dialup connection problem

[Guest]

My dialup modem suddenly fails to register with my isp. I use broadband
mostly, but for sending emails i need to connect via 56k to Tiscali. No
problem until yesterday, when it started failing to register (it connects,
but doesn't register on the network) and gives me an error 721 message.
I've been on to Tiscali, they've checked and say everything's fine at their
end, so the problem is with my pc.
Right now I can't send emails (though I can receive via broadband).

Help!!

 

[Galen]

My dialup modem suddenly fails to register with my isp. I use broadband
mostly, but for sending emails i need to connect via 56k to Tiscali. No
problem until yesterday, when it started failing to register (it connects,
but doesn't register on the network) and gives me an error 721 message.
I've been on to Tiscali, they've checked and say everything's fine at
their
end, so the problem is with my pc.
Right now I can't send emails (though I can receive via broadband).

Help!!

Just as an idea have you tried to remove the dialup account and then
recreating it from start? Often that's something that I need to do here.

Galen

--

"And that recommendation, with the exaggerated estimate of my ability with
which he prefaced it, was,
if you will believe me, Watson, the very first thing which ever made me feel
that a profession might be
made out of what had up to that time been the merest hobby."

Sherlock Holmes

 

[Guest]

Yes, Tiscali walked me through a complete re-set up of my account, with new
password, phone number, everything. The result is the same. It connects to
the server, but is not recognised, then gives error 721. They say, therefore,
the problem is not at their end as everything is functioning there. But I
haven't been able to reconfigure the modem successfully.

 

[Galen]

Yes, Tiscali walked me through a complete re-set up of my account, with
new
password, phone number, everything. The result is the same. It connects to
the server, but is not recognised, then gives error 721. They say,
therefore,
the problem is not at their end as everything is functioning there. But I
haven't been able to reconfigure the modem successfully.

A 721 error is the modem failing to sync with their server. It's often due
to one of a few things but the most common is line noise. I'm not sure how
to check this in the UK but here you pick up the phone, press a single
number that doesn't call the operator, and listen for noise as the most
basic testing. Once in a while this is caused by needing new drivers, if
this suddenly stopped after a recent update then that might be the cause
right there. If you dial the number that you'd normally dial to connect to
the ISP with a regular phone is it all "scratchy" sounding? Often you can
ring your telco and they'll check your phone for line noise for you while
you wait and call you right back with the results. That or updated drivers
are the most common causes.

Galen

 

[Guest]

Nope, tried it. There's no noise, or scratchiness.
I'm stumped.

I hadn't updated the drivers when it began. Tried it since to try to clear
the problem but there are no new drivers.

 

[Galen]

In philwil <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Nope, tried it. There's no noise, or scratchiness.
I'm stumped.

I hadn't updated the drivers when it began. Tried it since to try to
clear the problem but there are no new drivers.

I've but one realistic option left. Open the device manager, delete the
offending drivers, reboot, and let Windows re-set them. Give that a shot but
if that does NOT work it's probably not with the operating system but with
the ISP themselves or your telco even though they claim different.

Galen
--

"And that recommendation, with the exaggerated estimate of my ability
with which he prefaced it, was, if you will believe me, Watson, the
very first thing which ever made me feel that a profession might be
made out of what had up to that time been the merest hobby."

Sherlock Holmes

 

[Guest]

Before I try that, will Windows reset them automatically? Windows came
preinstalled with the modem, so I don't have drivers on disk, hence if
there's no auto-install, I'll have no modem.

 

[Galen]

In philwil <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Before I try that, will Windows reset them automatically? Windows came
preinstalled with the modem, so I don't have drivers on disk, hence if
there's no auto-install, I'll have no modem.

It certainly should BUT a good idea would be for you to go ahead to the
manufacturer's site and download the modem drivers. You did mention, I'm
pretty sure, that you have broadband so even if you'd skipped that step
you'd still be able to get your drivers.

XP is pretty good about drivers and has a decent driver base already with
it.

Galen
--

"And that recommendation, with the exaggerated estimate of my ability
with which he prefaced it, was, if you will believe me, Watson, the
very first thing which ever made me feel that a profession might be
made out of what had up to that time been the merest hobby."

Sherlock Holmes

 

[Guest]

Galen, thanks. It worked. I did a Sys Restore, just in case, then uninstalled
the modem software, re-booted and Windows re-installed as you said. My only
question now is, why did it happen in the first place?

many thanks,

Phil

 

[Galen]

In philwil <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Galen, thanks. It worked. I did a Sys Restore, just in case, then
uninstalled the modem software, re-booted and Windows re-installed as
you said. My only question now is, why did it happen in the first
place?

many thanks,

Well, with the millions and millions of lines of code both within the
operating system and the applications that you use on the computer it's
amazing that they work as often as they do. Why? Mayhaps at some point, this
is a wild guess, the file that held the driver information became
fragmented. In an effort to set things right Windows (say NTFS or even
defrag perhaps) moved stuff around. Maybe it lost that section at that
point? Maybe there was an error on the drive (when was the last time you
checked the disk for errors?) and that section of the drive was ignored?
There's so many reasons... It's just something that happens once in a while
and nope, I haven't got a clue why.

Galen
--

"And that recommendation, with the exaggerated estimate of my ability
with which he prefaced it, was, if you will believe me, Watson, the
very first thing which ever made me feel that a profession might be
made out of what had up to that time been the merest hobby."

Sherlock Holmes