Indiana University
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Problems making a modem connection

There are many reasons a modem may not connect properly. If you are using the Indiana University modem pool, first verify you have all the correct settings by seeing the Knowledge Base document The IUB and IUPUI modem pools. If you are still having difficulties, this document provides an outline of other common problems with dial-up connections:

  • Repeated busy signals: If you receive a busy signal every time you attempt to dial up, you are probably trying to connect during a peak time. You can either keep trying or wait until later. The best times to call are in the early morning or late afternoon.

    At IUB, for more information, see the UITS-IUB Dialup Modem Usage web page at:

    https://modems.indiana.edu/

    At IUPUI, for more information, see the UITS-IUPUI Remote Access Modem Pool web page at:

    http://www.indiana.edu/~uits/telecom/data/imodems.html
  • Modem is not responding: If you receive an error indicating that your modem is not responding or that the software cannot access your modem, check to make sure you have your software configured correctly. For more information, see the following Knowledge Base documents:


  • No dial tone: If you receive an error indicating that there is no dial tone, check to make sure that your modem is plugged into the phone jack and that nobody else is using the same phone line. Also, try using a normal telephone on that phone line to make sure the line is not dead.

  • No response, strange errors, or line noise: If your modem dials, seems to do nothing for a while, then indicates that there is no carrier, that it was unable to find a server, or that it could not make a connection, the problem may be with your phone service. Call your phone company to have your line checked. The problem may be line noise, which can have many sources. Here are some things to try that might help you diagnose or solve the problem:

    • Unplug answering machines and other phones from your phone line and see if you still get garbage characters or have problems when you dial up. Some devices can put a small drain on the phone line current and interfere with your modem transmission.

    • Unplug both ends of the phone cable (from the modem and the wall) and plug them back in. If your modem is external, do the same for the cable connecting the modem to your computer.

    • Wiggle the phone cable while you're dialed up and see if you still have problems or get garbage characters. If you do, you might need a new cable. These cables are fairly inexpensive, and you can find them at most discount department or electronics stores.

    • You can also clean the gold contacts on the jacks and plugs with a contact enhancer. You can buy this at many electronics and high-end stereo stores. Make sure the computer is unplugged when you do this.

    • When talking on the phone, listen carefully for line noise. If you hear static of any sort, your local telephone lines or the phone lines in your house may be at fault. Call your local telephone company and request investigation or repair. If the source of the problem is the phone lines in your house, you may be billed for the service call.

    • Be sure you have the right modem settings. (In Windows and Mac OS, you can check your modem settings in the Modem control panel. In Mac OS X, you can access your modem settings by clicking Network in your System Preferences.) Make sure your modem speed setting is correct; other settings that you should check are the data bits, parity, and stop bit. These are most commonly set to 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit.

    • If all else fails, you can set your modem to a lower speed, or buy an error-correcting modem. UITS recommends 33.6Kbps (33600bps) or 56Kbps (56000bps) modems.