msn hell

[ut1205]

I did a modem upgrade on my computer from a winmodem to an external serial port modem. Thats when the trouble started. The install went without a problem and everything appeared to work normally but when I attempted to connect to MSN it would cut off 30 seconds into the connection.
Thought it was a problem with my new modem so I called tech support. They had me log on to their server and everything worked fine. The tech support guy said that the problem was that when I tried to log on to MSN the login program checks what kind of chipset you have in your modem and since I had changed from a winmodem to a serial port modem MSN thought I was trying to use a network connection which screwed them out of another paid account so MSN would not let me logon.
Called MSN and they said it was an IE timeout problem and gave me another phone number to call. It was Microsoft who wanted $35.00 to fix my problem. I hung up on them.
I've got it working now but I had to format my hard drive, reinstall windows' and reinstall MSN. When I did that MSN didn't know what kind of modem to look for and accepted my hard modem.
Now to my question: Has anyone else run into this problem and if so how did you get around it? My next project it to network my two computers and use the external modem as a shared modem. Will I run into the same problem trying to access MSN with my second computer which still has a winmodem in it?
Thanks in advance for any replies!

[Confused]

This is a very good link that LawyerRon put into another thread;
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/

Chas

[Xayd]

Originally posted by ut1205 Thought it was a problem with my new modem so I called tech support. They had me log on to their server and everything worked fine. The tech support guy said that the problem was that when I tried to log on to MSN the login program checks what kind of chipset you have in your modem and since I had changed from a winmodem to a serial port modem MSN thought I was trying to use a network connection which screwed them out of another paid account so MSN would not let me logon.

They actually freakin' said that?

Here's how to fix your problem step by step...

1) Call MSN support, and tell the guy who answers not to get mad since it isn't his fault and all that stuff, but ask him politely to convey that Gate$ can kiss your behind, and you're gonna get an ISP that doesn't freakin' SPY on you.

2) With the same guy who answers that call, demand a month's credit for this BS and aftewards cancel your account with MSN.

3) Get a local ISP, or if only the nationals are available to you, AT&T or Earthlink.

It's none of any ISP's business how you connect to them modem wise, or what you do while you are connected to them, within the bounds of what's legal. If MSN tracks what kind of modem you use, without your expressed permission, you shouldn't be finding out how to get around it, you should be finding out how to drop MSN and dispute months and months of credit card charges, just to spite them.


Xayd

[SARGE]

And the preacher said, "AMEN".

[ut1205]

I agree with your responses but am I the only one who has had this problem? The tech support guy said it was common with most ISP's even though he said he wasn't that experienced with MSN. I tried uninstall and reinstalling MSN but apparently there was a hidden file with this information. Thanks for the responses!

[WJWheels]

MSN & especially MSN Explorer is a worse POS than AOL. I've helped quite a few peeps straighten out some real messes. It's a shame that most are stuck into paying for the service for 3 years all because they wanted to save $400 on their E-machine or other low-end PC.

[Xayd]

It's not common for an ISP to sniff out information from your machine and use it to deny access to you at some point later on.

The guy who told you it was common to sniff out information from your computer, and later use it against you was lying to you, or incredibly naive and brainwashed by his employer, one or the other.

Xayd

[lovitz]

msn is crappy, just look at their Messenger service, it's always down/nonfunctional.

[ut1205]

Just alittle further info. I did uninstall MSN software and then reinstall it. The new modem logged on to their server fine when it was searching for local phone connection numbers but when I tried to log on would either cut me off or give me a constant "tone" until the connection timed out.
It's also interesting that when I called Microsoft the tech knew what the problem was but was going to charge me $35.00 to fix it.
With a format, and clean install of windows and MSN the connection went without any problem and is still working fine. That tells me that MSN was seeing something that they didn't like.

[Confused]

Unfortunately we all have our little lessons to learn in life. I think you now see the wisdom in not locking yourself to a ISP for a long period of time. That PC for 35.00 a month for 3 years or whatever it was was cheap education.
Chas