What does this error message mean: “Computer is not receiving any response from the modem; check your modem and try again?”

If you have an external modem (one that is not inside the case of your computer) : Is your modem connected and turned on?
Is the cable seated firmly in both the modem and the computer?
Is the correct serial port and/or modem selected?
Is the modem connected to the correct port on the computer?
The connection between the modem and the computer may be defective, or the connection may have been broken. Check all connections, and then check them again. If the serial cable is old and the connections appear suspect, get another one and try that.

Turn the modem off, wait 10 seconds, then try again - is the same thing happening? Some modems will "hang" and fail to respond after a power spike or brown-out; if you are familiar with the modem lights, a hung modem will usually appear to have a different lighting display to one that is functioning normally. Turning the modem off, waiting a little, then turning it back on should normally fix such problems.

If you have an internal modem: Internal modems can get hung too, but there is no way to turn them off without turning the computer off as well. Shut down your operating system, power down and - again - wait 10 seconds, then turn it back on.

If you still cannot solve the problem, then it is time to consult the experts. The problem may be that the modem itself has malfunctioned and needs to be repaired, all the cables you tried may have been damaged, or the serial port on your computer is not operational. A hardware technician should be able to see the exact problem fairly quickly.

Why do I get this error message? “There is no dial tone. Make sure your modem is connected to the phone line properly”.

This message indicates that the modem is functioning, but it cannot detect a dial tone on the phone line. Normally, this means that there is a problem in the connection between the phone line itself and the modem - it is the equivalent of lifting the handset on a standard phone and hearing a dead line.

The first thing to check are the connections - that the jack connector on the modem is in the correct connection port (some modems have an additional connector usually labeled “Phone” which are for handsets) and that the line is firmly plugged into the correct phone outlet on the wall or skirting board.

If the above is not the case, then it is time to check the phone line itself. Unplug the phone line from the modem and plug in a standard handset. Lift the receiver. If there is a dial tone, then reconnect to the modem and try again. If there is no dial tone on the handset, then the problem is with the telephone line. Please contact NTC in such a case.

I can successfully connect, but the connection drops or I get disconnected after a few minutes. Why?

Line dropouts can be an extremely frustrating problem to resolve, as there are a variety of possible causes, and some of them are beyond both our control. However, the incidence of line dropouts is mainly due to the poor quality of phone lines. Please check for any kind of noise or disturbance in the phone line first. If yes, you can contact NTC and see if your line can be examined for line quality problems. Check also for the possibility that NTC may be carrying out network maintenance on your exchange - this type of work can be very disruptive to both voice and data communications, but usually last only for few hours.

Next, try disconnecting any other phone equipment attached to the phone line. Some handsets are major causes in disrupting data communications, as they pull current from the line occasionally, causing the line to either hang up or become unusable. Similarly, some hands-free and cordless stations can cause problems, as can fax machines and similar equipment.

It is also possible that your modem may be out of order. Try reducing the modem's connection speed. Older modems are more likely to be subject to this problem than newer equipment, but this is less likely to be the case than general problems with telephone line quality.