Disconnection Information

Introduction

Intermittent modem-disconnections from the Internet can be caused by a number of things, not all of which can be controlled. Most often these problems can be traced back to the phone line or modem/PC.

It's worth noting that some of the cheaper modems on the market aren't as reliable as some of the more expensive models. In some cases purchasing a higher quality modem can solve a lot but not all connection problems.

Telstra guarantee transmission rates only up to 19,200 bps, that is they guarantee that your connection will not go slower than 19,200 bits per second. Most modems today are 56k modems with a suggested speed of 56000 bps, however the actual speed is between 40,000 and 50,000bps depending on line quality. You should also keep in mind that the faster an Internet connection is, the less stable it becomes and the greater the chance of getting disconnected.

The following is a list of well-known issues that can cause connection problems:

Call Waiting & Message Banks

Signals sent by call waiting and message bank systems can interfere with modem signals, causing a disconnection or a failure to connect at all. To disable call waiting dial “#43#” before dialling up to the Internet and “*43#” after finishing your Internet session. If your message bank system changes your dial tone, you may need to disable the option “wait for dial tone before dialling” in your modem properties.

Electrical Equipment

If you have a lot of other phones or devices that use the phone line connected while you experience problems with your Internet connection, try removing as many as you can while you're online. The more phones on the line, the harder the line has to work to power them all. If you use a Telstra touch phone 200 you can also experience problems, as this phone has to pickup the line to recharge its memory every 15 mins. If your are online while its charging, your connection will normally drop. Contact Telstra to have the phone replaced with an alternative.

Cables

Any phone extension cable used should be tested with a normal phone handset. Cables can be kicked and moved causing fatigue and breaks, which reduce speed and reliability of your connection.

Line Quality

Just as with cables the quality of your phone line has a major bearing on the reliability of your Internet connection. The current phone system has been in use for a long time, and while it's constantly being upgraded its still an old technology. Modems must have access to a consistent and noise free phone line to keep a connection.

Factors affecting line quality

• Noise
  - Usually a crackling sound that can be heard in background on the phone line.
• Distance
  - Long phone line extension cable can reduce signal strength.

Advanced Troubleshooting

The following string can be used to reset your modems settings but it should only be used once, as it will reset your modem to factory settings. Open Hyper Terminal under “Communications” under “Accessories” under “Programs” in the Start menu. Enter a name for the new connection and click ok. In the next screen make sure the correct Com port is selected then click ok. Once all that is set up, all you need to do is type AT&F&W and hit enter. The modem should respond with “ok” and you're done.

If you find that addressing the above issues hasn't helped you, you may need to look at adding an initialisation string to your modem settings. The details of the correct modem string for your modem should be included with either the documentation that came with your modem or on the drivers disk that it came with. Otherwise check the manufacturers website for further details and updates.

If problems persist

If you are still suffering connection issues after addressing everything listed here, you may want to consider an ADSL or ISDN connection. These connection types don't suffer from the same problems that plague dial-up connections.