Wyoming.com is dedicated to forging ahead with the latest and best technology available for providing fast and reliable internet service in Wyoming.
The nature of Internet connections is much more complex and tenuous than many people realize. Modern modems are pushing the limits of telephone lines for data transmission and at higher speeds, modems become more sensitive to line disruptions and handshaking processes. As a result, sometimes a modem may have trouble making and maintaining its connection at optimal speeds. Most modems running with 56K capability today are using the v.90 protocol but you may have a modem that is configured with X2 or K56 Flex technologies. The X2 and K56 Flex modems are not compatible with each other in that they will only give a maximum connection speed of 33.6. To ensure the maximum performance from your modem, it is best to have your modem running the v.90 protocol.
If you are having problems with your connection, try properly shutting down the computer first. This will reset the modem and is especially effective if you have been trying several times to make a connection.
Following here, you will find information that may help if you are still having problems with the connection.
If
your modem is not responding.
Be sure the modem is switched on and check all your connections. If you have an external modem, turn it off for a minute, and turn it back on again. If you have an internal modem, properly shut down the computer, wait a few seconds then restart it. Consult the manual for proper installation and setup. The manufacturer of the modem is your best source for problems you may be having with it.
Some things to check:
- Is the modem attached to a good telephone line? Verify the line by attaching a telephone and dialing out on it. If you dial the connection number supplied by Wyoming.com, you should hear a modem answer.
- Is the telephone line plugged into the right jack on the modem? Usually there are two jacks, one marked "wall" or "line" and another marked "phone". Make sure the phone line is plugged into the one marked "line".
- On PCs, you may need to watch your "IRQs".The
ports COM1 and COM3 share IRQ4,
and COM2 and COM4 share IRQ3. If
you have something sharing the same IRQ they
may interfere with one another.
To check for conflicts in Windows 95/98, go to My
Computer, Control Panel, then System. Open the Device
manager, highlight the modem's COM port, and choose Properties; check the settings here for any problems.
Are you being disconnected or not making a conection?
- Call-waiting may interrupt a call. If
you have call-waiting, it is recommended
that you temporarily disable it while you
are connected to the Internet. To do this,
double-click on the shortcut icon
for the Wyoming.com connection
on your desktop or double-click on My
Computer,
then Dial-Up Networking, then
double-click on the connectoid
icon for Wyoming.com.
Now you have the Connect
To window open.
Double-click on the Dial
Properties button.
About midway down that screen, select the
option that shows this location has call
waiting. The exact wording will vary slightly
depending on your version of Windows 95/98.
Where it says To disable,
dial, use the
drop-down menu arrow and select *70,. Then
click on OK to close this window and now
you will see the "*70," code in front of
the access number to dial. While you are
connected to the Internet, someone calling
you will get a busy signal. When you disconnect,
the call waiting will work normally on
your phone line again.
- Any other devices connected to the line can disrupt your connection. If you have a fax machine (or fax software in your computer), or an answering machine, disable them, or better yet, connect directly to the wall jack, and see if it makes a difference. Even nearby electrical devices may cause problems.
- Check for loose connections of any kind to or from the computer, modem, or wall jack. The lines themselves may have defects; they may need to be replaced (either phone lines or modem cables).
- Line noise is a frequent culprit for dropped connections. Try to make the lines in your own building as pristine as possible, unconnected to and away from other electrical devices. You can ask the phone company to check your lines, but they usually only check them for "voice grade", whereas modem communications require much cleaner lines ("data grade").
- Some modems have a difficult time completing
and maintaining a solid "handshake".
Be sure that you have the latest driver
or firmware for your modem installed. Most
modem manufacturers maintain websites where
the latest drivers can be downloaded. (You
may need to use a friend's computer.) Even
if you recently purchased your modem, it
may not have the latest driver. It may
also be that you will need to add extra
commands to the modem's initialization
string to make a good connection. If you
would like assist entering a modem string
please contact our Customer Service department
at 1-800-588-3304.
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