# Funny dial-up problem - what's causing it and how to correct it?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-dial-up-problem-whats-causing-it-and-how-to-correct-it/425973>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 11, 2007, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-dial-up-problem-whats-causing-it-and-how-to-correct-it/425973 "2007-11-11T00:59:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Tess\_of\_the\_Derbyville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Tess\_of\_the\_Derbyville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tess_of_the_Derbyville)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-dial-up-problem-whats-causing-it-and-how-to-correct-it/425973/1 "2007-11-11T00:59:00Z")

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My sister and her husband recently moved to a rural area where dial-up is their only internet option. After many complaints of not being able to phone them at night, my brother-in-law bought a little device to hook into the phone line. Supposedly it works with call waiting to allow the phone connected to the computer to ring when they have a call.

It works - sort of. It allows calls to get through, but there are also “phantom” rings when the phone rings and there is just a dial tone on the other end. These can number to one an hour to every five minutes and often the connection is dropped. Makes me crazy when I visit.

What is causing these rings? Are there any adjustments that can stop this?. Or is there other software or devices that would work better? Please don’t suggest cell phones - they dislike them and will not carry them in the house.