PC help again: Okay, I give in, why does it happen?

[Adrian Bamforth]

Hi all,

Okay, my PC is working well again but there's a mysterious problem still unfixed that no-one seems to have a clue about:

I plug my computer into the phone socket and any phones in the house that are already plugged in somewhere else, or plugged into the same socket with a splitter adaptor let out a long continuous ring. It doesn't stop 'til I switch the phone onto silent or unplug the lead.

I have changed everything: The lead, the modem, the adaptor, the phones.

It happens whether the PC is switched on or off.

It only happens when the other end of the lead is in the PC.

It's baffled everyone - any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

[pauljholden]

Have you adsl?

If so you need one of BTs filters on EVERY telephone extension on that line, a normal phone plugs into the filter.

If you don't have adsl you might consider trying a different modem on your computer.

- pj

[Noisybast]

Is it a dialup modem or ADSL?

Having asked an ADSL-savvy colleague, he reckons it's probably something to do with the phone socket you're using. Possibly a dodgy extension. He reckons ADSL filters shouldn't make much difference.

Can you try connecting the PC to a different phone socket to see if it causes the same problem?

Failing that, can you get hold of a different PC (a mate with a laptop would be ideal)?

[Noisybast]

This forum might offer some insight:

"I have had problems with modem leads too! One modem, when plugged in made all the telephone bells ring! changing to a two way lead cured it.

Here in UK, the terminals 2 and 5 in the socket are the line wres, terminal 3 being the "ring" wire. Some modems, and only some, seem to have the terminals connected internally 1 to 2 to 3, and 4 to 5 to 6. If you use a four way lead with these modems, the ring wire is connected to line and - continuous ring!  

Took me ages to sort it out the first time, now I carry a spare two way lead, just for checking! As a last resort, if you can't get a two way lead, open up the wall jack, and remove the wire on terminal 3 so there are only two connected. ( but you cannot then use a telephone on that jack)"

Link: http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21378" target="_blank">The PC Guide

[Tiplodocus]

Clutching at straws, I know, but I have to ship my grey haired mother off to NZ for a family wedding shortly and am having trouble coming up with a good combination of reasonable Business Class price and reasonable journey time.

Travelling from Glasgow the best price I've come up with so far is on Emirates via Dubai (DXB - which, for obvious reasons, amuses me everytime I see it) with stops (but not getting off the plane) in Bangkok and Sydney.  

But it's a bum numbing 37 hours total journey time which may just be a little too long for her.  

Any suggestions?


PS: It's absolutely shocking how much the fares vary for this sort of thing - the one I'v epicked out on Expedia comes in at FIVE GRAND cheaper than the BA or Air  NewZealand equivalents!

[Adrian Bamforth]

That sounds like the problem to me, thanks, I'll go get a 2-way lead tomorrow (the problem started when I replaced the modem, though I replaced it again and found it still happened, by which point I was just happy the computer was working again).

Cheers,

ADE

[Adrian Bamforth]

While I'm at it just one more thing - my PC seems to be stuck in US keyboard mode i.e. there's no pound sign just dollars, ever since I re-installed Windows XP. I can't exactly remember entering the wrong setting when installing XP, does anyone know if I can switch back to UK mode without reinstalling it again?

Normal comics and Dr Who chat will be resumed shortly.

ADE

[Funt Solo]

start | settings | control panel | regional and language options

[Adrian Bamforth]

Thanks for that, I thought I'd done it but didn't look close enough.

The latest:

The computer shop say it's very hard to get a 2-way cable but when I returned the first (identical) modem back to them they tested it and had no problem, they have been using those particular modems for ages. He suggested it might be worth calling BT and see if the gain is turned up too high. I'm not convinced since it seems too much of a coincidence that the problem started when I reinstalled the computer could it be a setting somewhere that is set to 4-way mode rather than 2-way mode or something like that?

ADE

[Noisybast]

What kind of modem is it?

[Adrian Bamforth]

Narrowband: Intel(R)536EP Modem

ADE

[WoD]

What happens if you unplug one of the phones?  I ask because (years ago) we had lots of phones in an old house and when we plugged in one more it did the same thing, like some phone-critical-mass...

[Quirkafleeg]

I'm not saying it's this but... ages ago I know someone who had similar (but not identical problems) and it was due to having cheap-o 'low resistance' telephones (according to the BT engineer).

[Adrian Bamforth]

Seems to happen no matter how many phones are plugged in.

Might call BT and ask about resistance/gain.

ADE

[Noisybast]

Did you try plugging the PC into someone else's phone line and/or plugging someone else's PC into your phone line?

That would tell you if the problem lies with the PC or your phone line.