Check your modem setup
Modem setup

How to check your modem setup

To check your modem settings within Windows;

Click Start

then Settings,

then Control Panel.

Then, depending on which version of Windows you use, you will see
either a Modem or, in Windows NT and Windows 2000, a Phone and Modem
icon.

Click this, and Double-click on the Modem tab if you need to.


You will see two Tabs, General and Diagnostics


Click General and on the new screen, make sure that your modem appears
there.

Then on this screen you will see a value for Maximum Speed, Ideally,
this should be set higher than the maximum speed of your modem - 115200
for a 56k modem. But if you are experiencing connection problems,
trying lowering the speed and see what happens. Make sure that the Only
connect at this speed box is unchecked.

Then click Connection.

In the Connection Preferences section check that Data Bits is set to 8,
Parity to None, and Stop Bits to 1.

In the Call Preferences section you will see: the text Disconnect a
call if idle for more than xx mins. The default setting here is for it
to be set to 20 minutes. If so, and the checkbox next to this is
checked, you will be timed out after 20 minutes unless you are actively
using the Internet. Try removing the tick completely. and then clicking
OK.


Click Port Settings, and check them. In general choose high settings to
improve performance. Hit OK.

Now return to the Diagnostics tab.

click either Query Modem or More Information, depending on your version
of Windows. This query, which will take a minute or two, will test that
your modem is working correctly.

Click on the Advanced port settings button and make sure they're all
set to high.

Now click the Advanced tab

In the field Extra Initialisation commands put S10=50. Click OK and OK
on the previous screen. This tweaks your modem Initialisation (init)
settings to try and prevent short noise bursts or carrier interruptions
from closing your connection

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