Topic: SmartLink Modem

[Clive]

For two days running (not today though) when I booted my XP2200 it came up with an Explorer error and requested that I sent a report to Microsoft.  Strangely, I hadn't got as far as actually connecting to the Internet at that time.  Try as I might to say "no thank you" I had to succumb and give Microsoft the information they wanted.  The results of the error report claim that I need to update the driver for a SmartLink modem which is installed but of course not used anyway as I have BB.  

My question is:  Why should I have to download a new driver for a device I don't use?

[Simon]

Was there any reason this thread was locked?  Anyway it isn't now.  

Clive, how does the Smartlink know it's not being used?  If it automatically checks for updates, I would have thought it will do so if it's installed, and running, whether it's used or not.  

[Clive]

I must have accidentally locked it myself though I don't know how that happened!    I understand what you are saying Simon and of course it makes sense.  I didn't realise it automatically checks for updates.  So just who is in charge of this computer?    Strangely, when I did a Microsoft Windows Update it showed that my graphics card and sound card had updated drivers available yet there was no mention of the modem driver.  I downloaded the new graphics card driver anyway.  If I keep getting error messages I'll get the modem driver as well just to placate it.

[Sandra]

Is it a PCI modem or a software one Clive?
If its PCI remove it and delte from DM ,if its a software disable it in BIOS that should do away with any future update requests  8)

You must have it set to Auto check for driver updates too so although you are partially in control of your PC you have handed part of it over to the PC itself by allowing it to check for driver updates Clive  

[Clive]

Thanks for that valuable information Sandra.  Much appreciated.  It's a PCI Modem.

[Simon]

Following on from Clive's question, I also have a SmartLink dial up modem for emergencies.  However, when I ever need to use it, like tonight when Pipex briefly went down, it seems incredibly slow.  No, I don't mean 'slow' compared to Broadband, I mean really slow, like 3 minutes per page load, and that was only the Pipex Network Status page.  God knows what it would be like to use here.

I've been through all the settings, and everything seems 'normal' for a dial up connection.  The only thing I can think of is should I be removing the ADSL splitters from the phone line, so the modem has a direct plug in?

As I said, I only ever use it in an emergency, so it's not a great worry, but it would still be nice to find a solution.

[Adept]

Probably not much help Simon, but I found this

[Simon]

Hey, Sean, you were absolutely right!  That was no help at all.  

I downloaded and installed the new driver, but it didn't make any difference.  The odd thing is, the pop up balloon says it's connected at 44Kbps, but it's quite obviously no where near that.  Sometimes the pages fail to load at all.  Just have to hope I never need to use it.  

[Adept]

Simon don't forget that you are going back to 3.5kbps as opposed to 50+kbps - you are going to notice a difference.

On the odd occasion that I have to use a modem instead of my 64K ISDN I really notice the difference.

Are you sure you just haven't forgotten how slow modems are?

[Simon]

Well, I definitely think there a problem, but I'm not going to bother too much about it.

Thanks anyway, Sean.  

[Sandra]

Simon when you say you connect to the splitter for your dial up modem you do mean with a RJ11 plug not the RJ45 dont you as you would be connecting to the ADSL part not the voice bit as intended  

[Simon]

Well, without knowing what RJ11s and an RJ45s are, I don't know what you're on about Sandra!  

The modem lead is connected to the phone socket, but it has to go through the DSL filter, as it connects to the same socket as the ASDL modem.  It's on a socket doubler, along with the telephone, so it goes:

Telephone >
        +              > ADSL Modem / Splitter > Wall Socket.  
56K modem >

[Sandra]

No that sounds ok Simon,the RJ11 is the standard UK telephone plug and the RJ45 is the USA one.
Normally with a dial up modem it is RJ11 into BT socket and RJ45 into PC.
The ethernet conections are also usually RJ45  

[Adept]

No that sounds ok Simon,the RJ11 is the standard UK telephone plug and the RJ45 is the USA one.
Normally with a dial up modem it is RJ11 into BT socket and RJ45 into PC.
The ethernet conections are also usually RJ45  

Not quite right Sandra RJ11 is the US phone connector type. It is used for both ends of the cable in the 'States whereas in the UK we have the BT connector (not sure if it has a name )at one end and RJ11 at the modem end. ADSL uses RJ11 for both ends of the cable too.

You're right about RJ45 being the ethernet connector though

[Simon]

Yes, that's what I've got.  Perhaps it's just a crap modem - it was very cheap, from what I remember - about £15 I think, but it should still work better than it is doing.

Still, thank Heaven for Broadband.