Modem Popping Won't Connect

[Mike360000]

Hi all,
My brother-in-law has a modem problem that has driven me crazy. I installed a USR external data/fax modem for him about 1 1/2 years ago and it's worked fine. However this past week he hasn't been able to connect with it and he is getting a constant popping sound over his telephones when the modem is plugged up/power on. It will make this popping sound as long as there is power on the modem, even if the computer is off, or even if the other phones are unplugged. However I can unplug the serial cable or the phone wire to the modem and the popping will quit. Or I can unplug the power wire to the modem and it will quit. However just turning the power buttom off on the modem will not stop the popping on the other phones. Now before you say the modem or that serial cable is bad, I just tried a known good and fairly new serial cable and another modem of the same type tonight. problem is these newer pieces still makes the phone pop and still will not connect to the Intenet.(It tries to connect but it never negotiates a handshake. Plus like I said the popping will presist even if the computer is off/modem on and all cables hooked up.)

Does anyone have a clue as to what is causing this?

Thanks,
Mike

[Beast Of Blight]

Sounds like a short somewhere in the machine.

Is the modem really dusty? clean it out with some static free compressed air adn see if it fixes anything, if nothing else..buy a new one.. their pretty cheap anyways.

[Mike360000]

Originally posted by Beast Of Blight
Sounds like a short somewhere in the machine.

Is the modem really dusty? clean it out with some static free compressed air adn see if it fixes anything, if nothing else..buy a new one.. their pretty cheap anyways.


Well like I said, I just tried an almost new modem of the same type as well as another serial cable and they done the same thing.

If all the wires are hooked up, serail, power and phone, it will pop over the phones anytime they are off-hook regardless if the computer is on or off.

It will pop over the phones even if the modem is turned off.

It will not pop over the phones if the serial wire is undone or if the power wire is undone, or if the phone line is unplugged from the modem.

I also tried a new phone cord line from the phone jack to the modem. It didn't help.

Dunno how it could be the computer when it is off?

Any more ideas?

Thanks,
Mike

[Beast Of Blight]

Try hooking it up to another computer, If it stops clicking then you've narrowed the problem down to the serial port on this computer.

Never know, stranger things have happened :-/

[Numbstruck]

^^that or try a modem of a different brand/type and see if it still causes the popping over the phonelines.