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Troubleshooting Guide
Most instructions on this page have to do with Windows 95/98 computers.
» Connection Problems
» E-Mail Problems
» Web Problems
» Viruses
Connection Problems:
No Dial Tone
If your computer reports no dial tone, unplug your phone cord from the back of your computer and plug it into a regular telephone. Do you hear a dial tone? If not, check the connection of the phone cord to the wall jack.
If that doesn't help, try a different cord. If you can hear a dial tone, try plugging the cord back into the computer (perhaps the connection wasn't good before); if that doesn't work, try the other jack on the back of your computer (there are generally two -- the one labeled "Wall" or "Line" should be connected to your wall jack).
If you have Voice Mail on your telephone line, clear your phone messages to restore a dial tone. On a Windows 95/98 system, if you don't want to have to do this before connecting to the Internet every time, go into My Computer, then Control Panel, then Modems. Select your modem and click on the Properties button. Select the Connections tab from the Properties window and uncheck "Wait for dial tone before dialing."
In rare instances, interference in the vicinity of your modem can cause a no dial tone message, halogen lamps, excess heat, a generator, and so on.
If none of the above solves your no-dial-tone problem, bring your computer chassis into our shop and let us check your modem for you.
Busy Signal
If your computer reports a busy or no-answer signal, wait a few minutes and try again. If the problem is chronic, occurring even at hours when when few others are on line, it is likely due to configuration settings.
Causes for a false busy or no-answer signal are as follows:
- A call waiting disable code being dialed on a line when that phone line is not equipped with call
waiting.
- Wrong number. Make sure you are dialing the correct phone number,
not your own or another number.
- Area code being dialed. Remove the area code and try again.
To permanently change the number being dialed so that you don't have to change it each time you connect, on a Windows 95/98 system, double click on My Computer, then on Dial-up Networking. Then right-click on your SCS connection icon and left-click Properties on the menu that appears. You'll see a window that allows you to change the telephone number and to disable area code dialing (uncheck the box).
Invalid User Name/Password
Check these three things:
- Incorrect login/user name. Your login name is not your whole e-mail address. If your e-mail
address is john@nevada.edu, then your login name is simply john not the whole e-mail
address.
- Spaces before or after the login name or password. Click at the end of each and press the
Delete key several times to get rid of the spaces.
- Password typed with the Caps Lock key on. The Caps Lock light on your keyboard should be off. If it isn't, press the Caps Lock key once to turn it off.
Other Reason
If you're a new subscriber, reasons for failures to connect include the following:
- Incorrect settings in your Connection icon. Open My Computer, then Dialup
Networking. Right-click on your connection icon and choose Properties from the
menu. Uncheck the box that says "Use country and area code when dialing." Click
the Configure button, then the Options tab; you should have this set to
bring up a terminal window after dialing (but not before dialing); click
OK. Click on Server Types; make sure PPP is selected at
the top. The only check marks should be next to "Enable Software Compression" and
TCP/IP.
Click on TCP/IP Settings. The IP number is server-assigned. Specify the correct DNS numbers for your account. The bottom two boxes should be checked.
- Incorrect settings in your Windows configuration. Open My Computer and Control
Panel. Open Networks. Make sure there is at least one instance of Dial-Up
Adapter and one instance of TCP/IP listed. Click TCP/IP under
installed components (or TCP/IP > Dial-up Adapter), then Properties. Make
sure the IP number is server-assigned. Make sure there are no settings in DNS
Configuration.
- Corrupted Windows components. Even a slight power spike or an incorrect shut down of your
computer can cause this. When the components become corrupted, this can effect your ability
to connect. If you're Windows savvy, you can uninstall and re-install this software from your
original Window CD.
Uninstall TCP/IP and Dial-Up Adapter in the Network section of the Control Panel, then uninstall Dial-Up Networking (go to Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel, Windows Setup tab, click once on Communications, then the Details button. Uncheck Dial-up Networking).
Close open windows by clicking OK buttons, if present, or X otherwise, and reboot your computer.
Upon rebooting, go back into the Network icon in the Control Panel, add the Adapter (Microsoft on left, Dial-Up Adapter on right of Adapter window) and the TCP/IP protocol (Microsoft on left, TCP/IP on right of Protocol window).
Then install Dial-up Networking (same as uninstalling, above, except put the check mark back next to Dial-up Networking).
Disconnecting (Hanging Up)
From The Intenet
Generally when you close your browser or e-mail program, you'll see a little box asking if you'd like to end your connection. Clicking the Yes button hangs up and frees your phone line. If this does not occur, you can always disconnect by double-clicking on the connection icon next to the time on your taskbar (either two small interconnected computers or a black box with red/green lights). Double-clicking brings up a box with a Disconnect button -- click it to hang up your phone line.
Known Modem Manufacturer Problems
with the SCS Modem Bank
Users with a modem that has any sort of "HCF" or "HFC", or anything other acronym that begins with the letter "H" in it's description will NOT be able to connect or stay connected to the modem banks. These modems are produced with substandard components, and implemented poorly. If a user wants to be able to connect or stay connected (at more than 2.5k), they will probably need to get a newer modem. HP pavilions come with these standard; other manufacturers usually install an "LT winmodem" (next section).
Also, in regards to the winmodems, they are a source of headaches when staying connected. Winmodems actually do everything in software, meaning that the modem eats up your processor cycles. If they do something that requires LOT of processing (starting applications, graphics, etc...) their connection will become unstable and possibly will be dropped. These modems have the word "win" or the initials "LT" in their description.
Modems that are TRUE plug-n-play (not winmodems) and jumpered/hardware modems connect consistently at greater than 4.5k and stay connected without problems. If someone wants to stay connected consistently, this is probably the best solution.
