Why am I not getting a Dial Tone?

Imagine that you pick up the phone, and don't hear a dial tone. This is what is happening to the modem. Make sure that the phone cord is secure in the back of the computer in the modem, and the wall. Some modems have writing beside the phone jacks that say 'Phone' and 'Line/Telco'. Make sure that the phone cord that is plugged into the wall is also plugged in to the hole in the modem that says 'Line/Telco'. Make sure that all phones that share the computer line are on the hook. Do you have a voice mail system from Bell South? If you do, then you probably have messages waiting. The voice mail system will alert you if you have messages by sending a series of beeps to your telephone when you first pick up the handset. These beeps will interfere with your modem dialing.

Back To Tech FAQ