Volumes have been written describing the universe of problems that will prevent a dail-up connection to the Internet from working. This guide attempts to cover the most common problems you may run into. Obviously, this guide won't do you any good when you can't get online, so we suggest you save a copy to your computer, or print one out, for future reference.

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Problems with your computer

It is normal to assume that everything is correctly set up on your computer. Unfortunately, sometimes you or someone else may make changes that will affect your success in getting a dial-up connection to the Sailor Network. Examples of the changes that could adversely affect your ability to get a dial-up connection include (but are not limited to):

• change of modems on your computer
• alteration of dial up software
• different phone line or jack being used
• fax machine or other device has been put on the same phone line you use for your modem

Here is a checklist of items that must be in order for you to get a successful dial out session through your modem.

CHECKLIST

1. Computer and monitor plugged into live electrical outlet and turned on.
2. Monitor, keyboard and mouse connected to computer.
3. Telephone line active and telephone cable not damaged.
4. Telephone line plugged into modem LINE jack.
5. Communications Software is set to correct port for your modem.
6. (External) Modem connected to computer, plugged in and turned on.
7. (Internal) Modem is installed.
8. Call Waiting disabled using (if you subscribe to this service).
9. Software correctly configured.

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Common Problem Symptoms and Possible Solutions

Here is a list of SYMPTOM descriptions and possible solutions

SYMPTOM
• solutions

"NO DIAL TONE" Error Message

• Is your phone line connected to the modem's 'line' jack and a wall jack?
• Is the cable between modem and telephone wall jack damaged?
• Is the correct COM PORT (Connector) selected in your communications software?
• If you have more than one modem, is the one with the phone line selected?
• Modem driver not installed, or needs to be reinstalled.

DIALER says "Dialing" / OPERATOR says, "I'm sorry your call cannot be completed as dialed"

• Is the Sailor telephone number entered correctly?
• Did you account for 10 digit dialing in Maryland? (See instructions for your software.)
• Do you have to dial 9 before the phone number from your location?

"NO ANSWER" Error message

• Windows 98: HyperTerminal for Win 98 has a setting for 10 digit dialing. From the "Connect" window, choose "Dialing Properties," then click "Area Code Rules." In the Area Code Rules window select "Always dial the area code (10 digit dialing)."
• Windows 95: HyperTerminal for Win 95 did not have a setting for 10 digit dialing. In the "Connect" window, choose Modify and edit the "Phone number" by typing the area code in front of the 7 digit number.

BUSY SIGNAL

• Is there a fax machine, or an answering machine, connected to the same phone line as your modem?
• Do you need to dial 9 to get an outside line at the location from which you are dialing?
• Sailor modems busy. Try again later.
"NO CARRIER" Error Message
• Interference from phone company voice mail on your phone line.
• Interference from Call Waiting on your phone line (precede phone number with *70,,).
• Interference from other equipment on same phone line (answering machine, fax).
• Someone picked up an extension phone on the line you are using.
• Sailor equipment problem (Seldom.) Call the Help Desk at (410)396-4636. We'll test the connection you are using.
• Local telephone line service quality problem. Sometimes you can get a stable connection if you set your modem to a lower speed (e.g., 9600 bps).
CALL CONNECTS BUT THE MODEM-TO-MODEM SESSION DOESN'T GET SET UP
• Hang up and dial again.
• Possible problem with Sailor modems. Try again later. If problem persists, please call the Sailor Help Desk at (410)396-4636.
CAN'T CONNECT or INVALID PASSWORD Error Message
• This type of message will be displayed if your communications software is trying to establish a PPP connection, but you do not have a PPP account with Sailor. This means you need to switch to a different communications software package (i.e., Terminal for Win 3.x or Hyperterminal for Win 9x).
CALL CONNECTS BUT IS DROPPED
• Try dialing in at a slower modem speed. Local telephone line service factors may be the cause.
CONNECTION SPEED VARIES EVEN IF I DON'T CHANGE MY MODEM SPEED SETTING
• Does your modem sometimes connect at a faster speed, sometimes at a lower speed? Try dialing in at different times of the day or evening to see if you can determine any trends. A possible reason is the quality of the telephone connection you are getting through the public telephone network.
CONNECTION SPEED HIGH, CONNECTION TRAFFIC SLOW
• You may have the following experience. Your "fast" modem ( e.g. 28.8Kbps to 56 Kbps v.90) connects to the Sailor modem at 28.8 Kbps or faster. During some sessions the data transfer rate is consistently fast, web pages load quickly, commands you send echo back to your screen quickly over a telnet session. On other occasions it feels like nothing is happening at all, web pages take forever to load, and telnet sessions slow to a crawl. There are 3 basic places where your session can run into bottlenecks:
  1. network traffic congestion
  2. a busy host on the Internet
  3. your local telephone service connection
  If throughput is fast between you and Sailor, but slow between you and a computer beyond the Sailor Network, the slow throughput is due to network traffic congestion somewhere on the Internet beyond the Sailor Network, or heavy activity load at the host you are trying to visit.
  If the throughput between you and resources on the Sailor Network is slow, most likely the problem is not with the Sailor Network itself. The performance of the Sailor Network itself is under constant scrutiny by our network engineers. It is more likely that the computer system you are trying to reach inside the Sailor Network is experiencing heavy traffic, or that the quality of your local telephone service will not support fast throughput. Try dialing in at different times of the day or evening to see if you can determine any trends.

  If you suspect a local telephone quality of service issue, call us at the Help Desk at (410) 396 - 4636. We'll be happy to check the quality of the connection through the number you are using as experienced from our offices. You may achieve satisfactory quality of service by setting your modem connect to Sailor at a slower speed. You can also test your phone quality of service by taking your computer to another house and having it dial the same Sailor phone number from that location.

CONNECTION TO SAME SAILOR NUMBER DIFFERS FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION USING THE SAME EQUIPMENT
• Telephone line quality and distance from the telephone company central office are factors that affect how fast your connection to the Internet through any Internet Service Provider will be. That's why you may find that the same PC with the same modem will connect to the same Sailor telephone number at different rates from different locations.

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For additional information about using a dial-up connection to the Sailor Network, check out the SAILOR HELP PAGES.