Dial-up modems are the core component to a dial-up connection. It is the device responsible for creating and maintaining a connection with your ISP and to translate analog information for your computer to display. If you have determined that your modem is causing disconnects or inability to connect, you will need to reinstall, repair, or replace it.

Three basic reasons that your modem would cause problems connecting are:

1. It is not installed correctly on the computer.

2. It needs updated driver software.

3. It is out of date, physically broken, or has corrupted software.

The solutions to these problems below should solve the problem and get you back online.

Reinstall your modem. Before you remove your modem, make sure you have the installation CD that came with your computer. If you don't, you might be able to reinstall without it. If your computer's operating system is XP or Vista, the plug and play feature should install the modem for you or guide you through each step. On older versions, you may need to consult a computer technician. Then follow these steps:

1. Open Control Panel, then (in classic view) “Phone and Modem Options”.

2. Click on the Modems tab, and click on the modem you wish to reinstall.

3. Click Remove. Click “Yes” or “Ok” to confirm the remove, then close all the windows.

4. Restart your computer. Windows should detect your modem and either install it on its own, or present a “Found New Hardware” wizard that guides you through installing the modem again.

There are a few problems that might occur when you reinstall the modem. You computer may not detect the modem again when you restart. This could mean the modem cannot be repaired by reinstalling or was never physically on the computer in the first place. Another problem could be that your computer tries to reinstall, but won't complete because it requires an installation CD. If this happens and you don't have the CD, you can sometimes find installation software online on the manufacturer's website. A computer technician can help you with this step, or may have other solutions.

Reinstalling does not guarantee to resolve your problem, even if it is successful. However, sometimes it works and it's a worth a try, especially if you couldn't connect to the Internet in the first place.

Update your modem drivers. If you have an older computer, you may need to update your modem software if you still can't connect to the Internet. To update your modem software, you need to know your modem type and manufacturer. Look for your modem name is listed in Phone and Modem Options, under the Modems tab. If you are using the modem that came with the computer, you could also check your computer's manual, or your modem's manual if you bought it separately.

You can browse online to find your modem manufacturer's website. Often there is a “downloads” heading, but you can also run a search on your modem's name. The download will have your modem's name and “driver” in the title. See a computer technician if you are unfamiliar with computer device downloads as this could be too complicated for beginner users to try alone.

Buy a new modem. Your modem may not be repairable if it can't be reinstalled, or if the driver software will not improve your situation. This is especially true for old computers. Buying a new modem may be the best option available. For one, new modems are more reliable, relatively inexpensive (often between $20-50), and have the latest, fastest compression technology.

If you need are not familiar with modems or computer repair, buying a new modem may be the most inexpensive option for you. Installing a new external modem is fairly easy, and paying a computer technician to fix your old modem could cost more than installing a new one yourself.

If you need are not familiar with modems or computer repair, buying a new modem may be the most inexpensive option for you. Installing a new external modem is fairly easy, and paying a computer technician to fix your old modem could cost more than installing a new one yourself.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles! 

A dial-up modem is an electronic device that converts, sends, and receives packets of information over an analog telephone line. The word “modem” is an abbreviation of modulator/demodulator. This describes the process of converting data from digital to analog (uploading information), then from analog to digital (downloading information).

Uploading includes clicking on links, saving new content to web documents, and sending emails. Your modem converts these digital commands to analog frequencies that can be transported over the copper telephone wires. Downloading is anything that you receive from the Internet, like webpages, email messages, updates, and software programs. Your modem translates frequencies sent by your ISP's modem to bytes of data your computer can interpret.

When you initiate a dial-up connection on your computer, you are prompting your modem to attempt to reach and communicate with a remote computer, or your ISP's modem. Your modem places a call based on the access number you have selected, or that has been preselected by your ISP's software. The call is dispatched through your local telephone company to the ISP's modem.

When the ISP's modem is reached, the two modems send and receive test packets of information to negotiate on a connection speed that will be optimal and functional for accurate communication. The following factors effect the connection speed that will be possible:

• the quality/type of modem you have (e.g., what compression technology it has)

• the amount of line noise on the phone lines that could inhibit communication

• the distance to the telephone company's central office that the signal has to travel.

If the packets are sent too quickly, the information can get lost or jumbled, so a slower connection could be faster in the long run.

Your connection is then established, or allowed, providing your username and password is verified as an active account with the Internet Service Provider (ISP). Your modem can adjust its speed while you are connected to accommodate increased line noise, etc. When you choose to disconnect, the modem drops the call and the connection is terminated.

Dial-up modems have come a long way from its earliest models. Only a few decades ago, modems were sending individual bytes of data at a time. Modems now send packets of information at a rate of approximately 56 kilobits per second, hence, the 56K modem, introduced in 1996.

Several versions of the 56K modem have since been developed. The V.90 standard, broadly accepted by 1998, had the compression technology of K56Flex and X2 modems, created by competing modem companies. Both produced a download speed as high as 56 kbps and an upload speed of 33.6 kbps, but they were not compatible with all phone companies and dial-up providers. V.90 resolved these compatibility issues and became the internationally accepted modem standard.

In 2004, the V.92 modem standard was introduced to consumers, and is still the latest standard available today. V.92 connects faster and uploads as fast as 48 kbps. It also introduced Internet Call Waiting, alerting users of incoming calls while connected, and Modem On Hold, placing the Internet connection on hold for several minutes while taking an a call on the same telephone line.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!