I’m at my parents house, and we’re having a problem with their dial-up modem connection to the internet. After a while, often a SHORT while, there is simply no activity possible on the network connection. Absolutely no web page from anywhere will get a response. Not just SDMB, but ANY web page. The connection on the phone line is still there, the line doesn’t hang up, there’s just no data requests that get answered.
At first I though it was crappy service from their provider, SBC Yahoo, but I set up a NetZero connection that is exhibiting the very same problem.
Anyone ever have this problem, and hopefully solve it? They are using Windows 98, which I updated via Windows Update with no change. I’ve also tried both IE and Mozilla, with no difference.
I used to have this problem too…I think there was a problem with the modem talking to the ISP. I also tried several ISPs and I eventually gave it up completely and bought a new modem.
FYI: I was using a cheap (but modern) USB modem that AOL would not even recognise (when I tried their ‘free trial’ disc as a last resort). A few ISPs would dial-up and after a short while data would just stop pinging through…but if you waited long enough it would start up again. Very odd.
Once I changed modem everything was fine - which surpised me a bit because at first I thought it was probably the line that was at fault.
So my advice would be to borrow someone’s modem overnight and see if that works. Other than that you might want to make sure you have the latest modem drivers by going to the manufacturers’ website and looking at their ‘downloads’ section…that is, assuming you are able to get onto the web on a different computer.
I spoke with my ISP at length about the problem, and was told to “update my drivers” as the best advice.
Unfortunately, I had already updated, reformatted, tried with the old drivers, then updated again. It was infuriating.
It could be a registry issue. For W98 you can type SFC in the run box, it checks your system files. Also run the modem diags, its located in the control panel under modems, properties, then more info I think
Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll try all I can and let you guys know what happens. I have SFC running now, thanks handy, I never new about that utility!
Hey, does SFC know about windows updates and service packs? It found several files “corrupted”, and wants to replace them from the Windows 98 disc, but is it smart enough to realize some of these files may have updated via the internet from microsoft.com?
