Odd Modem Problems...

this is a long post, but i really need this help

ok, i got a dell laptop for my graduation present several months ago (i should have asked for a mac), it came with WinXP loaded and i wiped the hard drive and used linux for a while, then wiped it again, used Win98, then upgraded to Win2000 Pro...but Dell doesnt like the idea that i got rid of XP, so they limit how much tech support they can give me.

now the problem: the ISP i used on my desktop (running Win98) has no problems connecting, its actual a free connection running through a community college that i took some classes at. but the modem in the laptop has problems, windows says its connected, but no programs respond like it is (AIM wont connect, IE and Netscape wont load webpages). i thought it may have been the modem, being V.92, was having some problems with the college connection, so i installed AOHell (my parents have an account) and tried to see if that would work, they have V.92 numbers, but i get the same problem (but a bit different), i can only do AOL-related stuff, like e-mail and IM, but still no webpages (inside aol's browser, IE, and Netscape).

but it gets weirder, once in a while the connection WILL work (i think once in AOL, but more with the other ISP), but the connection will get lost after a few minutes, and i think its related to the IP address, because i was trying to assign myself an address with the other ISP, and one i was using worked, but i was losing the connection like i said.

i know this is a reaaaaally long post, but i needed to supply all the info, and i thank all who read it and try to help me

edit-->forgot to mention, the modem in the laptop is an Actiontec MD56ORD V92 MDC Modem...whatever that means, i dont know if anyone needs it to help me, but better safe than sorry

#8015

Well first of all remove all manually assigned IP addresses. Most dial-up connections are dynamically assigned an IP address by the ISP's DHCP server. Make sure all three fields in the network configuration dialog box are empty i.e. IP address, Subnet mask and Default gateway should all be blank....ask your ISP if you should fill in the DNS server addresses. Most of the time it is OK to leave this blank too but just confirm that with your ISP to make sure....

Let me know if that works out b'coz as far as I understand, this seems to be some kind of IP conflict.

Siddharth

#8057

yeah, i removed all manually assigned IP addresses, and all fields are set to "automatic"

there isnt much tech support with the ISP, cuz it goes through that community college, and some hacker/nerd found the dialup info for people....but i have the same problem with AOL....im thinking a software issue (possibly in the OS), im avoiding having to reinstall Win2000

if i reinstall windows, will i have to reinstall all the programs, or will they still work fine with windows........god, i want a mac

#8320

Well if u just reinstall Windows into the same directory without formatting you will not lose any of your settings...

Siddharth

#8541

ugh....

reinstalled win2000, havent had any windows problems, but my modem still cant keep the connection

i got online, and was on for about 26 minutes and thought the problem went away, but lost the connection and wasnt able to stay online for more than 2 - 5 minutes...

im getting sick of it...

#9229