Freeserve Easy Guides

Outlook Express 5

Step 1: Checking your modem set up

        A. Is your 56Kbps modem V.90 compliant?
        B. Are you exceeding your REN limit?
        C. Is your modem connected and powered correctly?
        D. Can Windows talk to your modem?

All new 56k (Kilo bits per second) modems use the V.90 standard to communicate. However, some older 56k modems use the 'K56Flex' or 'X2' standards which are not directly supported by Freeserve and may result in an unreliable connection or a slower connection speed.

To establish whether your modem is capable of supporting V.90 you should have a quick look through your user manual. If you bought a new 56k modem in the last couple of months it is very likely that this will be V.90 compliant.

If your modem does not support V.90 you should contact your modem manufacturer or retailer, and ask for an upgrade to your modem so that it can communicate using the V.90 standard.

You should always try to ensure that you are using the latest drivers for your modem. These are available from your modem manufacturer - often on their website.

A 'modem driver' is a small program that allows Windows to talk to your modem. These are normally updated regularly, with each new version adding extra functions or fixing errors.

The Ringer Equivalence Number (REN) limit dictates how many telephone devices you can connect to a telephone line (you have one line for each telephone number in your house, most homes normally just have one), in most cases the REN limit in your home will be around 4 devices, with your modem typically counting as 1 or 1.5.

In English this means that if you count how many telephones, answering machines, fax machines and modems are connected in your home the number must not exceed 4, if you have any queries regarding this subject you should contact who ever provides your Telephone Line (BT, Cable & Wireless etc.)

Exceeding this limit will usually prevent your telephones from ringing when calls are coming in, and affect the general reliability of all telephone devices plugged in to that line.

1. If the modem is built into your computer (known as an 'internal modem')

• check 1: ensure that the telephone line is plugged in to the rear of the modem in your computer, and the telephone wall socket. (To identify the modem look for a connector on the back of your computer similar to the one below)

2. If the modem is not built in to your computer (known as an 'external modem')

• check 1: ensure the telephone cable is plugged in to the telephone socket and the rear of the modem.
• check 2: ensure the modem power cable is connected and plugged in at the wall socket.
• check 3: ensure the data lead is plugged into the port on the back of the modem and the computer.

1. Click on the button on your desktop, go to Settings and click on Control Panel.

2. Double-click on the Modems icon - this will force Windows to respond in one of two ways:

• If you currently do not have a modem installed, the 'Add New Modem Wizard' will be started to help you install your modem. Let this wizard guide you through the process of installing your modem then go to the next step.
• If you already have a modem installed, Windows will present you with the modem's Properties screen - similar to this one:

  

  This example shows a modem installed called 'SupraExpress 288iPnP'

• If more than one modem appears on this screen:

  In some instances you may find two or more modems listed on this screen. The only time that this would be correct would be if you actually have two or more modems installed on your computer (this is very rarely true). To resolve this you should highlight each modem with the mouse then select remove, repeat this process for all the modems on this page.

  When all the modems have been removed, click OK to return to the Control Panel. You should now go back to step 2. If your modem is OK, Windows will launch the 'Add New Modem Wizard' and reinstall your modem automatically. You may be requested for your modem drivers disk - if this does not succeed you may need to obtain more recent drivers for your modem.

3. To test the modem further click on the Diagnostics tab at the top of the Modems Properties window:

In order to communicate to your computer the modem is connected to a COM port (communication port) in this case COM2.

4. To test whether Windows can talk to your modem highlight the COM port that your modem is using and click on the More Info button. If all is well you will see a page similar to this:

This page provides information about the type and speed of the modem that you've installed. But the most important thing is to note whether the More info screen appears at all.

NOTE: "Port Already Open" error.
In some cases when you click on the More Info button you will get an error message saying 'Port Already Open'. This is particularly common on computers that have telephone software installed, such as for receiving faxes or to work as an answering machine. Commonly these programs are setup to run as soon as Windows starts, and from that point the modem will not be available. If you get the error 'Port already Open' follow through the process below:

1. Press CTRL + ALT + DEL
2. A 'Close Program' box will appear on the screen. This shows you all the programs that are currently running on your computer. You need to close all these programs except EXPLORER and SYSTRAY. This can be done by selecting each program with the mouse and then clicking on the end task button. After you do this the 'Close Program' box will disappear and you will need to press CTRL + ALT + DEL and repeat the process.
3. Once all other programs have been closed go back to 1. and try following through the procedure again. You should now be able to successfully test your modem. If you still receive the same error when you click on the More Info button then you need to contact the support line for your computer and ask them how to deactivate the telephone software.

This method for solving the 'Port Already Open' error will only work until the next time you switch your computer on. To solve the problem permanently you will need to establish which telephony program is running and prevent it from being launched each time Windows is restarted. The safest route to a permanent solution is to contact your PC suppliers technical support and ask them which Telephony/Answering Machine/Fax program is installed on your computer and how it can be prevented from running each time Windows restarts.

        You are now ready to go to Step 2 of the Freeserve Easy Guides to check your Freeserve Connection settings.

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