The modem doesn't get a dial tone when the modem picks up to dial out.
It's not that the modem doesn't respond to a dial tone, but that there
is no dial tone on the line when the modem picks up and waits for it.
When I replace the modem telephone cable with a telephone handset on
the same line, there is a dial tone and I can call out normally. Also,
when I plug the modem into a different telephone line, all works
correctly. So, since the modem works fine on a different telephone
line, and since the telephone line works fine when I put a telephone on
it, I have no idea why the modem doesn't work on this line. Anybody
have any ideas? Thanks.

vfnorton@aol.com wrote:
You haven't told us the model of modem, or what software you are using. I
wonder if there's a bit of extra resistance on that modem wire you use?
Telephones go "off-hook" by closing a circuit and allowing DC current to go
through them.

Also, did you try plugging the phone into the phone jack *on the modem* and
seeing if the normal phone works there? That's also a good chance to make
sure that you plugged the modem cord into the modem jack, not the telephone
jack: it makes a difference.

"vfnorton@aol.com" <vfnorton@aol.com> wrote:
Two possibilities.

Try a different cord. Find one with only two wires connected.
Or you can take apart the jack that you are plugging into and
see if there are more than two wires connected to the jack's
terminals. If so, you probably have two lines on that jack, and
with some modems the second line interferes with the modem.

If that isn't the problem, try taking the jack apart and
swapping the two wires. That shouldn't make any difference, but
I suppose there are still modems somewhere that are polarity
sensitive, and you might just have one.

--
Floyd L. Davidson <http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) floyd@apaflo.com

On 6 Jul 2006 15:43:57 -0700, "vfnorton@aol.com" <vfnorton@aol.com>
wrote:

One more option to the ones already mentioned: Are you sure that
you have selected the right port? COM1 or COM2? No conflict of
resources? IRQ?

Or is this an external USB modem?

Geo

GEO wrote:
It works when he plugs the modem into other phone jacks, I assume on the
same computer. That indicates that he's got COM1/COM2/etc. right.

On Sat, 8 Jul 2006 09:02:55 -0400, "Nico Kadel-Garcia"
<nkadel@comcast.net> wrote:

You are right. I'll wait to see what he replies.

Geo

vfnorton@aol.com wrote:
Thanks to everyone who replied about my lack of dial tone problem. The
suggestions about trying a different cable, a 2-wire only cable, and
swapping the 2 wires all sounded like good ideas, so I made up some
cables, but before I could test them, the problem went away. Now the
modem works fine on both lines. This has happened before-the problem
just goes away, only to return at some later time again. One of the
posters made a comment about maybe there was too much resistance on
this line, and that is plausible, so now I'm guessing that this
problem may be marginal electrical quality of the telephone line in my
house wiring. I'll ask about that in a separate post. Thank you all
again.