# Get your Head out of my Ass Dell! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 25, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850 "2003-09-25T21:59:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/21 "2003-09-26T06:50:16Z")
Geez…sorry. Since you mentioned an external Actiontec call waiting device I figured that it was NOT something provided by the phone company. You even said that you couldn’t use this external device on the new computer…so I assumed that call waiting was being provided by this Actiontec device, and NOT by the phone company. Since I GOT YELLED AT for trying to help figure out your problem, I think I’ll check out now…good luck with your business and everything else. ---
**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/22 "2003-09-26T07:02:31Z")
Pilot, I’m truly sorry… is it OK to apologize in the pit? I’m beyond frustration in this matter and if I hadn’t paid so much for this stupid thing would happily take a sledge hammer to it. Actually that’s not true, there really is nothing wrong with the computer, I’m pissed at Dell. Anyone interested in contract sledge hammer work somewhere in Texas? ---
**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/23 "2003-09-26T07:05:23Z")
Hey Pilot, I just noticed… YOU are from Texas!! How 'bout helping a poor North Idaho boy out? Gotta sledghammer? Nope, gotta have call waiting from the phone company before a call waiting modem works. ---
**Author:** ![OneChance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/74df32/32.png) [@OneChance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneChance)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/24 "2003-09-26T07:13:04Z")
Some info [here](http://modemfaq.home.att.net/faq_a.htm#CallWaiting) might help. ---
**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/25 "2003-09-26T07:27:06Z")
**bare** I went through a similarly frustrating process with Gateway…suffice it to say the confuser I’m using now is NOT a Gateway. I understand your frustration, though. Contract sledgehammer work…interesting. Do you have a 401(k) program? ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/26 "2003-09-26T14:30:19Z")
Dude! You shouldn’t get a Dell! Or Compaq, or HP, or…nm, still disgruntled over my wish to upgrade my video card in my Compaq turning into needing a whole new computer to use it. On the bright side of that, though, I bought all the stuff at Fry’s and had a couple of techie friends help me build the damn thing myself. And there was rejoicing. (yay) Fuck Compaq. And fuck Dell too. ---
**Author:** ![tramp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tramp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tramp)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/27 "2003-09-26T15:18:59Z")
Hee hee hee… I guess I’ll just pop in here and say “Buy a Mac!” ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/28 "2003-09-26T16:32:14Z")
I haven’t used dial-up networking in about 5 years, so bare with me. Two avenues: 1. There’s a specifc code that you can dial that says “do not let call waiting interrupt me while I’m in this call”, and then you dial the number you want afterwards. Most of the time, you set your dial-up networking to automatically dial that code. If you remove that code, modems used to automatically hang up if a call came while you were online. 2. There are also “modem initialization commands”. If you knew what brand of modem you had, there may be some command you have to send to enable the “pause for call waiting” feature. -lv ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/29 "2003-09-26T17:12:51Z")
Ah, after a bit of research it seems that many modern modems can withstand a call waiting beep without disconnecting, but many have an initialization command that still lets it be interrupted this way. And the number to dial to disable call waiting is “\*70”, so if your modem dials that before connectiong, delete that part of the dial string. If you know what kind (manufacturer/model) of modem it is, we can help you sort through the initialization commands. -lv ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/30 "2003-09-26T17:24:04Z")
Dell: a secluded hollow or small valley usually covered with trees or turf. ‘‘Get your Head out of my Ass Dell!’’ :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/31 "2003-09-26T18:07:50Z")
I’d guess your problem isn’t one of hardware, but either the configuration of your ISP’s service or the configuration of the modem. Check out [this FAQ](http://www.56k.com/reports/callwait.shtml) on the subject. Section “G”(at the bottom) is probably what interests you the most. Here is a snippet. > [@](#): > > iii)V.92 - ITU protocol with Internet call waiting feature > > There is a new international protocol, V.92, which, amongst other things, deals with the Internet call waiting issue.If BOTH the user’s modem and the ISP’s system are set up for it, a user can take a phone call for up to 16 minutes (adjustable)! I would assume that most ISPs wont allow for a full 16 minutes of hold time, even if they do upgrade to V.92. As of this writing, it was too early for V.92 modems to be released yet - or even for modem manufacturers to announce if upgrades will be available - so it is currently just vaporware, with the ITU standard to support it. I’d recommend carefully reading the manual for the modem (probably buried on your Dell cd) to be sure it is properly configured and to get ideas for what to ask your ISP to be sure their service supports this kind of thing. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/32 "2003-09-26T22:01:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tramp \* > \*\*Hee hee hee… > > I guess I’ll just pop in here and say “Buy a Mac!” \*\* Well, but the problem is that neither of the two Mac compatible modems would solve the problem he’s having with his call waiting. Of course, he could just give up his business and do some image processing with portrait orientation. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/33 "2003-09-26T23:48:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*Didja get a chance to talk to [Todd](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=212434)? \*\* Thank you for that link, I can’t see straight for the tears of laughter in my eyes 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850/34 "2003-09-27T00:06:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bippy the Beardless \* > \*\*Thank you for that link, I can’t see straight for the tears of laughter in my eyes 🙂 \*\* Glad you liked it, but you should post that in **lezlers** ’ thread. It deserves a bump. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-your-head-out-of-my-ass-dell/203850.md?page=1)