From time to time, you may experience disconnections or line drops while using the Internet. Providing everything is working correctly this should happen only rarely, though exceptions can occur. Steps can be taken to minimise this situation and these are outlined below, in the order in which they should be tried.
Call Waiting - This facility, provided by telephone companies, generates a small beep down your phone line to inform you if someone is trying to call you while you are using the phone. Unfortunately, if you are using a modem and someone tries to phone you, your modem may try to interpret this tone and will probably cause the connection to be dropped.
To disable call waiting, contact your telephone company.
Modem Drivers - Some of the drivers, (a type of software) supplied with modems may not be compatible with the operating system your computer is running. It is advisable to check the Internet for the latest drivers available for your modem and install these where possible.
Open your web browser and connect to one of the search engines (eg Yahoo or Google) Enter the name of your modem manufacturer and the word 'modem' into the text box and click 'Search' The search engine should return a list of results, one of which should be the website for your modem manufacturer Select the site and visit the relevant section: these might be called support, updates, drivers or download (software). If you can't find the driver required, send an enquiry asking for the latest drivers or try one of the dedicated drivers sites i.e. http://www.drivershq.com/ Modem Location - The location of your modem can be critical. Power cables and monitors emit lots of varying frequencies, which will interfere with your modem.
If you are using an external modem then make sure it is not placed directly next to your monitor or is not touching or close to any power supplies or cables Make sure the lead from the modem to the telephone box is not draped over any power cables. Connectors - Make sure all the cables are plugged in firmly and are not loose or damaged in any way. A loose connector could cause frequent disconnection and sometimes make it impossible to connect at all.
Noisy Phone Line - At Powernet, we have taken all possible steps to minimise line noise, including replacing all our analogue lines and modems with digital ones. Your telephone line may have unusually high levels of noise and it may be worth calling your telephony provider to check the line. Some telephone companies such as BT can actually adjust a line to make it more suitable for data transmission (such as a fax or modem).
Faulty Equipment - It could be possible that your PC or your modem has a fault. This can be difficult to determine, but you could try temporarily swapping your modem with someone to see if the problem persists.
Internal Exchanges - If you are using your modem on an internal exchange (for example, you may need to dial a '9' for an outside line), this may introduce noise into the system. If you regularly use your Internet account, Powernet would strongly advise you to get a direct line installed, or use an existing fax line, as these are also usually direct dial.
Slow Computers - Having a slow PC or one with a small amount of memory can also cause line drops. Sometimes just a cheap memory upgrade can resolve this problem.