Windows Marketplace V.90 - Manual (Page 26)

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You may have other telephone devices connected to the phone line. To
help your modem achieve the best connection possible, remove all extra
devices connected to the telephone line when the modem is in use. This
includes extension phones, answering machines, cordless phone bases,
caller ID boxes, etc. Don’t just disconnect the phone cable from the units.
Disconnect the phone cable from the wall. This reduces the load on your
phone line and keeps signal attenuation to a minimum. Not having loose
phone line cords coming from your phone line sockets will help reduce
the possibility of interference being transmitted to the phone line.
Keep the length of your phone line cable to 10 feet or less. Don’t use an
unusually long cable to connect to the phone line socket. If necessary,
move the computer closer to the phone socket. Don’t lay your cabling
close to an electrical appliance like a refrigerator or air conditioner unit.
High current devices can transmit 60 cycle “hum” to your modem through
the phone cord. This may cause frequent renegotiations or line discon-
nects while the appliance is running.
The telephone line conditions at the time of your call may not let you
connect at 56K. The modem has a connection sequence of K56flex, then
V.90, then V.34, and so on. The modem attempts to make the highest
connect rate that your telephone line can support at the time of negotia-
tion. If the line conditions (noise, telephone company routing, etc.) won’t
allow a high data rate connection, then the modem will automatically
connect at the most reliable rate. Try making the call again after a few
minutes. The routing of the call may improve your chances of making a
56K connection.
If you are attempting to make a call from an office, are you using a direct
outside line or are you using a PBX hookup? If you have to dial “9” to
reach an outside number, you are using a PBX. The modem cannot con-
nect faster then V.34 if you are using a PBX. Try using the line that is
connected to a fax machine. Fax machines are usually connected to a
dedicated line and not through the PBX.
Your phone line may not support a 56K connection. Or may support a
56K connection only intermittently. There are many conditions that must
be met before a 56K connection can be established. The telephone com-
pany must have you connected to the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone
Network) in a particular way. The modem you are calling must support
the same protocol. The phone line must be free of distortion and noise.
The phone wiring in your house or building must be in good condition
and so on. Check to see if you have good voice communications while
talking to friends or relatives. Do their voices sound distorted? Do you