When attempting to dial a connection to my ISP, the following message appears: ‘The modem is not responding properly. Please verify that the modem is plugged into the computer and to the telephone line’. When I try again, another message appears: ‘You have been disconnected from the computer you dialled’. On checking the device’s tab, there is a plus next to modem. I have checked all the plugs and everything is connected. The modem is an internal modem. The computer is running Windows 98 with Internet Explorer 5.

Unfortunately internal modem problems are much more difficult to fix than external modems. The main reason is the dial-up networking connections and the modem setup within Windows like modems to be connected to the computer by a COM port. These are the 9-pin ports at the back of the computer. However, internal modems are not attached to the computer by one of these ports, but are instead connected to the internal PCI bus of the computer. This creates all sorts of problems if the computer is having trouble recognising the modem. With an external modem the user can tell Windows where the modem is located (e.g., COM1), whereas with an internal modem we don’t have this luxury and must rely on either Windows detecting the modem, or the included drivers with the modem. I really need to be sitting in front of the computer myself to check the settings in order to give a procedure to fix the problem from your current situation. However, we can try! The first thing we should check is whether the problem is just localised to dial-up networking, or whether other applications can’t access the modem. Try using the ‘Phone Dialer’ utility that comes with Windows 98 (you should find this under the ‘Accessories’ > ‘Communications’ program group). Dial any number - we just want to check whether the program can access the modem and dial-out. If it can, then the problem is related to dial-up networking. Ensure your dial-up connection is pointing to the correct modem (a lot of the computers I look at have several modem drivers, or several versions of the same modem driver installed, yet there is only one modem connected to the computer). To check this, open ‘Dial-up networking’ then right-click on your dial-up connection and click ‘Properties’. In the window that appears, click the ‘General’ tab. Ensure the correct modem driver set is selected under ‘Connect using:’.

On the other hand, if the problem persists using Phone Dialler then probably Windows can access the modem. The best advice I can give by correspondence is to reinstall the modem. This probably won’t put you in a worse position, since you can’t use the modem at the moment! Go to the ‘Start’ menu > ‘Settings’ > ‘Control Panel’. Open the ‘Modems’ control panel. Remove the currently installed modem. Close the Modems control panel and shutdown your computer. Unplug your computer from the power outlet and remove the modem from the computer. Be sure to use an anti-static wrist strap when attempting this procedure, to avoid zapping your modem, rendering it inoperable. Boot up the computer. Once Windows has finished loading, shutdown again. Put the modem back into the computer. Boot up the computer. The reason for removing the modem then booting is to ensure Windows removed all components of the modem. Hopefully, Windows should detect the modem on startup and begin an installation procedure. If you had any driver disks with the modem then make sure you have them handy!