Why do I get the message "no dial tone" when I try to connect?

Make sure the phone line is plugged securely into both the phone jack on the wall and the modem jack which is labeled either "LINE" or "TELCO" or "WALL" on the back of your computer (sometimes it will have a picture of a fax machine beside it).

Confirm that the line has a dial tone by either hooking up a regular telephone directly into the wall jack or to the modem and then pick up the telephone and listen. At this point, no dial tone means that either the jack in the wall doesn't have a dial tone and the line needs to be activated, or the telephone cord may be damaged.

If, after checking the line and jack, you still do not get a dial tone with your Internet connection it is possible that the computer's modem could be the culprit. It is rare that a modem will go bad, but a power surge or manufacturer error can cause a modem to burn out. In this situation, have the modem checked by a trained computer technician at a computer repair store or talk to the manufacturer of the modem.

For additional help in changing your Internet settings, contact our Technical Support center at 1-888-783-7354, 24-hours per day, 7-days per week.

What does my modem do and how does that affect my connection?

You probably already know your modem is one of the things that make it possible for you to connect to the Internet. Modems convert the digital language of the computer in analog so it can travel through the telephone line. When the data gets to the server it converts back to digital so your computer can read the information. Depending on how fast your modem can do this will have a direct effect on your connection speed.

I am only using the Internet for fun, do I really need to buy a high-end modem?

Your modem plays an integral part in your Internet connection. Therefore, it needs to be able to decipher the information effectively. When you use a high quality modem it is more likely to be able to "read" through possible line noise, and will be more reliable. Also, when you are using a product that is produced by a company that specializes in modems and computer hardware, you are more than likely dealing with a company that will stand behind it's product.

What is the best modem to buy?

The are many good modems coming out on the market everyday. We suggest that you do some reading before you decide what modem to purchase. A good informational site is www.modemsite.com. It has all of the latest modem information and can tell you which modems have the least amount of trouble. In our rural environment we suggest modems that are hardware driven instead of software driven. Also, those that do not use Rockwell chipsets work the best. We strongly recommend a 56k Digital Hardware, not software, modem from either US Robotics, 3COM or Zoom. If this is all greek to you the best bet is to go to a reliable computer store, take your computer with you, and ask them to recommend and install the modem that they think will be the best.