Modem can't be found

Hello. I hope somebody knows the answer to this one!

I have an older Dell (P2) that used to be on a cable modem. The network card has been removed, and I am trying to set up the installed modem. However, the modem properties indicate it is on COM2, and the device manager shows no COM2, only COM1 and LPT. Hence, nothing "sees" the modem, and I cannot use it. I have removed and reinstalled it with no change. Any idea what is "forcing" my modem to COM2? If I ask Windows 98SE to find it, it only looks at COM1.

I even looked in BIOS, but saw nothing relevant there.

Thanks for any tips.

Gordon

 

try a different slot.
bob

 

Did you make sure that com2 is enabled in the BIOS?

You could also go to the Control Panel and run Add New Hardware and see if Windows finds com2.

 

Not certain But....

As was said, prior to doing this, do as the above said, in BIOS click on the com ports, activate all of them just for the heck of it.

Make absolutely certain that in the Device Manager your old setup Cable modem is completely removed. You might want to delete through systems properties ALL com ports, then reboot with the new card plugged in, Windows should autocheck and install correclty from that.

Best of luck, and keep us informed...?

 

Thanks to all for your suggestions. Here's some feedback so we can all continue to learn:
Shawbob, I tried a different PCI slot. No change.
KevinSaul, I cannot fiddle with COM in BIOS. I am running Phoenix BIOS 4, revision 6, and COM ports are NOT shown. I did run the new hardware wizard and it added a new COM5! Modem remains firmly attached to COM2, however.
JerryM, I cleaned out all network adapters save for the dial-up adapter. Then, I deleted COM1 and COM5 and rebooted. COM1 was reinstalled and the modem remained attached to COM2.
So then, I tried to install a dial-up connection, using my home phone number just as a "place holder." The wizard recognized my modem, and when I let it dial, it attempted to dial out! On digging deeper, I found that my modem is listed in devices as being attached to IRQ10, which is also used for "IRQ holder for PCI steering." I think that "steering" is the answer here. My modem may work, and yet I may never see a COM2 in my device manager! Tomorrow I'll try to set up an ISP and see how it goes. So, for now, consider this closed and thanks for your suggestions.
Gordon

 

On that note, jogged my memory

Fading though it is....

When you go into Control panel..
Check for System
Then Device Manager.
Goto Hardware.
Then Device Manager
Drop to Modem, open it.
Then open up the modem you want reconfigured
Click on Properties
open up Resources.
This one should an automatic setting. unclick it.
Click on manual settings, scroll down and try each one until it matches your com port that you DO have access to.
Close and save. close and save all the way out until you have to reboot, when you come back up it WILL be reconfugred to what you want and it will run this time.

Been there aznd done that too many times with modems that did NOt want to act right with the computer the way it was set up....

 

Final note this subject. All is well. Modem has been found by Windows and ISP successfully installed and operating. Thanks again to all who responded.

I cannot state for sure what fixed the problem, but I think it was cleaning out a lot of network protocols and associated bindings that had been set up when the computer was using cable. That's the only thing I know for sure that I successfully changed.

JerryM, regarding your second post on my problem, I could not change the resources. Every try would only result in a reversion to automatic settings and a note that the settings cannot be modified.

Every day something else to learn! Every day I seem to find that the old procedures no longer apply. Seems like it was easier back when setting COM assignments meant fiddling with DIP switches on the modem card. And, where the heck did COM5 come from? Back in the day, there were only 4 (which were really in some sense only 2).

On to the next challenge!

Gordon