Basic Modem and Connection Troubleshooting

"No Dial Tone" or "Modem Not Responding" "User Authentication Failed" or "Check ID and Password" Connection Fails After Authorization Unreliable Modem Connections

Basic Modem and Connection*** Troubleshooting for Macintosh

***Note:   This document is offered for informational support only. No active technical support or document revisions will be made after the date noted at the bottom of the document.

"No Dial Tone" or "Modem Not Responding"

1. Verify physical connectivity

• Check the telephone line connections at any jacks between the modem and wall. The plastic connectors on telephone cables and splitters should be in good condition, and make a solid connection into corresponding jacks. Surge suppressers which provide modem line protection should show positive indicators for power and active surge protection.

• For computers with internal or PCMCIA modems and ethernet ports, check to see that the modem line is not plugged in to the ethernet port by mistake.

• Most external modems have an additional jack for connection to a telephone. Make sure the line is inserted into the jack that does not have an icon for a telephone associated with it.

• Check the connection of the modem with the computer. If the modem is not connected, or loosely connected with the computer, do not push the connector in. The safe method to reconnect is to power the computer down, and re-seat the connector.

• Some external modems need their own power source and some are powered directly through the computer. Is the modem switched on, and is it receiving power? Often a power or a MR (modem ready) light will show that the modem is receiving power.

• Plug the modem line directly into a regular telephone line to verify a dial tone on the line. Swap out cable between telephone handset and wall if there is no dial tone. If dial tone still cannot be heard, report the problem to the telephone company. If dial tone is heard, further check connectivity by:

• Listening for static. If the line is very noisy, call the telephone company to perform a check on it.

• Listening for a dial tone stutter, which will indicate the presence of voice mail or other services provided by the telephone company. If unsure of the service or how to turn it off during the dialing sequence, contact the local telephone company.

• Placing a voice call. Make sure dialing works properly, and see if the sound is clear during the call. If it is not, call the telephone company for service.

2. Restart the computer

• System or application software errors and instability can cause connection problems. This will be especially applicable for systems which connected in a previous session before sleep, shutdown or restart. Restart the system, and try the connection again.

3. Check the configuration of modem and connectivity software.

• Some modems need their own proprietary software for operation (often true for third-party internal modems). If there is a control panel that corresponds to the modem name, make sure the modem is switched on and reads ready for a modem connection.

• Check settings in the modem software. Port should reflect the location of the modem (internal, printer port, modem port) and appropriate identification of modem.

• For Open Transport PPP and Remote Access PPP connections, check the Modem Control Panel.

• For Mac OS X connections, check Network System Preferences. Set the port menu to Show: Internal Modem.

4. Verify that no other dial-up software package is interfering.

• Some manufacturer supplied software packages install other dialers and software that may conflict with MOREnet's supported dial-up solutions. Be aware of what is installed on the system, and remove other packages if necessary.

• Open Transport PPP or Remote Access PPP may be pre-installed on Macintoshes running System 8.0 through System 9.X. For these systems, Open Transport PPP and Remote Access PPP are compatible with FreePPP and either can be used as an alternate dialer to FreePPP. MacPPP, which came with many Internet packages, including the Apple Internet Connection Kit, is not compatible with FreePPP, and can prevent the modem from functioning.

• Mac OS X, and the accompanying classic operating environment, has modem and dial-up connection support available as part of the operating system. Do not attempt installation of any additional dialers or communications software which is not indicated as compatible with Mac OS X.

"User Authentication Failed" or "Check ID and Password"

1. ID or password may be incorrect or corrupt.

• Check to see if the ID and password can access other available resources, such as an associated e-mail account or interface where the user can change their password. Access from a direct connection, or an alternate account or system. Change the password on the account using the appropriate password change method, if possible. Try the connection again.

• Contact the administrator or coordinator to check the account's ID and dial-up account privileges. Obtain a new password for the account, and try again.

2. Modem pool services may be down.

• The modem pool may have authentication and/or authorization problems or may be down for maintenance purposes. Check with the modem pool administrator or try again later.

3. Configuration preferences may be corrupted.

• Delete the connection in the dial-up software, and reconfigure the connection. Check the troubleshooting pages for specific MOREnet supported dial-up packages for more information.

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Connection Fails After Authorization

Many different messages can be encountered, including "Modem Was Not Able To Establish Connection". The connection fails after ID and password appear to be accepted.

1. Try the connection again, or try again later.

• If the connection has worked reliably in the past, the problem may be with the service's equipment. A faulty modem or incoming telephone line can prevent connectivity. A subsequent call can be allocated to a different line or modem which may provide connection. If the connection for the pool is down, or a key piece of equipment has completely or partially failed, unexpected messages can be received by the dial-up client in your system. If you have access to more than one modem pool or another provider, a call placed to that other source can indicate that the problem lies with the modem pool, and not with your system. Call the pool's technical support department or administrator to confirm outages.

2. Check all configuration details.

• Inadvertent changes in dial-up configuration or TCP/IP settings can prevent a connection from completing. Check setting thoroughly against appropriate dial-up configuration instructions.

3. Review changes made to the system since last completed connection.

• Introduction of new software, especially new extensions, may cause conflicts in the system. Careful review of changes can point to a software package introducing another dialer into the system, such as a fax package. For System 9.X and earlier, try turning off new extensions in Extension Manager.

• Maintenance done to the system may have changed or corrupted the dial-up software, or TCP/IP protocol stack. If corruption is suspected, act with care. Make sure all other possible problems have been explored before attempting to delete and restore software elements in the system. Start with deleting only the problem connection first, and building a new connection with the proper settings.

Unreliable Modem Connections

Connectivity will drop unexpectedly on a regular basis. Usually connections will drop quickly after initially established. Messages such as "You have been disconnected" may be received, or disconnection without any system notice except all Internet services become non-functional. Occasional incidents of this nature can be expected, as data transfer over modems which use voice rated lines for delivery is often quite unreliable.

1. Does the connection disconnect at a specific interval of time?

• Check the idle timeout value for the connection in the dial-up software settings. A modem pool may be set for idle timeout and/or maximum session time. Check with your administrator or provider.

2. Check for physical connectivity issues.

• Cables may be loose.

• The jack, cable, modem and computer can be damaged by electrical surges from lightning or unstable current.

• Do not share a line for data communications with a fax machine. Some complex in-house switching setups, or situations where extra jacks have been spliced on one line, can cause line noise severe enough to destabilize connectivity.

3. Make sure all special phone services, such as call waiting, are disabled while using the modem.

4. Review the configuration of dial-up and modem software.

• Make sure the configuration is correct. Experiment with adjusting the data transfer rate downwards and turning software compression off in the modem software.

5. Make sure that the modem has the latest flash-ROM update available.

• Modems carry software instructions on a ROM chip inside them. Manufacturers release fixes and updates which can improve compatibility with other modems. Check with the manufacturer, and follow the directions which are provided with the firmware upgrade.