I have a 600Mhz PC running Windows 98 with an inbuilt fax modem. Is it possible to scan a document into the PC and then send the document by fax? (more…)

Last week I replaced one of my home phones with a cordless phone. The base connection plugs into the normal phone socket on the wall. Since then I’ve had to dial up my ISP 2 or 3 times each session before establishing a stable connection. I made sure that Call Waiting was switched off before dialling up but the problem persisted. However, since I started unplugging the phone base from the wall before logging on the problem has stopped. Is this likely to just be a coincidence based merely on a run of bad luck or do cordless phones have any special reputation for interference? (more…)

The other day I tried to add an internal modem to my computer. Windows 95 automatically picked the modem up when I turned on my PC, however on that occasion I did not proceed with the installation and removed the modem. A few days later I wanted to install the modem so I went through the process again but this time Windows did not detect the modem. I then selected the ‘Add New Hardware’ option via the Control Panel but this returned a message ‘Detection Manager Error: Failed to hook ring 0 code… Did not find any new devices on your system’. I made several attempts to reinstall the modem but got the same response. I tried to manually load the modem but the brand name wasn’t on the list and so I could not proceed further. When I experienced a similar problem in the past, it was fixed by reinstalling Windows. Could you advise me on any alternatives please. My PC is a 586 with an early version of Windows 95. (more…)

I have a 33.6k modem and I am thinking of getting a 56k modem. My only concern is that my PC won’t be able to handle the bytes I would be receiving (for games use mainly). I have a Pentium II 233mhz with 32MB RAM and a 3.2GB HD (with about 600MB free space). I have Windows 98 and my ISP is Optus and Telstra. My friend told me that it is the bytes you receive and your hard drives free space that matters. Is this true? If so, could my PC handle it? Thanks. (more…)

I am considering getting connected to the Internet and have been looking briefly at modems. I note that prices in shops seem to range from $150 to several times as much, yet prices in Sunday computer fairs in Canberra seem to start at less than $50 - all 56K and V.90 compliant (whatever that is). Working on the premise that one does not get what one does not pay for, what is it that the cheaper units lack (other than fancy packaging)? (more…)