Unwanted Disconnect

[Alaron]

I recently installed a Diamond external USB 56k modem on my new build. It set up fine and I installed MSN fine. I can dial in and browse the web without incident. The problem comes when I want to disconnect. If I close IE5, it will disconnect but my computer will freeze. I then have to restart to continue using my computer. I cant figure out if its a modem or software problem. Should I just try upgrading IE or is there another fix? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[juppy]

Hi Alaron56,

I used to have the same problem but mine had to do with moving the mouse when I was disconnecting. As long as I didn't move the mouse for a few seconds after clicking "disconnect" I was fine. Move the mouse though and it would lock up and have to be rebooted. I don't have a particular fix for it but I will say this. I think mine had to do with the software my ISP provided. They were one of those that has there own little program with its own special icon to connect to them with. After they closed (financial woes) I changed to another ISP but they just set it up with the dialup networking feature in Windows. Haven't had a problem since. If you're using one of these ISP programs you might try changing to DUN and see if it helps.

[Alaron]

The problem seems to be getting worse. Now its a hit or miss on a connection at all. I've discovered that after it connects or trys to, the modem is turning itself off. The power light is on when I boot up but turns off after the failed connection. How do I fix this? I use the net constantly and this is an integral part of my build. I bought this modem because of the recomendations I got for it but its awfully finicky. Do I have a bum modem or is there another fix? Thanks in Advance.

PS - When it fails to connect there isnt any MSN error message. It just freezes the comp and forces me to restart. I cant just close the sign-on, I have to restart. It doesnt seem to be just MSN either. I opened IE without being signed on, and it still froze up. Please help!

I have a similar problem as Juppy with the mouse, I don't think it has to do with the disconnection, but my mouse does occasionally stick when Im online. Any help for that or is that related to my stubborn modem?

[juppy]

I was going to ask if your modem was on the same COM port as your mouse (if its a serial mouse, COM1 and COM3 use the same interrupt I believe) but this wouldn't really account for it getting worse. Should have been just as bad to start with if this was the case. I don't know, if it's getting worse you might have got a flakey modem. When some things start to burn out they just keep getting worse, performance-wise, until they final give up and go *poof*. Sorry I can't be of more help on this one, maybe someone else has some ideas. Anyone?

[Alaron]

I checked what COM port my modem is installed on, Windows says its on COM3 and there is no modem on COM 1 or 2. Would it help at all to change the port? If it would, how do I go about doing that? Im really anxious to get online on my new build. Please help!

[juppy]

You could try it. Somewhere I thought I read the modem usually goes on COM2 (I could be mistaken). Mine is on COM3 though with the mouse on COM1 and I don't have any problems (after changing to DUN in Windows as stated above). Of course, with mine it was the only choice. For some reason my modem would not install on COM2 at all. If you want to try changing it to see if it helps just go to the control panel and click the modems icon. Under the general tab is the properties button. Change to a different COM port then go to the diagnostics tab and under it hi-lite the port you assigned it to and click on "More Info" below it. If it works on that port it should give you a window showing all the communication gibberish, if not it will give another error message (don't remember exactly what that one says though).