• 1). Go to the "Start" menu, select "Control Panel," click "System and Maintenance" and select "Device Manager." Look at the list of devices to make sure the modem is installed properly. Download and install the latest modem drivers from the PC manufacturer's website.
  
  
• 2). Check the telephone cord to make sure it is connected correctly at both the phone jack and the PC port. Check the phone cable from outside. Check that it is not cut or twisted at any point anywhere.
  
  
• 3). Pick up the phone and listen to the dial tone. Listen for noisy interference over the line. Call your Internet service provider if you hear noise over the phone line, so they can perform maintenance on the phone line.
  
  
• 4). Go to the "Start" menu, select "Control Panel" and choose "Network and Internet Connections." Choose "Network Connections" and wait for a new window to appear. Call your Internet service provider (ISP) and ask them to verify your TCP/IP modem configuration. Verify that the numbers match those given by the customer service representative at the ISP.
  
  
• 5). Repeat Step 4, but instead of calling the ISP provider, click the "Configure" button next to the modem displayed in the first box. Click the "Advanced" tab and select "Flow Control" and set it to "Enabled"
  
  
• 6). Download and install a modem speed-up software package like Artera Turbo Residential, Propel Accelerator or Proxyconn Accelerator. This type of software can speed up Internet page loads for dial-up connection users.
  
  
• 7). Go to the "Start" menu and select "Control Panel." Click "Security" and "Windows Firewall." Click "Turn Windows Firewall On or Off" and click "Off." Select "OK" to close the window. Surf the Internet as you normally do.
  
  

DSL Phone Connection

• 1). Download the latest firmware and install it to your computer from the ISP or the manufacturer's website.
  
  
• 2). Change the modem if it is outdated. Current modems have higher data transmission rates.
  
  
• 3). Inspect all the phone jacks and make sure there are phone filters on all the jacks except for the one to which the modem is connected.
  
  
• 4). Go to your "Start" menu and select "Programs," "Accessories" and "System Tools." Choose "System Information" and wait for the screen to appear. Review the amount of RAM the computer has. If it has less than 512MB, you should add more RAM as this will allow the Internet to load faster.
  
  
• 5). Turn off the Windows firewall as you did in Step 7 of Section 1. Surf the Internet as you usually do.