How do I stop Vista from trying to connect via modem?

[Eli]

Whenever the computer tries to access something on the internet, and it either times out or was unable to resolve the name, it brings up my T-Mobile dialup networking connection dialog.

When this happens.. it halts all internet traffic with the program that brought it up until you click cancel.

Highly annoying. How do I fix it?

 

[Crusty]

If that's happening very often I would try to troubleshoot why you are losing your network connection instead of trying to bandage the results. Of course, if this is wireless that might not be possible .

Do you know what's happening to your internet connection? Which part of it breaks down?

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Crusty
If that's happening very often I would try to troubleshoot why you are losing your network connection instead of trying to bandage the results. Of course, if this is wireless that might not be possible .

Do you know what's happening to your internet connection? Which part of it breaks down?

It doesn't happen very often, but it's REALLY annoying. I don't want it to ever try and connect via dialup networking. There's gotta be an option somewhere.

Our internet was shut off for a while, so I was leaching the neighbors. It happened a lot then. All it takes is a lost packet when trying to resolve a name and it will try to connect via the alternative method.

Like if I type junk into the address bar (www.sldfjsdglksmgslrg.com) it will try and connect via DUN to resolve the name after trying to resolve it via my WiFi connection. Stupid.

It wouldn't be a big deal if it didn't halt all internet traffic waiting for the dialog to connect.

 

[Crusty]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: Crusty
If that's happening very often I would try to troubleshoot why you are losing your network connection instead of trying to bandage the results. Of course, if this is wireless that might not be possible .

Do you know what's happening to your internet connection? Which part of it breaks down?

It doesn't happen very often, but it's REALLY annoying. I don't want it to ever try and connect via dialup networking. There's gotta be an option somewhere.

Our internet was shut off for a while, so I was leaching the neighbors. It happened a lot then. All it takes is a lost packet when trying to resolve a name and it will try to connect via the alternative method.

Like if I type junk into the address bar (www.sldfjsdglksmgslrg.com) it will try and connect via DUN to resolve the name after trying to resolve it via my WiFi connection. Stupid.

It wouldn't be a big deal if it didn't halt all internet traffic waiting for the dialog to connect.

Have you tried deleting the DUN connection? I'm surprised that a failed DNS lookup causes Windows to try to dial out, that just seems silly. A failed DNS lookup is just that, not a failure of your network connection.

 

[Eli]

Well, that would be the obvious solution.. but I shouldn't have to do that. I'd like to keep the TMobile connection for if I ever can't find a wifi connection.

I can't find any options relating to this though.

 

[GeekDrew]

I have the same problem.... I usually connect via a cell phone, but whenever there's any DNS lookup failure while I'm browsing, Vista starts to dial out using my modem, so I have to cancel the process. Annoying as hell, and I've told it not to use dialup by default, but I haven't dug into it too much more.

 

[corkyg]

It is actually easy to control - same as in XP. Open Control Panel, then Internet Options, then Connections, and check the box that says "Never Dial a Connection."

The above sequences are using Classic Display - the Vista organization of Control Panel is still a highly layered mystery to me.

OK - the Vista CP menu would be Network & Internet, then Internet Options, then Connections.

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: corkyg
It is actually easy to control - same as in XP. Open Control Panel, then Internet Options, then Connections, and check the box that says "Never Dial a Connection."

I've already tried that.

 

[corkyg]

Then something is not playing by the rules. In that case, just unplug the dialup T-connector. Then it can't dial out.

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: corkyg
Then something is not playing by the rules. In that case, just unplug the dialup T-connector. Then it can't dial out.

lol 'T-connector'? I have an external serial modem, I just turn it off when I don't want to connect. That said... my issue isn't whether or not it connects, it's the fact that windows *wants* to connect when I'm telling it not to.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: GeekDrew

Originally posted by: corkyg
Then something is not playing by the rules. In that case, just unplug the dialup T-connector. Then it can't dial out.

lol 'T-connector'? I have an external serial modem, I just turn it off when I don't want to connect. That said... my issue isn't whether or not it connects, it's the fact that windows *wants* to connect when I'm telling it not to.

That and.. If only it were that easy.

Let's say Firefox fails a DNS lookup and wants to dial out.

The dialog pops up and FF waits for it to connect. All traffic with FF is now halted. You can't load pages or anything, it's waiting for the DUN connection to.. connect.

Annoying as all fuck. If it happens with Yahoo messenger, Yahoo will lose connection.

I'm going to try unchecking the option, but it sounds like maybe it's an issue with our cell phone modem drivers? I wonder if it's just a coincidence that both of us have this issue, and the offender is a cell modem profile.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: Eli
... but it sounds like maybe it's an issue with our cell phone modem drivers? I wonder if it's just a coincidence that both of us have this issue, and the offender is a cell modem profile.

That is a major new clue. My experience with cell phone and related wireless links is that they have their own connection manager. That is where you should look.

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: GeekDrew

Originally posted by: corkyg
Then something is not playing by the rules. In that case, just unplug the dialup T-connector. Then it can't dial out.

lol 'T-connector'? I have an external serial modem, I just turn it off when I don't want to connect. That said... my issue isn't whether or not it connects, it's the fact that windows *wants* to connect when I'm telling it not to.

That and.. If only it were that easy.

Let's say Firefox fails a DNS lookup and wants to dial out.

The dialog pops up and FF waits for it to connect. All traffic with FF is now halted. You can't load pages or anything, it's waiting for the DUN connection to.. connect.

Annoying as all fuck. If it happens with Yahoo messenger, Yahoo will lose connection.

I'm going to try unchecking the option, but it sounds like maybe it's an issue with our cell phone modem drivers? I wonder if it's just a coincidence that both of us have this issue, and the offender is a cell modem profile.

It's not just cell phone connections. It happens to regular modem connections as well. This happened to me recently as well when I was without broadband for a bit. I think I unchecked the box to not dial out and that did not fix it. I deleted the DUN connection and that seemed to fix it.

 

[GeekDrew]

Windows natively handles my cell phone's internet connection, and it's just treated as a LAN connection... I suspect that if I connected my computer to a network and a DNS lookup failed while connected to that network, it would try to use DUN.

 

[corkyg]

Another clue . . . cellphones are actually connected to a wide area network - and a LAN setting would be appropriate. Closing DUN is probably the correct solution.

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: corkyg
Closing DUN is probably the correct solution.

What?

You shouldn't have to delete a DUN connection in order to use a LAN connection without problems.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: GeekDrew
You shouldn't have to delete a DUN connection in order to use a LAN connection without problems.

Very true! All you need to do in most sane systems is check the box that says "NEver Dial a Connection." But, apparently, that does not work in OP's system.

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: corkyg

Originally posted by: GeekDrew
You shouldn't have to delete a DUN connection in order to use a LAN connection without problems.

Very true! All you need to do in most sane systems is check the box that says "NEver Dial a Connection." But, apparently, that does not work in OP's system.

Or mine... which means that deleting the DUN connection might be the only way for me to get it to stop complaining about dialing. The problem with that solution is that I frequently *use* the DUN connection, so I'd have to re-create it and delete it frequently.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Sounds like someone should file this as a bug with MS.