I was given a computer a few weeks ago that has no dial-up modem. I am clueless when it comes to computers, but my daughter tried to install an internal modem (dial-up) but it didn’t work for some reason. I was thinking I’ll just pop on over to Best Buy and get an external modem, but I’m not sure on what kind or how it works. I don’t know how they connect or what to plug into. I am guessing it will have instructions, but the internal had them too and that was a bust.
I just know someone here will have some advice for me!
Sorry if it’s been answered before, but this OLD computer is so crotchety it times out during searches most of the time.
Now, you said ‘dial-up’ so I’m going to assume you’re after a normal one-end in the computer, one in the phone socket thing, slow like honey connection and we’re not looking for ADSL or broadband or anything.
This site has some good stuff about connecting one. I’ll add some further points.
External modems connect to your computer via a serial port, this’ll be either a nine pin D shaped serial port or a USB port. Most modern computers have USB but not all of them have the older serial connection. So I’d get a USB external modem if at all possible. They also have the benefit that they should just work.
Then, like the link says, connect USB to modem via cable that fits (if you’re lucky it’ll be colour coded), connect modem to phone socket on wall. Connect up any power leads and turn it all on.
If you’re using a new version windows (XP or better, 98 might work) then it’ll detect the modem. If not it’ll be a matter of putting in the CD that came with the modem and following the instructions.
You’ll need to set up a dial-up connection to your ISP in windows if this computers never had one before. There will be instructions on how to do this on your ISPs website, or they may have provided you with a CD that does it. If you’re having trouble with this step then ask again and someone will help I’m sure.
I’d be interested in what doesn’t work with the internal modem, it may be something trivial to fix or worse it may indicate some issue that you need to be aware of when buying an external one.
It’s been a while since I’ve used dial-up and an external modem but if anything the process is more likely to be simpler now (colour coding, helpful boxes asking sensible questions).
Buying an internal or external modem is great, reading up on the modem and computer is great, but maybe the best course of action for you is to realize your limitations, and get best buy or someone to install it for you.
Most people ought to be able to read up on things and do it themselves, and I am all for this, but people have called me to fix some really broken computers because they were not careful or did not know what they were doing.
The A+ Certification guide is a wonderful book and devotes a whole chapter to static electricity and how detrimental it is to computers.
I used to develop modem software and we always used an external modem as our reference unit for developing and testing. Internal modems could suffer from noise issues depending on the computer you put it in.
I’m still planning to get that external modem for my other computer so my daughter can have one in her room. The computer itself isn’t old, it was just set up as an office computer and had another type of modem. It is much newer than the dinosaur I donated to her experimentation this afternoon.
Aren’t most internal modems winmodems, with much of their modeming work being done by Windows? That used to be the case, and was one of the reasons why an external modem was always nicer to use.
They are still made and available, you just won’t find them on your el cheapo PC parts vendors’ web sites. Instead of the $3-5 wholsesale cost of the software modems, they tend to be more like $15-20, sometimes more depending on the manufacturer. The *nix market depends pretty heavily on them although Linux, and occasionally BSD, drivers are available for some of the more common software modems.
BTW, ISA modems can easily be software-based. US Robotics made a bunch of them before the switch to PCI.
