faster. Couple this with the built-in data compression ability of modern high speed modems which will compress ordinary text data by about 2:1, and some types of data by up to 4:1, and you can see that throughput can be 25 to 50 times greater (or more!) than for a 2400 bps modem. This tremendous increase in speed can dramatically decrease your online time and your phone charges, and makes it feasible to transfer graphics screens such as WWW pages in times acceptable to most users.

28.8 or 33.6 kbps (V.34) modems, under ideal phone line conditions, will transmit and receive data at 28,800 or 33,600 bits per second, and 56K (K56Flex, or V.90 modems) will typically transmit data at up to 33.6 kbps, and receive data at up to about 50,000 kbps (more or less). Because all of these modems can use data compression, they can achieve throughputs of 2 or more times those rates on compressible files.

How do 56K modems work? In a nutshell, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) must be able too obtain digital connections to the telephone exchange, and then install special 56K digital modems which can use these connections. By using a digital connection, a digital-to-digital-to-digital conversion can be eliminated at the ISP's end, which allows support of a higher speed transmit protocol from your ISP's site. If you have a modem which supports this higher speed protocol, you can download data at theoretically up to 56,000 bps. As mentioned above, with these 56K protocols your upload speed is still going to occur at V.34 speeds (up to 33.6) because the digital equipment is only on the ISP's end.

Also, it is important to understand the difference between the "line speed" at which your modem talks to another modem (Data Communications Equipment or "DCE speed"), and the speed at which your modem communicates with your PC (Data Terminal Equipment or "DTE speed"). Modern high speed modems have the ability to compress the data they transmit. Due to the modem's ability to compress data, it sends fewer bytes to the other modem than it receives from your PC, so to keep your modem sending data at its maximum rate, you must shove data into it at a higher rate. This means you need to set your computer-to-modem DTE speed higher than the maximum connect rate you expect your modem to achieve. If you set your DTE speed to the same or lower rate than your modem's line speed, you will be starving your modem -- while it is waiting for data from your PC, it will be transmitting idle bits instead of useful data. This will cause your throughput to be lower than it should be.

While high speed modems generally won't be able to further compress files which are already compressed (such as .zip, .gif, and .jpg files), they will compress average text files about 2:1 and sparse files such as some spreadsheets and databases up to 4:1. Many people recommend setting the DTE rate 4 times higher than your modem speed, but unless you are transmitting lots of sparse files, that is normally not necessary and can in fact cause overruns and other problems that effectively reduce throughput. For 28.8/33.6 modems, a good conservative setting for the DTE speed in your OS settings is 57,600 (38,400 for 14.4 modems). If you have a robust system, and frequently transmit files that can be compressed more than 2:1, you will want to try increasing those to 115,200 and 57,600 respectively. For a 56 kpbs modem, you should be using 115,200.

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Why Do Modems Depend On Phone Line Quality So Much?

How well do 56K modems work? Whilst the technology theoretically can achieve download speeds up to 56 kbps, several factors impact upon the actual signal output of modem. Known good-quantity phone lines will most often range between connection speeds above 40 KBPS, and often up to 50 KBPS! However, users who have poorer phone lines are finding they still can't get speeds above what they were getting with their V.34 28.8/33.6 modem. Remember that your phone line quality is the most important factor here, and many people who have poor quality telephone line conditions will get NO advantage from investing in a 56K modem.

Modems are fussy devices in that even a seemingly small amount of interference will corrupt the flow of data packets along their intended path. This interference originates from a variety of sources:

· Other devices on the same line as modem. Phones faxes, line sharers, CLI units and line isolators/protectors all detract from the overall output signal of the modem to varying degrees. Isolating these devices away from the modem ensures a clear, uninterrupted data flow. Specific devices (eg: Telstra T200/400 phone, cordless phones) will terminate a modem connection if on the same line.

· Defective wiring / cabling. When was the last time you look at the condition of your existing phone cables? Minimal shielding means that the effects of temperature changes, weather, average wear and tear and even seemingly slight damage can degrade the ability of the cable / line to transport data at speed. This extends also to corrosion on plug points, terminals as well as the physical line itself coming into a user’s premises.

· EM Interference. Phone lines / cables situated close to other electrical appliances subjects them to varying amounts of electromagnetic interference which can easily distort any connection. Try to ensure that phone cables are kept as far away as possible from other cables and away from devices such as heaters, fridges, speakers etc etc.

· Other factors. Data being asked to travel 5kms to the local exchange does not undergo the same stresses and distortions as data being asked to travel 4 or 5 times that amount. A basic rule of thumb is that the longer the distance the greater the speed degradation. Note that this applies to modems and telephone extension cords also. A 10 metre extension cord can make the difference between a V.90 and a lower speed connection.

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How And When A Modem String Should Be Used

The sole purpose of a modem (or init) string is to alter the operation of a modem in order to make it comply with the modem at the other end. Modem strings are not ‘cure-alls’ and are not the magic solutions most would like to believe. Modem strings are commonly used to control such features as modem speaker volume as well as force a modem to communicate at a certain protocol and/or speed.

For this reason, modem strings are to be used only when certain of their purpose and intended result. Issuing an incorrect string to a modem will render it inoperable, meaning that strings should be tested for modem response – even if this means asking a user to click connect if the modem is on the same line. “Error 630: No response from the modem” can be caused by a wrong string.

Within the MS Windows 95/98/NT OS environments, modems are operated and controlled by specific software drivers written for specific models with specific instructions. As such, a modem that has been correctly installed with its corresponding driver should NOT need a dedicated string. All this information has already been written into the driver and therefore tested by the manufacturer. Only in cases where a modem is operating at an incorrect protocol or where speed limiting is required should another, external string be used.

Procedures Used By Windows

Procedures To Troubleshoot

Correct Procedures To Reinstall Dial Up Networking

Modems And How They Work With Us

Final Thoughts

PROCEDURES USED BY WINDOWS

Procedure Used By Windows To Connect To The Internet

PROCEDURES TO TROUBLESHOOT COMMON PROBLEMS

Procedure Used To Troubleshoot “Can’t Connect”

Error 5: Access is Denied *** Windows NT ***

Error 678: The Computer you are dialling into is not answering

Problem: User gets disconnected randomly

Procedure Used To Troubleshoot “Can’t Browse”

Procedure Used To Troubleshoot “Slow Browsing”

NOTE: Before proceeding make sure the user has a copy of the Windows CD, or correct cab files on their hard drive (See Correct Procedures to Reinstall DUA and TCP). Also make sure it is the same version of Windows that is installed on their computer.

NOTE: Before proceeding make sure the user has a copy of the Windows CD. Also make sure it is the same version of Windows that is installed on their computer.

Error 5: Access is Denied * Windows NT *