# Why Do Modems Make Those Screeching Noises? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 26, 2002, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637 "2002-08-26T15:44:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/1 "2002-08-26T15:44:50Z")
I assume the dial-up process is the same for everyone. You click on the command to connect to the internet, and you here this- Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH! Is there a reason it makes this particular noise? Is there any way to make it stop doing that?? I’m using MS IE 6.0. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/2 "2002-08-26T15:53:18Z")
That’s the sound of the modem negotiating a connection speed with the modem on the other end. A modem takes digital signals and converts them to analog sounds to be able to transmit data over conventional phone lines. What you are hearing is the sounds. To avoid listening to this, go to Start-\>Settings-\>Control Panel-\>Modems and select your modem, then Properties. I don’t have the screen right in front of me but there should be a slider control for the volume of the modem. Just turn it all the way down. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/3 "2002-08-26T15:54:41Z")
The screeching noise is your modem negotiating a connection with the modem on the other end. It is repeated to a speaker on the modem so you can hear what the modem is doing. Most modems will accept a command to quiet or silence the speaker. Look in your modem manual; a good manual lists the “AT commands” that the modem accepts, and tells you how to issue them. I like to hear and see what my modem is doing. For this reason I have an external modem with little lights that indicate its status. I leave the speaker on, and there’s an off switch for emergencies. There have been cases where programs downloaded from the net have silenced a user’s modem, instructed it to disconnect from the user’s regular ISP, and then make an international phone call to connect to another ISP, at ruinous rates. ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/4 "2002-08-26T16:01:55Z")
Yes, good. GOOD! I found the modem volume control and turned it all the way down. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/5 "2002-08-26T19:23:27Z")
That sound is quite useful in following the process. If you hear nothing you know the modem is not connecting. If it sounds different you know there may be problems. To the trained ear it tells what’s going on and that the handshaking is in progress. After the connection is complete if nothing happens you know it is the server and not the modem. I feel disoriented if I cannot hear it. You can hear several modem handshakes here: [http://www.modemsite.com/56k/trouble3.asp](http://www.modemsite.com/56k/trouble3.asp) ---
**Author:** ![RedDevil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ec8ea/32.png) [@RedDevil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedDevil)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/6 "2002-08-26T19:50:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sailor \* > \*\*That sound is quite useful in following the process. If you hear nothing you know the modem is not connecting. If it sounds different you know there may be problems. To the trained ear it tells what’s going on and that the handshaking is in progress. After the connection is complete if nothing happens you know it is the server and not the modem. I feel disoriented if I cannot hear it. You can hear several modem handshakes here: [http://www.modemsite.com/56k/trouble3.asp](http://www.modemsite.com/56k/trouble3.asp) \*\* Exactly. From the sound my modem makes I know if it has connected successfully. If it hasn’t, I don’t wait for it to re-dial automatically but cancel and re-dial myself. Saves a lot of time. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/7 "2002-08-26T20:18:52Z")
Some more situations where the screeches are useful is if they sounds like any of the following: — “All lines are busy. Please hang up and try again later.” — “Hello? HELLO??? #$%@#% \” — “The number you have dialed is no longer in service.” — “For customer service, please press 1 now…” — “The area code for this number has changed. Please dial…” I actually have heard at least a couple of these after a few frustrated failures to connect. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/8 "2002-08-26T21:53:41Z")
Arnie Ziff on The Simpsons made his fortune when he invented a device that converted the screeching noise to nice, pleasant elevator music. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/9 "2002-08-26T22:05:30Z")
um, folks, I have the opposite problem - I **prefer** to hear the sounds, but for some reason it has stopped doing them, although I have made it clear on my “Settings” that I do want the modem volume ON, and quite high. ☹ My comop has veryvery little RAM - could that be why I don’t gets tthe sounds? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/10 "2002-08-26T22:28:53Z")
"My comop has veryvery little RAM - could that be why I don’t gets tthe sounds? " No, but there might be another volume setting somewhere. I use an external modem, it has a volume setting on it & one in the setup menu, but I turn them off just so I can look at those pretty lights instead on the modem. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/11 "2002-08-27T00:03:31Z")
Thanks - I’ll go on a quest for other volume settings. What a shame I don’t get pretty lights too! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![janger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea5d25/32.png) [@janger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janger)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/12 "2013-01-20T23:43:28Z")
Yes, this strange noise is called dub-step and it can be very annoying. I like to bash who ever makes this noise with a hammer, this usually fixes the problem but you could try the methods said previously. sorry for the late reply but I was distracted by the fact that I was 6 when you asked this question… and at that point in time, mine sweeper was the highlight of computing for me… ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/13 "2013-01-20T23:55:50Z")
Perhaps you should stick to minesweeper and leave the jokes to the professionals. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/14 "2013-01-20T23:58:40Z")
> [@janger](#): > > I like to bash who ever makes this noise with a hammer… A hammer? About the only noise I make with a hammer is banging, not the sound of a modem saying hello, and the drumming in dubstep is usually digital, not analog. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/15 "2013-01-21T03:02:29Z")
By now that modem probably goes, _ **"BRAINSSSSSSSSSS!!!"** _ ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/16 "2013-01-21T14:57:23Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > By now that modem probably goes, _ **“BRAINSSSSSSSSSS!!!”** _ I read it as “Why do Mods make those screeching noises?” ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/17 "2013-01-21T15:00:06Z")
Instant zombie recognizability. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/18 "2013-01-21T15:03:36Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > “Why do Mods make those screeching noises?” One of the reasons is people making zombie jokes, according to something I read in ATMB. ---
**Author:** ![YourAdHere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/65b543/32.png) [@YourAdHere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YourAdHere)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-modems-make-those-screeching-noises/125637/19 "2013-01-21T15:29:52Z")
Man, he wanted to make that joke so badly he even acknowledged that the thread is 11 years old . Fwiw , I think people will remember modems a lot longer than they do dub step .