Modem dials and hangs up... without connecting

[Keyur]

I have a 3Com 56K Internal PCI modem whcih does something wierd. It started when I downloaded some songs off of Kazaa. The modem wouldn't dial at first. I deleted Kazaa and reinstalled the modem (several times for the latter) and now all the modem does is dial, and then it sounds like it hangs up. There is definitely a dial tone, and after a while the phone gives the same message as if the phone was left off the hook for some time (I can hear it through the modem). Any ideas? I've been working on this for a while, and as a last resort, I'll have to take the modem out of my old computer and see if that works. Thanks.

 

[dexmanone]

Have you tried creating a new dialer in Dial-Up Networking (win98, dont know where it is in others)?

 

[Keyur]

If you mean just making another connection by entering the same info, yeah, I've tried that. After several reinstallation attempts and prior problems trying to install the modem initially, I'm sure it's a hardware problem. However, I can't think of anything I did that could trigger it this time.

 

[DonaldC]

Go in to Device Manager and remove the modem.
Shut off computer and remove modem.
Start computer.
Shut off computer and install modem.
Start computer and install modem firmware.

 

[Keyur]

I did that... several times. That's the only way I can even get the installation program to work at all.

 

[morkinva]

I'd check the exact number the modem is dialing: with or without area code, with or without 1, whatever it is, and see if you get an answer from a regular phone. Maybe one of the dialing options was changed somehow.

 

[TheCorm]

Try using the Phone Dialer to dial a friends number or another number in the house and see if when the phone is picked up the usual fax/modem type noises can be heard...if they can then the telephony side is working fine.

You might also want to try setting up a dial up to another ISP if possible, then you can see if it could be a problem with your ISP. When I was on Dial Up and I used a company called Freeserve over here (Useless!) there was a stage where I kept dialing up, hearing a noise like the phone had been put down and then I heard the "please hang up and try again" just like you, changed ISP's and all was fine.

Corm

 

[Keyur]

I don't think it's the ISP, since the other 2 computers in my house can dail and connect just fine. But if the ISP only affects one computer, I can try it.

 

[amdskip]

That modem sounds like it was fried, try it in a different computer.

 

[Keyur]

Yeah, I know it sounds very very unlikely, but I did use it during a lightning storm. I guess that could have sone something, even though I have a surge protector. Actually, that was my original thought, because up until then, my modem was finally working perfectly.