Modem doesn't detect dial-tone

I have a 56k modem fitted in my PC. Never needed to use until now. Installed drivers and software but cannot make it work. Its says it is connected to com1 but doesnt detect a dial tone so cant call out. The dial tone is there i can here it. Iv uninstalled and all that but no good. I am running windows xp the modem is netodragon

 

Check where the phone line is plugged into the modem. Should be in the "Line" jack. You may have it plugged into the "Phone" jack can be used to plug in an extension phone.

 

Let's look at the simple stuff first.

Make sure that you put the phone line into the port on the modem labled 'line', not 'phone'. That is if there are two ports. I don't know the modem you stated.

Since I got my first 'puter oround 25 years ago I DO tend to be a bit old school. I doubt that it really matters anymore with PS2 and USB mouse connectors but in the old days ya never wanted a modem to take up COM1. Caused conflicts with the mouse. Like I said, probably not relevent anymore.

First thing to do would be to go to your control panel and 'Device Manager' under 'System/Hardware'. Click the plus sign in front of Modems if modems is listed. See if your modem is listed. If others are listed, right click on them and uninstall. If your modem is there double click on it. Now click on the diagnostics tab. Now click on Query modem. This will tell you if the system can communicate properly with the modem. If it suceeds with the query and still dosen't work it's possible that the modem was touched while the phone line was connected and the part that 'picks up the phone' to hear the dial tone was shorted out. Phone lines carry 14volts so a modem is never totally without power as long as the phone line is connected.

If your modem is not listed I need more info. Do you have any yellow markers in front of devices in the device manager? By uninstall do you mean physically removing the modem and re-booting or just removing it in windows?

By the way, the methods I've given are based on Windows 2000, not XP. Should be similar. Mayhaps someone can give more XP specific directions.

Jay

 

Yes the computer can query the modem and gets a response the cables are correct and there are no hardware conflicts. It is on com 1 but I dont know how to change this. Maybe it is the modem itself then not working. Bit of a shame as it is a standard fitting of the computer I just never before had the need to use it..
Thanks Harvey

 

Try uninstalling it in control panel and then reboot and let windows reinstall it. Do you have the drivers disk for it? If so, would run that first to make sure the drivers are installed.