XP: Audible notification on connect/disconnect from internet?

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Phil_H=FChn?=]

[Running XP Pro SP1]
Hi, I want my PC to play a sound when the modem connects to the internet
(dials my ISP) and also when it is about to disconnect.

My connection is set to disconnect after 5 minutes idle time. Some
months ago, 30 seconds before the modem was to auto-disconnect, a sound
would play and a message would popup on the screen telling me the modem
would disconnect in 30 seconds. This can be good if you are busy reading
something online but are not yet ready to disconnect.

This notification no longer happens. I'm not aware of changing anything;
the only significant thing I've installed (may be the issue) is .NET and
all the stuff which goes with that.
I've been through the sound events in the control panel and there seems
to be no event for when the modem is about to disconnect. Regardless,
because the warning message doesn't pop up either, it seems that the
event isn't being triggered at all.

So basically I want to get this going again. If possible I also want to
be notified when XP connects to the internet (it is set to automatically
dial on demand, so it would be useful to know when this happens).
I'm hoping there's something in XP to enable this, or if not then some
tweak or utility may help me...

Thanks

 

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Phil_H=FChn?=]

No ideas anyone?

 

[Kelly]

Must have been third party as in an internet call waiting program, etc.
Good luck!

No ideas anyone?

[Running XP Pro SP1]
Hi, I want my PC to play a sound when the modem connects to the internet
(dials my ISP) and also when it is about to disconnect.

My connection is set to disconnect after 5 minutes idle time. Some
months ago, 30 seconds before the modem was to auto-disconnect, a sound
would play and a message would popup on the screen telling me the modem
would disconnect in 30 seconds. This can be good if you are busy reading
something online but are not yet ready to disconnect.

This notification no longer happens. I'm not aware of changing anything;
the only significant thing I've installed (may be the issue) is .NET and
all the stuff which goes with that.
I've been through the sound events in the control panel and there seems
to be no event for when the modem is about to disconnect. Regardless,
because the warning message doesn't pop up either, it seems that the
event isn't being triggered at all.

So basically I want to get this going again. If possible I also want to
be notified when XP connects to the internet (it is set to automatically
dial on demand, so it would be useful to know when this happens).
I'm hoping there's something in XP to enable this, or if not then some
tweak or utility may help me...

Thanks

 

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Phil_H=FChn?=]

You mean you think that the prompt I used to get was due to an external
application? I'm not sure, it corresponded to the 5 minute
idle-time-disconnect which is specified as part of the dial-up
connection profile, a standard part of XP... I'm highly suspicious of
something being tweaked when .NET was installed...

 

[Kelly]

Phil,

The disconnect options for dialup are here:

IE/Tools/Internet Options/Connections/Settings/Advanced/Disconnect when...

I have never known them to have sound.

Another option is here:

To set Idle TimeOut:

1. The Idle TimeOut option in Dial-Up Networking must be set for the
connection to hang up after being idle. Open the Dial-Up Networking dialog
box, and select User Preferences from the More button.

2. Disable Autodial by location, and set Idle Seconds Before Hanging Up to
the desired amount of time: This value should be greater than 60.

3. Choose Logon Preferences from the More button, and set Idle Seconds
Before Hanging Up to the same value as User Preferences.

4. Open Control Panel/Services and disable the Remote Access Autodial
Manager service.

Another option: Start/Run/Regedit

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters
.. In the right pane, find Autodisconnect and change the time accordingly.

Or...

Start/Run/net config server /autodisconnect:30 (30 being an example).

 

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Phil_H=FChn?=]

Hi Kelly, thanks for the reply.
There IS a disconnect warning built into XP (the sound is I think the
standard windows 'ding').

I don't use IE, but the advanced connection options you describe are
under ControlPanel->InternetOptions->Connection->Settings->Advanced.

I turned on the "Disconnect if idle for XX minutes" (let's call that
optionXX). Great! I'm now notified after XX minutes that I'll be
disconnected in 30 seconds (so I can click 'stay connected'). However
now in some situations I get prompted every XX minutes, regardless of
whether the connection has been idle or not!

So a summary:
a) On the connection is set 'Idle time before hanging up: 5 minutes'
(NetworkConnections->myDialupProfile->Options). This is observed; if
there is ANY traffic from any application (so it isn't idle), the PC
stays connected. But with optionXX enabled, depending on what
application triggeres the connection, XP seems to ignore whether the
connection has been idle or not, ALWAYS prompting me and disconnecting
if I don't answer. (Also the disconnect warning is not system modal and
if I miss it I'm disconnected, even if I'm surfing!)
b) I'd never seen optionXX, and yet something turned it off - I suspect
the .NET install.

It seems the dialup connection settings and the 'Internet Options'
connection settings do not work well together.

I assume Microsoft already know of this bug, but I can't find an entry
for it in their KB. How is it possible to raise a bug call?

BTW, this situation often seems to occur when SETI initiates the
connection (when XP gets asked to dial the connection specified under
InternetOptions->Connections you need to select 'Always dial my default
connection'). It doesn't always occur when I trigger the connection
myself by launching a 3rd-party browser for example (which does not have
built-in connection code, but relies on XP, just as SETI does). Strange.

 

[Kelly]

Great feedback, Phil....it has been passed on to MS.