Those people who use dial-up modems know too well the screeching racket they make when they are busy making the connection. They can be quite annoying. But, you don’t necessarily have to sit there and listen to it.

In Windows ME (and 98, too), you click Start>Settings>Control Panel. Double-click Modems. In the Modems Properties window, select the General tab and click Properties. Under “Speaker volume,” move the slider to Off.

You can also turn off the modem noise in Windows XP. Click Start> Control Panel. Double-click Phone and Modem Options. Select the Modems tab and click Properties. Select the Modem tab. Under “Speaker volume,” move the slider to Off.