One would think that if you saw a message saying "No answer," "No Dialtone," or "The Line is Busy" that the problem would have to be that CoreComm or the phone company weren't picking up the line... but that's not always the case. A lot of the time, the true reason for these problems are software-related, or have a reason that you wouldn't expect.

There are two common causes of this error message.

In Windows 95/98, there is a setting "Disconnect if not connected in X seconds", where X is the timeout value for the connection (typically 60 seconds). If X is too low, however, being less than 20 seconds, this message will appear nearly -every- time you try to dial in. Go into My Computer -> Dial-up Networking, right-click on the CoreComm icon and select Properties. Click on Configure, then select the Connection tab, and check to make sure that this value is not set too low.

If it is set to the default 60 seconds, you may wish to set it higher (90 or 120 seconds). Generally speaking however, if your modem does not connect within 30 seconds, it's probably not going to connect. If a modem encounters adverse line conditions while it is handshaking (making the various tones that test and determine the speed of the connection), the modem will try to handshake at lower and lower speeds. If you hear your modem making the handshaking tones for an extremely long period of time, that indicates that the modem cannot connect at a normal speed, and is trying something lower. If the quality of the connection is extremely poor, the modem will eventually give up and disconnect... returning the "The Computer You Are Dialing is Not Answering" error message. If your modem is taking an extremely long time to handshake and cannot connect, you should contact your local phone company, as there is most likely trouble on the line.

If neither of the above is the case, try picking up your phone and dialing our local access number, exactly as it is listed in your software. If you hear a modem pick up, the problem is likely some trouble on the line, but your modem's speaker is turned off and you simply cannot hear the handshaking. If you get something other than a modem's tones, or repeated ringing, ensure that the number you're dialing is indeed one of CoreComm's local access numbers. Also, if you do -not- have call waiting, make sure that you're not inadvertently dialing a code to disable call waiting before dialing the number. Dialing *70 when you do not have call waiting can lead to problems of this sort. If you're in an office environment, make sure that you have the number set up on your computer to dial any prefix necessary to get an outside line, such as putting 9 in front of the number.

If you are getting a NO DIALTONE message when you try to connect with us, it is possible that an extension on the same line as the modem has been taken off the hook. You may also have the line connected to the wrong jack on the back of your modem or computer (make sure the cord goes from the plug in the wall to the jack on the modem labeled "Line" or "Telco" and NOT "Phone"). Those who have more than one modem installed in their computer must make sure the line is connected to the correct modem. Also, Voice Mail services from the phone company makes a certain tone when you pick up the phone to indicate that you have messages. This tone will defeat many modems, so be sure to check if you have any voice mail messages if you receive a NO DIALTONE message.

There are three different types of busy signals: a standard busy, a "fast busy", and an operator message. Unfortunately, if your computer encounters any of those three, it will simply return "The Line is Busy" while not specifying the exact type. The only way to check what type of busy signal you're receiving is to pick up your phone and dial the number listed in your dialer's configuration to hear which type you receive.

While we try our best to have enough modems for our customers at each of our locations, there may be times when all of our lines are full. You will hear a "standard busy" in these cases. It is extremely rare to ever find that any of our dial-up lines are busy. If you are getting recurring busy signals it is possible that you're dialing the wrong number (your own for instance), or are neglecting to dial a 9 before the number if you're required to do so. If you're only receiving sporadic busy signals only during peak times, if you try redialing immediately, you will be able to connect. We constantly monitor the usage of our modem pools, so if a particular number is filling up during peak times, we will order more equipment for that number immediately.

If you call and get a "fast busy", the problem may be caused by an equipment failure at either CoreComm or at the phone company. If you are getting a "fast busy", we recommend attempting to connect to one of our alternate local access numbers, if one is available in your area. If not, you may want to try calling the original number later. If the fast busy signal persists, you will want to call your local phone company (dial 0 to speak with the operator) and report the problem.

"Operator messages" can also be interpreted as busy signals by your software. This is when the phone company comes on the line to give you a message such as "Your number could not be completed as dialed" or that you need to dial an area code in front of the number. If this is the case, follow the instructions given to you by the voice you hear when you dial in for that situation.