If your battery
is completely drained, you can still use an AC/DC cord
to power your computer.
Keep an extra
adapter in your travel briefcase. It’s much easier than
disconnecting your only AC adapter every time you travel.
Rapid chargers
reduce charge times from overnight to only 1-2 hours.
The conditioning
function of the charger is pivotal to the life span of
your cellular battery. A conditioner fully drains the
battery’s power prior to recharging which is vital in
avoiding memory effect.
Look for chargers
with the latest Pulse Charging Technology to prevent “memory”
buildup in NiCad batteries.
Don’t drain
your battery while traveling. Many airplanes now are equipped
with power for passengers to use in-flight. Even more
planes will have this feature soon, so it might be wise
to purchase an in-flight enabled power cord.
Different
countries have different types of electrical current from
wall outlets. Plugging into one of these systems requires
a step-down transformer which “turns down” the voltage
to accommodate 110V appliances from the U.S., and a transformer/plug
adapter kit. Kits include adapters, chargers, modem savers
and retractable phone cords.
Consider buying
an auto power adapter to keep your cellular phone completely
charged while you’re in the car. The auto power cord uses
the power of the car battery to keep your phone working
rather than draining your cell battery.
Car cords
can also power up your laptop. For laptop models that
support car cords, there are a number of cigarette lighter
adapters available. For laptop models that don’t have
a direct connect car cord, you can purchase a power inverter
that changes the 12 volt power from your vehicle into
120 volt power that your laptop or printer can use. Remember
to check that the car you’re driving has a negative ground,
meaning the chassis is (-) not (+) as is the case with
older Japanese models.
Do not store
batteries in extreme temperatures or wet areas.
Batteries
are not charged before they are delivered since the charge
is not stable during the shipping process. Remember to
fully charge and discharge the new battery when you receive
it. A new battery must be full charged and discharged
at least five times in order to reach its maximum run
time.
You can discharge
most portable devices by unplugging the AC adapter and
leaving them turned on for a few hours.
NiCad batteries
suffer from an affliction known as memory effect. The
battery will only charge to the level at which the battery
was last discharged because of an accumulation of gas
bubbles on cell plates. If a battery is discharged to
30% and then recharged, for instance, the battery will
only charge to 30% of its capacity. This shrinks the battery’s
so-called gas tank.
NiMH batteries
are known as the “memory free” battery that offers high
capacity. NiMH batteries suffer less memory effect and
have 30% longer run times than NiCad.
The best way
to eliminate memory effect and remove the accumulated
gas bubbles on the cell plates is to “burp”, or condition
them. This means draining the battery until your portable
shuts off, and then recharging it a few times.
Don’t leave
batteries dormant for extended periods of time. Even if
you use AC power most of the time, use the battery periodically
to keep it fresh and healthy. Unplug your AC adapter when
the computer is not in use.
Labeling your
batteries can help you keep track of how old each pack
is, as well as when it was last charged. This is important
because batteries discharge as they sit even if they are
not in the computer.
Look at the
discharge rate of the battery before you make a purchase.
Lead Acid batteries, similar to those used in your automobile,
self discharge at a rate of less than 0.5% per day; Lithium
Ion batteries self discharge at 1-2% per day; Nickel Cadmium
batteries will self discharge at 2-4% per day; and Nickel
Metal Hydride batteries self-discharge at 6-8% per day.
If your battery
used to last 2 hours and now only lasts 30 minutes, it’s
time to replace your battery. NiCad batteries last approximately
700 charge/discharge cycles, or about one and half years
on average. NiMH batteries last approximately 400 charge/discharge
cycles.
Lead acid
batteries, once charged, can be stored for up to a month.
This means you don’t have do any last minute charging
before your next flight or road trip.
Zinc-air batteries
absorb oxygen directly from air to fuel the chemical reaction
inside the battery thereby generating electricity. Zinc-air
batteries are useful as a backup source of energy. It
has a two- year shelf life as long as it’s kept in its
foil wrapper. Unwrap it and it’s ready to go, offering
up to five times more talk and standby time than rechargeable
batteries.
A new battery
may cause the battery status indicator on your computer
to indicate a dead or low battery condition. If this should
happen, remove the battery and then reinsert it. If you
still don’t get a full indicator, let the battery charge
in your computer overnight.
If your battery
is completely drained, you can still use an AC/DC cord
to power your computer.
To conserve
your computer battery’s power, shop for peripherals that
use their own battery power and won’t drain your laptop. Back to top
Do not leave
your cellular phone in direct sunlight. Temperatures over
105 degrees F. can destroy your battery.
When selecting
a cellular phone, check out the new PCS (personal communications
service) digital phones. Market research firm Yankee Group
found that PCs phones cost 30% less than analog phones
and almost 20% less than ordinary digital phones.
When shopping
for a cellular phone, make sure to investigate the battery
life. Take note of both the standby time and talk time
of the battery to ensure the phone will give you the lasting
power you need. Chargers reserve your cell phone battery
power while replenishing it at the same time.
If your battery
is low and you are on a call, replace the low battery
for a charged one, push send within 7 seconds and you
won’t lose your call.
While driving,
consider buying a hands-free kit for your cell phone.
These lightweight kits use a remote speaker and microphone,
which allow you to use your cell phone while keeping your
hands where they belong—on the wheel.
If you want
to leave the phone in the car, a permanent in-car kit
allows you to put the phone in its cradle and connect
to the car’s power supply. Most kits also come with an
external speaker and visor microphone.
If you want
to take your phone with you, look for an “ear bud” speaker
with a small microphone that can be clipped on your clothing,
seat belt, or sun visor. Ear buds also channels sound
directly into your ear canal providing better reception.
Also consider headsets, clips and holsters.
If you’re
driving and talking on the phone, consider purchasing
a power adapter that plugs into a cigarette lighter, and
a cradle to hold the phone. Some kits may include a speaker
in the power adapter or connect to the car stereo through
a cassette-style adapter.
The cost of
a cellular service monthly fee can sometimes be the most
expensive part of owning a cell phone. Many services tack
on additional fees for roaming (when a phone “roams” for
an available satellite) and long distance (when you call
out of your immediate calling area.) These fees can add
up over time and actually cost more than your monthly
fee. To avoid these charges and the confusion that comes
with them, shop for a cellular service that does not charge
for long distance or roaming.
Always ask
to waive the activation fee. Chances are, by simply asking,
you’ll avoid paying the $25-$50 activation charge. It
can’t hurt to try.
Whenever you
think that you have entered a new service area, call 611
on your phone. After hearing the service provider’s brief
message, hang up. This call will register you in the calling
area that you’re currently in. Ten to twenty minutes after
calling, calls placed to your cellular number in your
home area will be forwarded to you.
With a GSM
cable for digital cellular phones, you can access the
Internet, send and receive faxes and e-mail and even dial-up
your corporate network—all without a traditional phone
line.
The introduction
of cellular digital packet data (CDPD) technology makes
it possible to establish a reliable wireless Internet
connection from any computing device, including desktop,
laptop and even handheld computers.
You can rent
a global cellular phone from a global service provider
when you are traveling abroad. Each phone should be setup
for use in the area you are traveling in and are configured
to keep you in touch even if you change countries. Keep
in mind: an average overseas call costs $2.50 and the
airtime after connection is $1 per minute. Rental fees
vary, but you can expect to pay about $75 for the first
week and $50 for additional weeks. For more details, contact
WorldCell at 1-888-967-5323, or Worldwide Cellular Co.
at 1-800-938-0282.
Tweezers are
handy gadgets for grabbing hard-to-extract phone plugs,
especially with phones where coils are underneath the
phone base.
See if your
cell phone allows you to piggyback two hot-swappable batteries.
Hot-swappable batteries allow you to change and recharge
batteries during a conversation. (Source: Portable Life) back to top
Just like
PCs, it’s important to decide which operating system you
prefer when choosing a handheld computer. While most handhelds
use a proprietary operating system, others use a pocket
version of the familiar Windows program called Windows
CE. Windows CE provides a familiar environment and superior
graphics. Many proprietary systems, such as Palm OS (the
most popular handheld on the market) provide users with
a very fast, user-friendly platform and has taken the
lead on innovation in the industry.
The data input
mechanism is arguably the most important feature of handheld
computers. Some handheld computers such as NEC and Sharp
feature a miniature keyboard and screen for convenient
data input. These added conveniences however sacrifice
the small size of the computer. Computers without keyboards,
on the other hand, use a touch screen that recognizes
either natural handwriting or a unique script called graffiti.
They come with a stylus (a pen-like device) for data entry
and navigation.
When buying
a handheld computer, it’s important to look for features
such as connectivity, memory, and innovation.
Connectivity—make
sure the handheld computer comes with software and hardware
for synchronizing with your PC. After all, you don’t want
to enter appointments and contacts more than once.
Memory—Current
handhelds vary from 1MB of RAM to about 24MB of RAM. With
only 2MB of memory, a handheld can store up to 6,000 addresses,
five years of appointments and 200 e-mails. HINT: Make
sure the computer you choose is expandable in case you
need more memory in the future.
Innovation—If
uniqueness is important, look for a handheld with a color
screen for enhanced viewing and increased clarity. For
even more innovation, consider a handheld with a mini
sound card that allows you to record and play sound files,
including audio books and music that can be downloaded
from the Internet.
Windows CE
can display owner information on startup, so if you lose
your device some Good Samaritan just might return it.
From “Start*Settings,” double-tap “Owner”. Fill in the
fields under the “Identification” tab. In the “At Power
On” field, check “Display Owner Information.” (Source:
Portable Life)
If you forget
graffiti symbols, simply tap your stylus in the bottom
of the writing area and draw a vertical stroke to the
top of the screen. This will give you an on-screen list
of graffiti characters. Just press Done to return to the
current application. (Source: Portable Life)
To access
e-mail from your personal data appliance or handheld computer
you will need a modem (either traditional or wireless),
and Internet service provider (ISP) such as MSN or AOL,
and a phone line or wireless service communication provider.
There are
a number of modem cradles that operate and plug into your
handheld organizers the same way the synchronizing cradle
does. By simply dropping your handheld into the cradle
and dialing your ISP, you can send and receive e-mail
When shopping
for a modem cradle, look for something that comes complete
with the required software, phone cord, and batteries
such as the Palm Pilot Gear 14.4kbps data transfer modem.
The two AAA
batteries powering your handheld device should last at
least a month of heavy use and longer if you’re an occasional
user. To be safe, keep a spare pair on hand. When you
get the first low-battery warning, you should have a few
days grace period. (Source: Portable Life)
When you replace
the batteries in your handheld, remove one and replace
it with the same orientation before removing and replacing
the second battery. You only have one minute to replace
the batteries before you lose data. (Source: Portable
Life)
If you have
a cellular phone and handheld computer, the only thing
you need to send e-mail is a cellular modem. With such
a device, you only have to dial your ISP with your cell
phone and within seconds are connected to the Internet.
The Snap-On GSM modem, for instance, connects your handheld’s
port to your cellular phone jack, allowing you to send
e-mail wirelessly.
If you want
a handheld computer and plan on using it for e-mail purposes,
consider one that that is already email-enabled such as
the Palm VII by 3Com. The Palm VII comes with a modem
and antenna, which allows you to send and receive e-mail
and surf the Internet.
To add fonts
to your Palm-size PC, connect the device to your PC and
open the Mobile Devices folder on that PC. Double-click
the Palm-size PC icon, then Windows*Fonts on the desktop
PC. Now drag any TrueType font into the open Fonts folder
in the Mobile Devices folder. Remember: Fonts eat up a
lot of space, so don’t load too many onto your handheld.
(Source: Portable Life)
To delete
something in Windows CE, uses SHIFT+BACKSPACE (Source:
Portable Life)
If you leave
your stylus at home, you can still use your handheld device.
Choose Start/Help, then select Tips for Using Windows
CE. You’ll find a batch of keyboard shortcuts there. And
to do that without a stylus, press CTRL+ESC for the Start
menu, then use the up and down arrow keys to navigate.
(Source: Portable Life)
If your PDA’s
screen is scratched, simply put a piece of tape over the
area. This will protect the screen without interfering
with its use. If any tape residue lingers when removed,
dampen a soft cloth with Windex and wipe gently to clean.
(Source: Portable Life)
Use your handheld
computer as a wake-up call reminder. Set an appointment
in the date book, make sure the alarm is turned on, and
a few minutes prior to the set time, the alarm will sound.
(Source: Portable Life) back to top
Don’t force
a lot of weight onto your laptop inside of a briefcase.
The pressure and weight may cause damage to the LCD (the
screen display) on the laptop.
A new battery
may cause the battery status indicator on your computer
to indicate a dead or low battery condition. If this should
happen, remove the battery and then reinsert it. If you
still don’t get a full indicator, let the battery charge
in your computer overnight.
Carry a computer
first-aid kit. Kits should include a system disk, a two-or-three
prong electrical adapter, charged spare batteries, and
anti-virus and troubleshooting software.
If your battery
is completely drained, you can still use an AC/DC cord
to power your computer.
Although X-ray
machines at airports are not a threat to your laptop’s
hard drive floppy disks, you may want to have a security
guard check your machine rather than putting it on the
conveyer. The conveyer belt is a target for thieves who
watch for unattended equipment passing through X-ray machines.
When using
your laptop in a hotel room, be aware of the many small
magnets surrounding you. Televisions, alarm clocks, hair
dryers, and other common hotel room appliances can pose
a threat to your data. Be especially cautious of leaving
your floppy and zip disks on appliances for extended periods
of time. Instead, store your computer and accessories
on the desk away from magnet problems.
Prepare for
strange printers on the road. Install drivers for the
most common printers or those you know you’ll have access
to prior to leaving for your trip. (Source: Portable Life)
To conserve
your computer battery’s power, shop for peripherals that
use their own battery power and won’t drain your laptop.
The convenience
of portable computing can occasionally be a pain in the
neck. By adding comfort accessories such as a laptop wrist
pillow, you can save yourself a lot of suffering.
Over 300,000
laptops are stolen every year primarily from airports.
Prevent theft with a laptop lock, which secures your computer
to a stationary object such as an airport bench.
Powerful computer
applications such as the Internet, Microsoft Office, and
Windows 98 can drain computer resources by adding temp
files to your hard drive space. Items such as cookies
and e-mail attachments can add hundreds of these temp
files to your computer. You can maximize your disk space
and rid your hard drive of temp files by doing a simple
search and delete for any file with a .tmp extension.
Protect yourself
from computer viruses such as Love Bug, Melissa, Worm,
and California, by purchasing virus protection software
such as Norton Anti-Virus. Also visit the Web monthly
to download the latest immunizations.
Backup your
data. Always back up the information on your laptop onto
the Internet using services such as www.backup.com, your
corporate network, or Zip disks in case your laptop is
stolen. In most instances, data lost to a theft is far
more valuable than the laptop itself.
The key to
lowering the power consumption of your laptop is lowering
the amount of time the hard drive spends spinning. You
can set the drive to spin down when not in use after as
little as 5 minutes.
If you have
a color screen and you are working on a word processing
or spreadsheet, you may opt to choose a greyscale mode
for your display. This will further reduce power consumption,
as well as dim the screen as much as possible.
Infrared data
is an excellent way to transfer data when on the road.
It’s easier to configure your laptop for an infrared communications
port than to carry extra cables.
If you need
access to data on your home or office computer or network
while you’re away, install remote-control software such
as LapLink or pcAnywhere. (Source: Portable Life) back to top
Although X-ray
machines at airports are not a threat to your laptop’s
hard drive floppy disks, you may want to have a security
guard check your machine rather than putting it on the
conveyer. The conveyer belt is a target for thieves who
watch for unattended equipment passing through X-ray machines.
Over 300,000
laptops are stolen every year primarily from airports.
Prevent theft with a laptop lock, which secures your computer
to a stationary object such as an airport bench.
Many airplanes
now feature in-flight power ports so you don’t have to
drain your laptop battery while working on the plane.
You will need to have an in-flight power adapter to use
this productive feature.
Get to your
destination refreshed and relaxed with the aid of noise
canceling headphones. These headphones block out high
and low frequency noise which can raise blood pressure
and heart rate.
Flights that
involve changing planes or stopping en route may be less
expensive than nonstop flights.
Avoid Bermuda
triangle flights where your flight goes in, but the connecting
flight is canceled or delayed.
Contact the
airline if you know you’ll miss the flight prior to the
scheduled departure time. Most airlines will honor your
ticket for a later flight if you arrive within two hours
of your departure time.
If your flight
is delayed forcing you to miss a connecting flight in
another city, buy a one-way ticket to that connecting
hub with the same airline or another one. You can always
argue with your carrier about the fare later.
Airlines will
typically rebook your connecting reservation if they know
that a flight is delayed and you’ll miss it. If you’ve
made arrangements to actually make the connection, a prompt
phone call to the airline will ensure your original seats
and routing. Request a letter to the original carrier
about the cost of the alternate connecting flight to earn
a refund.
If you have
a full-fare ticket, call your travel agent or other airlines
to find alternative arrangements if needed.
If you have
a special fare ticket, don’t wait in long lines at the
gate. Call the airline or go to the main ticket counter
to find alternatives.
When your
flight is canceled, the airline should put you on a confirmed
seat on another flight. Try for the next flight and not
just the next flight on the same carrier.
When your
flight is canceled and you do not continue on any carrier,
ask the ticket agent to write “Rule 240” on your ticket
along with the reason the flight was canceled and sign
his or her name. This assures cancellation penalties will
be waived.
To get some
shut-eye on a long flight:
Get a seat
away from bathrooms and on the opposite side from where
the sun will shine.
Ask the boarding
agent if there are any completely empty rows available
to stretch out.
Bring sunglasses,
earplugs, noise reducing headphones, and bottled water.
Anticipate
time changes of a prolonged stay at new destinations by
going to bed earlier a couple of days prior to an eastward
trip and later for a westbound trip.
Set your watch
according to destination time upon boarding, not when
you arrive.
If you can’t
travel first or business class, get an exit row seat over
the wing because the plane moves less at the point of
the fuselage.
Avoid alcohol.
It dehydrates the body and interferes with the ability
to process oxygen. back to top
Stay at a
hotel that caters to business travelers by offering amenities
such as desks, data ports and a business center.
Before reserving
your hotel room, find out if your hotel charges for local
calls and ask if in-room phones have data ports. Data
ports spare your modems if phone lines are digital and
save you from crawling under the desk to look for a wall
jack.
A modem saver
can be a real lifesaver. This digital phone line tester
quickly determines if you are dealing with a digital line
that may fry your modem.
Tweezers are
handy gadgets for grabbing hard-to-extract phone plugs,
especially with phones where coils are underneath the
phone base.
Bring extra
phone cords with you for hard-to-reach jacks.
A female-to-female
RJ-11 phone jack adapter helps you extend an existing
phone line by connecting two lines together.
If you have
an account with a national Internet service provider,
make sure you have a local dial-up number for the area
you’re traveling to.
If you don’t
have a national ISP, or if there isn’t a local number
for your destination, you can get a backup account on
a free service in exchange for viewing advertising banners.
The ads may be annoying, but the service is a real lifesaver
on the road.
If your hotel
room has a digital phone with a built-in data port, connecting
your laptop is easy. First leave your telephone plugged
into the wall socket. Then plug in your extra telephone
cord into the data port on the phone. Next connect the
other end of this cord to your PCMCIA card or external
modem. Be sure to put your laptop in sleep mode or power
down before plugging this phone cord into your modem.
After powering back up, you must change the dialing settings
of your modem. That means that in the software setup you
will add the numbers required to access an outside line.
After this is complete, you are ready to login or fax.
If your hotel
room has a digital phone with no data port, first leave
your phone plugged into the wall socket. You will need
a digital to analog converter to fax or login from this
phone system. Simply disconnect your telephone handset
from the phone and connect it to the jack labeled handset
on the converter. Next plug the short cord on the converter
into the now empty handset jack on the telephone. Now
you can plug your extra phone cord into the data port
on the converter. Finally connect the other end of this
cord to your PCMCIA card or external modem. Be sure to
put your laptop into sleep mode or power down before plugging
this telephone cord into your modem. After powering up,
you must change the modem dialing settings. This software
setup will add the numbers required to access an outside
line. Now you’re ready to login or fax.
If your hotel
room has no phone, use a pay phone. Having a Telecoupler
II ® which cradles the handset of the pay phone, allows
you to transmit data through the earpiece and mouthpiece
of any payphone. To connect you need to attach the Telecoupler
II ® to the handset and insert the RJ-45 from the Telecoupler
II ® into your modem port. Then you need to deposit the
required amount of change into the pay phone or change
the settings in your modem setup to include phone card
dialing. Don’t forget to add the area code to the number
you are attempting to dial.
Getting connected
to the Internet from your hotel room can be impossible
if your modem does not recognize the dial-tone. To avoid
this, add a command to your modem setup string instructing
it to ignore the dial tone. Refer to your modem’s manual
for the appropriate command string before leaving for
your destination.
When using
your laptop in a hotel room, be aware of the many small
magnets surrounding you. Televisions, alarm clocks, hair
dryers, and other common hotel room appliances can pose
a threat to your data. Be especially cautious of leaving
your floppy and zip disks on appliances for extended periods
of time. Instead, store your computer and accessories
on the desk away from magnet problems.
To get a restful
night’s sleep at a hotel:
Book a room
on a high floor if you’re on the street side, and one
that’s away from elevators, ice machines and hospitality
suites.
Keep the room
at 65 degrees and request extra pillows and blankets if
needed.
Pack a nightlight
so you don’t have to turn on a bright light to avoid fumbling
around in the dark.
Bolt the door
and make sure that the “Do Not Disturb” sign is hanging
on the door.
Avoid spicy
room service.
Bring a portable
“white noise” machine, or turn on a radio or TV to a frequency
without a channel and have the static play on a low volume
to simulate white noise.
Create a pre-sleep
routine of one to two hours or reading or watching TV
to wind down from a long day.
If you need
to print a document while at a hotel, simply send a fax
to yourself. Most hotels use plain paper faxes now rather
than thermal, so the print quality should be fair to good.
back to top
When traveling
abroad, avoid jet-lag connection confusion by configuring
your modem prior to leaving the United States. It’s easier
to reprogram your modem with the appropriate country codes
before venturing overseas.
Make sure
you have the correct power and telephone adapters for
the country you are visiting. Different countries have
different types of electrical current from wall outlets.
Plugging into one of these systems requires a step-down
transformer which “turns down” the voltage to accommodate
110V appliances from the U.S., and a transformer/plug
adapter kit. Kits include adapters, chargers, modem savers
and retractable phone cords.
You can rent
a global cellular phone from a global service provider
when you are traveling abroad. Each phone should be setup
for use in the area you are traveling in and are configured
to keep you in touch even if you change countries. Keep
in mind: an average overseas call costs $2.50 and the
airtime after connection is $1 per minute. Rental fees
vary, but you can expect to pay about $75 for the first
week and $50 for additional weeks. For more details, contact
WorldCell at 1-888-967-5323, or Worldwide Cellular Co.
at 1-800-938-0282.
U.S. airport
security X-rays machines do not emit strong enough X-rays
to cause damage to your laptop and other hardware. But
world travelers should be wary about international security
machines. The strong X-ray machines abroad does vary.
Insist on having your laptop hand inspected or protect
your computer with an X-ray carrying case. back to top
Getting connected
to the Internet from your hotel room can be impossible
if your modem does not recognize the dial-tone. To avoid
this, add a command to your modem setup string instructing
it to ignore the dial tone. Refer to your modem’s manual
for the appropriate command string before leaving for
your destination.
Preprogram
all your access numbers, credit-card numbers and other
remote-access information prior to leaving in order to
save time on the road. Make sure you have alternatives
in case the main access numbers are busy or not working.
When traveling
abroad, avoid jet-lag connection confusion by configuring
your modem prior to leaving the United States. It’s easier
to reprogram your modem with the appropriate country codes
before venturing overseas.
You can configure
your software to ignore dial tones via the Windows Modem
Control Panel Properties, or by adding the X1 command
to your software’s initialization string.
Check whether
the phone system uses rotary (pulse) or tone dialing.
Set your software dialing setup option box to Pulse or
Tone accordingly.
Before connecting
with your modem, place a test call and listen to the entire
dialing sequence. Keep track of the length of each pause
between each portion of the string. You may need to add
commas to your dialing string (each comma is a two-second
pause) to complete a successful modem connection.
If you use
a PC Card modem, carry a spare one with you even if your
laptop has an internal modem, and use either one with
an X-jack connector or bring an extra dongle.
You can improve
your modem’s transmission performance by using a modem
pool. Modem pools are special cell sites, available from
some service providers in selected areas, that understand
common error correction protocols. You can usually connect
to modem pools by dialing 3282 (DATA) before you dial
your access number.
If your phone
line has call waiting and you’re using a modem to connect
to the Internet, you must first turn off the call waiting.
If you’re
dialing from a business that requires a “9” for an outside
line, you must add a “9” prefix to your dial-in string
(the phone number you dial to connect to your service
provider.)
If you’re
having problems with your modem, check that:
Your modem
is plugged in and turned on
The modem’s
phone cord is securely inserted at both ends of the connection
If you have
an external modem, make sure the modem cable is securely
fastened to the modem and the computer.
If you have
an internal modem, check that the modem card is securely
plugged into your computer’s mother board.
Check that
you are using the correct dial-in string to contact the
server.
If you are
running telephony or communications software such as fax
software, your computer’s ability to use its modem port
may be hampered. If you are using such software, try the
following:
Move the telephony
or communications software from the Startup program to
another Windows group.
Restart your
computer and then reconnect to the Internet.
Your modem’s
speed can fluctuate depending on many factors including
net congestion, time of day, or the server of the site
you’re accessing.
Modem brands
and models vary in ability to adapt to poor-quality phone
lines and the wide range of modems used by ISPs. For more
information about your specific modem, check the Website
of your modem manufacturer. back to top
