Modem Noise - or lack thereof
 

I occasionally have to use a modem at work in addition to the dsl line. The problem is that even with everything cranked up, I cant hear any modem noise and don’t know when im having a bad connection or wrong number, whatever. Is there anything to output the modem handshake noise thru windows or some kind of graphical display?

What version of Windows are you using? You can turn up the volume on the modem so you can hear it, but need to know the version of Windows to tell you how to get there.

Im using xp, and i have a audio cable hooked up also, along with all the volume sliders on the modem properties maxed out. And on volume control. I still can barely hear it.

From the properties page of your modem, select the Advanced tab. You should see a line that says enter additional initializations string here (or something like that). Enter the following string (it is case sensative)

ATM2L3

As long as your modem is hays compatible, and most windows modems are, this will turn the speaker on permenantly and set the volume to the highest level.

If you still can't hear it, turn the volume up on the speakers you have the audio cable hooked up to.

a better string would be two strings:

ATZ
ATM2L3

ATZ will return the modem to factory specs, so that if something's fucked with it, you reverse the damage.

Windows only gives you one line to enter all your AT commands, so you can combine this in to one line like this: ATZM2L3

Good point. I came up in modems in the BBS days when you had to know ALL of the AT commands and could have multiline init strings. The joys of progress ;)

Yeah, thanks for the info. I had not thought about modifying the command string. I feel like its 1982 again and im on my trash-80. At least I dont have to put my phone in a cradle.