Troubleshooting Common Dial-up Issues

Contents

• Why do I sometimes get a "no dialtone" error message?
• Why do I get disconnected so often?
• How do I improve my dial-up connection speed?

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Why do I sometimes get a "no dialtone" error message?

If you only get a "no dialtone" error messages sometimes when nobody else is on the phone line, and you have voice mail through your phone company, the stuttered dialtone that tells you there are waiting voice mail messages will interfere with your modem's ability to detect a dial tone. You will need to retrieve your voice mail before connecting to SpiritOne.

Why do I get disconnected so often?

SpiritOne has a 15-minute idle timeout. If no data is transferred through your modem for a fifteen minute period of time, our modems will assume the connection has gone dead and will disconnect you. You will not be automatically disconnected from our system if you are downloading mail, actively browsing the web, or downloading a file.

If you are getting disconnected even when actively using your dial-up connection, work your way through the steps below to troubleshoot the problem.

1. Does your location have call waiting? If you have call waiting through the phone company, any incoming call will knock you offline unless you first disable call waiting. Normally, this is done by dialing *70 before making a call. If on your dial up connection, the phone number reads *70, 503 426-2600 then call waiting is disabled and you should continue to the next step.
• On a Macintosh, just place *70, before the phone number to disable call waiting.
• On a Windows 95/98/ME computer, from the Dial Up Connection window:
  1. Click on Dial Properties
  2. Put a check in This Location has Call Waiting...
  3. Click on OK
• In Windows 2000 or Windows XP, from the Connect window:
  1. Select the Properties button
  2. Make sure Use dialing rules is checked, then hit the Rules button.
  3. Select My Location and hit the Edit... button.
  4. Put a check in the To disable call waiting, dial box.
  5. On the same line, make sure the text in the box on the left reads *70,. This should be one of the options in the drop-down menu and may already be selected as the default option.
  6. Click the OK button until you are back to the Connect window.
2. Are you using Outlook Express on a Windows computer? Microsoft made the bad decision of making a single setting that disconnects your computer from the Internet default to On. Here's how to fix it in Outlook Express:
   1. Go to Tools and select Options...
   2. Click on the Connections tab.
   3. Make sure there is not a check in Hang Up After Sending and Receiving.
   4. Hit OK
3. Line Noise
   • Make sure that the phone cord from your modem goes directly to the wall. Splitters and devices designed to extend the length of your phone cord can cause line noise and result in lower connect speeds and frequent disconnects. Your phone line should not pass behind anything that creates a strong magnetic field, such as stereo speakers or a television (your monitor and computer speakers should be fine).
   • Check to see if you have developed a bad phone cord between your computer and wall jack, have the line plugged into the wrong jack, or have someone there who is picking up an extension. Try plugging a normal phone into your computer jack, call a friend, then wiggle the cords around and see if you get disconnected or hear clicks, hissing, or popping noises. If you do, replace the phone cord.
   • If after replacing the phone cord, you still get disconnected, hear hisses, crackles, and pops, you may have a bad phone jack. If possible, try using a different phone jack to connect to the internet.
4. Give our Technical Support Department a call at 503-240-8200.

How do I improve my dial-up connection speed?

First, does your connection speed really need to be improved? Most 56k modems connect between 42k and 48k. This speed is in kilobits per second, while download speeds are usually displayed in kilobytes per second. There are 8 bits in a byte, so if you were connected at 48,000bps, you would optimally see download speeds of ~6.0k/sec. This is an optimal speed, which you will likely never see since every server that the data passes through slightly reduces the download speed that you see.

Make sure your modem drivers are up to date. Check the web site of your modem manufacturer and install any updated modem drivers they may have available.

If you have a 56k modem and, no matter how hard you try, you just can't get above a 28.8 connect speed, it's possible that you may just live in an unfortunate location. 56k technology relies upon Analog to Digital conversions and if there is more than one analog to digital conversion in your local neighborhood phone circuit, you will be limited to a 33.6 connection. You can always complain to your phone company about this, but don't get your hopes up. Your only real option is to either move to a different neighborhood or to hope the phone company upgrades their equipment.