Q: "Cannot Establish a Dialup Network Connection" error?

If you receive a Cannot Establish Dial-up Network Connection error:

• Check your username and password. Both of them are case sensitive and must be entered exactly as we have them on our computer to access the network.
• Ensure that TCP/IP is loaded and selected in your dialup networkingl settings.
• Both of the above are correct but you still cannot logon - same error. Please call our technical support hot line at 813-855-7793. There may be an account problem or simply a password discrepency.

Q: Modem cannot be found (detected automatically) under Windows 95?

Use the following steps, by process of elimination, to solve the problem.

• Check the jumper setting, make sure the COM Port and IRQ settings are correct.
• For internal modems: check the modem card itself, is it seated in the slot properly?

After you have installed your modem, Windows 95 should:

• Recognize your modem
• Assign a unique COM port and IRQ for your modem to use
  (if modem is Plug and Play)

Use the following steps, by process of elimination, to solve the problem.

1. In Windows 95, select Start | Settings | Control Panel | Modems | Diagnostics. Highlight the COM Port your modem is on and then click on More Info.

• If Windows 95 can communicate with the modem, then the modem driver is functioning correctly (If you get a window with ATI commands and an OK button at the bottom, you're in business). If you don't get this screen, highlight a different COM Port and try More Info once again.
• If Windows 95 shows an error message in the More Info box (something like " Couldn't Open Port"), go to step 2.

2. In Windows 95, select Start | Settings | Control Panel, click on the System icon and then Device Manager.

3. In Device Manager, if you see any yellow circle icons, remove them all by highlighting, clicking on Remove, until all of the yellow ones are gone.

4. Click on Modems in Device manager. Remove all modems listed by selecting one, clicking on Remove, until they all gone.

5. Click on Ports in Device Manager. Remove all ports.

6. In Device Manager, if you have an item called Unknown Devices or Other Devices, remove all entries in this section by selecting one, clicking on Remove, until they all gone.

7. Verify that you have no Modem, Port, or "Unknown Devices or Other Device" entries in the Device Manager.

8. Select Start, then Shutdown, and turn off your computer (with the POWER button - COLD BOOT.

9. Let the computer sit for at least 60 seconds. Turn on your computer. If the New Hardware Found dialog box appears, you need to install a modem driver file. If the New Hardware Found box does not appear, Windows 95 already has a driver for your modem.

10. Click "Driver from disk provided by hardware manufacturer."

11. Click OK.

12. Insert the Modem Utility Disk that came with your modem in drive A: (use the appropriate driver letter if the floppy drive is not drive A). If your software is on CD-ROM, use the appropriate driver letter for your CD-ROM drive (usually D: or E:)

13. Click OK. Select Start | Settings | Control Panel | Modems | Diagnostics, and then More Info. If Windows 95 does NOT return an error message, the modem driver is functioning correctly. That is all this means. (It does NOT necessarily mean that your modem will connect to the Internet)

14. Eject the disk or CD-ROM and store it in a safe place.

15. Try connecting to the Internet now. You should have dial tone and be able to hear your modem dialing.

Q: I can hear my modem dial the number, but I still get an error message.

• This could be a number of things. There are many different errors that can happen even though you hear the modem dial. The Technical Support team needs to know exactly, word for word, what the error is on your screen in order to troubleshoot the connection correctly. Many of the errors are similar in description but vary slightly. If possible, leave the error message on the screen when you call technical support.

Q: "Remote Server Is Busy or Computer Is Not Answering..."

• Try dialing the telephone number with your normal phone. If you get a busy signal, then it is truly busy. If that is not the case, chances are you are dialing the wrong dial up access number. Make sure you are dialing the correct number for your county. Look in the "Connect To" window to see the number you're modem is dialing.

Q: "I can connect, but get disconnected or the modem just stops."

• A good quality modem makes a big difference in the quality of your connection. Cheaper modems are not as good at dealing with line noise while making connections, and are missing features that improve speed and take advantage of error correction. Not all modems are created equal. There are good quality modems and bad quality modems. This is similar to a good quality "Walkman" and a bad quality "Walkman". Basically you get what you pay for. We've found that some of the cheaper brands have trouble connecting, have small compression dictionaries, have trouble holding a connection, and tend to "crash", "fall asleep", "disconnect" or "drop connection" often. We have also found that if you go with a major manufacturer, you get better technical support if a problem develops.
• Another reason for disconnects is due to a feature (or bug) with several high speed modems. The modems have the capability to 'adapt' to line conditions and shift to the appropriate speeds. However, sometimes when these shifts occur, the modems have a tendency to drop the connection. Most of these problems can be fixed by contacting the modem manufacturer for an EPROM/software upgrade.

Question: My Modem Won't Reach The Highest Speed!

• Check the setting for maximum speed in the Dial-Up Network settings. To check the Maximum Speed setting in Dial-Up Networking, double-click on the My Computer | Dial-Up Networking, highlight your Internet Junction icon, go to File, then click on Properties. While in Properties, click on the Configure button. You should be able to change your maximum speed here. DO NOT check the box "Connect At This Speed Only".
• You may have a USR modem. Internet Junction uses ASCEND hardware, which uses Rockwell tecnology. Consequently, you may not connect at the highest possible speed due to hardware incompatibility. Recommendation: Use the Windows standard 28,800 driver or obtain a Rockwell based modem. You may also want to try using an initialization string to correct this. We have a number of them available for you to try here. You can find more init. strings at the bottom of that page.

Q: What's An Initialization or Init. String?

Some particular modems experience problems getting or staying connected. Often these problems can be reduced or eliminated by using the proper modem initialization string. An initialization string forces the modem to use the command that you give it, overriding its internal dialing instructions.

It seems that almost every modem brand and model has its own variation of the "Hayes AT Command Set" and "s-register" settings -- there are literally hundreds of variations. Detailed discussion of modem initialization strings is beyond the scope of this page, but in general it is recommended that you read your modem documentation carefully, and don't put more into the string than is necessary. As an example, with a Supra on a PC, the string AT&F2 is an adequate initialization string for many users; for a USR modem, AT&F1 is frequently adequate. These two examples demonstrate using a "template" -- a pre-defined set of modem initialization codes which can be invoked with a single command. Most modems contain one or more default templates for different common situations, and also let you save your own custom "default" string. Many users use an init string that calls up a template, and then invokes a few custom commands to tailor the defaults.

The path to change or input an initialization string in Windows 95/98 is as follows...
My Computer | Dial Up Networking | Internet Junction Properties | Configure | Connection | Advanced | Extra Settings

We have a number of them available for you to try here. Read your modem docs to see if one of your modem manufacturer's default templates will work for you (at least as a starting point). You can also Ask Mr. Modem what initialization string he recommends.

Q: What is K56flex technology?

The 56K technology is the elimination of the analog loop at the Internet Service Provider(ISP). Since most ISP's access lines are digitally terminated, transmissions don't have to be converted back to analog. This eliminates one analog loop, lowers noise levels, and allows the higher data transmission rates.

K56flex means substantially higher throughput in downloading Web pages, as well as improved performance of audio/video applications over the Internet. K56flex technology offering up to 56K speeds over ordinary telephone lines. (provided you meet the required parameters) By allowing downstream speeds up to 56K from the ISP to user, K56flex significantly speeds up the delivery of information. Graphics, interactive Web sites, audio/video, and software files will download at near 56K ISDN speeds and at twice the rate of the prevailing 28.8K standard.

Q: What is X2 (56Kbps) Standard?

X2 technology allows modems to receive data at up to 56Kbps over the standard, public switched telephone network(PSTN). X2 overcomes the theoretical limitations imposed on the standard.

Typically, the only analog portion of the phone network is the phone line that connects your home to the telephone company's central office. Over the past two decades, the telephone companies have been replacing portions of their original analog networks with digital circuits. But the slowest portion of the network to change has been the connection from your home to the central office. That connection will likely be analog for some years to come.

X2 products are capable of 56Kbps downloads; however, due to FCC rules which restrict power output of your service provider's modems, current download speeds are limited to 53Kbps. Actual speeds may vary depending on line conditions. An X2-capable analog phone line and X2 capable service provider are necessary for these high-speed downloads.

X2 technology is asymmetric. It sends and receives at different speeds to take advantage of the digital connections most ISPs have to the public phone network.

Q: What is Required for 56K and How Does it Really work?

In summary the following criteria must be met for 56K to work:

1. The ISP must provide 56K capable server.
2. The user must use a 56K capable and compatible modem (56 KFLEX or V.90).
3. The phone company must provide a phone line route to the ISP with only ONE Analog to Digital conversion.

A more Technical explanation of 56K is as follows:

56K technology takes advantage of the "mostly upgraded" digital phone line network. The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), which is maintained by telephone companies, has been upgrading to digital lines between the various Central Offices (CO) over the past few years. (A PSTN is the entire phone network and a CO is a type of switching station that routes a call to a destination point or passes it on to another CO).

Before digital the standard in voice communication was Analog which transmits data in the form of Waves vs. the 1's and 0's used in digital transmissions. The phone lines between your home (or calling location) and your closest CO is still Analog and will be for many years to come (unless you purchase an ISDN line). Analog is sufficient for voice communications but imposes limits on data transmission.

A data conversion between Analog and Digital limits the communication channel to 33.6K which is the theoretical V.34 limit. This is why sending is limited to 33.6K in 56K (your home phone line is Analog and it is converted to digital when it hits the CO). A data conversion between Digital and Analog does NOT limit the communication channel, and this is the key to 56K. The 56K server passes the data to the CO in a digital form. Assuming the data arrives to your local CO without converting between Analog and Digital again you will be able to receive data at speeds up to 53.3K! If the modem detects more than one Analog to Digital conversion in the PSTN it will automatically adjust to a V.34 connection (33.6K or lower). Additionally, many phone lines, particularly in high-population growth areas, are multiplexed together(meaning they share one connection) using a device called a subscriber line concentrator, or SLC. If the SLC is able to connect digitally to the phone company's central office, it makes only one conversion. Many older central offices, however, can connect to an SLC line only if the signal is converted to analog form first. Then the central office reconverts the analog phone signal to digital network. The result of two conversions a signal that's too noisy and distorted to work at 56K. Similarly, 56K will not work through the conversion commonly done in a hotel or business telephone system. So in most cases you can give up the dream of achieving fast connections from the office phone or when you are traveling. Another scenario is being goegraphically located more than 3 miles from the switching station in your neighbrhood. If you are more than 3 miles from this switch, higher speeds are not possible - as more than one analog-to-digital conversion has taken place.

Q: Why doesn't 56K work for me (I connect 33.6 or lower)?

If you are getting a connection rate of 33.6K or lower then you are getting a V.34 connection vs. a 56K connection (one exception is 33,333 which is the lowest 56K connection). If this is the case one of the three required components of a 56K connection is lacking. See the summary above for a list of the required components of an 56K connection.

We provide V.90 capable servers on all access numbers so the problem is within the Phone Company Network (PSTN) meaning there is more than ONE Analog-to-Digital conversion (this assumes you are using a V.90 or 56KFLEX capable modem). Your phone company provides a voice network and is not mandated to provide a call routing scheme with only one Analog to Digital conversion. Only ISDN offers a digital connection.

Q: Why am I not connecting at 53K (i.e. 45K)?

Phone lines limit V.34 and 56K connections. These connection speeds are decreased by line noise in Analog phone signals. Since there is an analog portion in an 56K connection (between your home and the CO) this will limit the connection rate. The length and quality of the phone lines between your home and the first CO are the determining factor of your connection speed. Normal 56K connection speeds will be in the range of 42K to 47K. The highest connection speed, because of the FCC regulations should be 53K.

Q: Why did 56K work for me at one time or work from other locations?

56K may work for you then suddenly stop or never work then suddenly start working at any time. Also you may plug you modem into to another location around the corner and obtain 56K connections or dial another access number or provider and obtain 56K. This is all normal because the availability of 56K depends on your call routing which may change at anytime. You also may notice you can obtain 56K connections only at certain times. This is because your phone company may have different routing schemes based on the time of day. Again there is nothing an ISP can do regarding these issues.

Q: Is there any Troubleshooting for 56K?

Unfortunately the available troubleshooting for 56K is limited and does not always give accurate results. The only sure way to troubleshoot a 56K connection is by having your phone lines traced. Please remember a straight digital pathway is not mandated because a phone company provides a voice communication system. If you require 56K be advised ISDN is the ONLY guaranteed digital connection.

To troubleshoot the lack of an 56K connection using a V.90 or x2 modem do the following (see the Next set of steps for performance problems):

1. We upgrade our V.90 firmware from time to time. You may want to obtain and apply the latest firmware for your modem model. The V.90 standard is advertised as resolving some of the incompatibilities x2 had with the phone network (this will not resolve the issue of multiple analog to digital conversions). Contact your modem manufacturer for further information. A list of modem manufacturers can be found here.

2. Finding out, from your phone company, how many analog-to-digital conversions there are between your home and our V.90 server (there should only be one). The only way to do this is have the phone company go on site and trace. Remember, your phone company provides a voice network and this is not a requirement. ISDN is the only guaranteed method for 56K and higher connections. Other items that can cause problems in the PSTN include:
   1. The total number of CO's that your connection passes through (the higher the number the more possibility of an Analog to Digital conversion along the path).
   2. Copper and Microwave based network paths (fiberoptic networks will give the best results).
   3. Certain switches and pads used at the various Central Offices.

3. A V.90 Line Test provided by a major modem manufacturer does not prove much. It can only prove the path between the manufacturer BBS and your home has only one Analog to Digital conversion. You may pass this test and not be able to use V.90 and vice versa. Usually this test will pass because you are accessing the main PSTN backbone via a long distance carrier which is fully digital.

4. If you want us to research a problem with your 56K connection we need the following information before we can assist. You need to call the phone company and find the following:
   1. The Name of each CO you pass through along the path between your home and our equipment (this helps in identification).
   2. The Switch and Pad types used by each CO.
   3. The signal strength of your phone signal at each CO.
   4. You should also use "Enhanced Phone Line Services" (this is a service available from most phone companies for data services).
   5. Submit this information via the on-line technical support form. Please put this information in the comments field.

To troubleshoot performance problems with 56K do the following:

Many performance problems are seen with 56K including disconnections and constant poor throughput. It may be best to obtain the Modem Help guide if you have problems after following the procedures listed here.

1. Lower your port speed to 57600 or 38,400 (in Windows 95/98/NT go to My Computer, Dial-Up Networking, highlight the Internet Junction Icon and choose File then Properties from the menu bar. Click the button Configure and set the maximum speed to 57600 or 38,400. Click the Connection tab then the Port Settings button. Lower both Buffer settings to the lowest notch and uncheck Use FIFO buffers). Retry the connection and if it solves the problem slowly increase these settings. If using an external modem verify your UART chip is 16550 or 16650 under Modem Diagnostics.

2. Contact your modem manufacturer for the latest Modem drivers and/or firmware revision (this may include updating your modem to V.90).

3. Other issues may be resolved by adding various modem commands to the Modem Initialization string. In Windows 3.x, OS/2 and Macintosh machines go to your Internet dialer modem settings. There should be an option to create a new modem. Simply append a command to the end of the existing modem string. In Windows 95/98/NT go to the Modems icon in Control Panel. Highlight your modem, click Properties, click the Connection tab and then the Advanced button. Type the commands in the Extra settings field (do not add an AT).

   Note: These modem commands may not be universal for all modem models and firmware revisions. It is always best to check your modem manual or contact the modem manufacturer directly, for these settings. Try each one of these commands one at a time and test your connection, in other words use "trial and error." You can combine commands, i.e. disable V.42 and Compression would be &K0S15=128.

   • USR (all models) Disable Compression - &K0
   • USR Sportster Model Modems
     • Disable V.42 Error Control (forces MNP5) - S15=128
     • Disable x2 - S32=34
     • Disable V.90 - S32=66
     • Disable both x2 and V.90 - S32=98
   • USR Courier Model Modems
     • Disable V.42 Error Control (forces MNP5) - S27=32
     • Disable x2 in a USR Courier - S58=1
     • Disable V.90 in a USR Courier - S58=32
     • Disable both x2 and V.90 in a USR Courier - S58=33
   • Disable Flex in Zoom modems - S58=0
   • Disable V.90 in Zoom modems - S95=1+MS=11
   • Disable Flex (Motorola - Hayes) to 33,600 or less - +MS=11,1,300,33600
   • Disable Flex (Motorola - Hayes) to 14,400 or less - +MS=10,1,300,14400
   • Disable Flex (Motorola - Hayes) to 9,600 or less - +MS=9,1,300,9600

Q: What's wrong? The first call I place to my ISP isn't at 53 or even 40Kbps but a measly 28.8-Kbps or slower connection.

Signals from 56K modems are delicate. They tolerate only one analog-to-digital conversion along your phone line. In most cases, the signal from the line is converted from analog to digital only once, at the phone company's central office. From there it travels to your ISP, which has a digital connection.

But many phone lines, particularly in high-population growth areas, are multiplexed together(meaning they share one connection) using a device called a subscriber line concentrator, or SLC. If the SLC is able to connect digitally to the phone company's central office, it makes only one conversion. Many older central offices, however, can connect to an SLC line only if the signal is converted to analog form first. Then the central office reconverts the analog phone signal to digital network. The result of two conversions a signal that's too noisy and distorted to work at 56K. Similarly, 56K will not work through the conversion commonly done in a hotel or business telephone system. So in most cases you can give up the dream of achieving fast connections from the office phone or when you are traveling. Another scenario is being goegraphically located more than 3 miles from the switching station in your neighbrhood. If you are more than 3 miles from this switch, higher speeds are not possible - as more than one analog-to-digital conversion has taken place.

Q: Before I call the technician, what do I have to prepare?

• Have the computer on and your Windows 95/98 cd-rom handy
• The error you're getting on the screen
• Your User Name and Password
• Know the number from which your modem dials
• What operation system you are using (Win 98, Win 95, Win 3.x, Mac)?
• Make and model of your modem
• What kind of chipset (TI or Rockwell or...)?
• What software you are using to run AT commands (Quicklink or Bitware or Super Voice)
• Which com port your modem is using.