Q.1) Why won't my modem connect at speeds higher than 33.6K?
Our entire system is 100% 56K capable using either the K56Flex or v.90 protocols. If your modem has either of these protocols built into it, then you should be able to achieve a connection within an acceptable 56K range. It is common to see speeds anywhere from 42000bps (bits per second) to 52000bps. Keep in mind, however, that speeds of 38400, 57600, or 115200 are not actual connection speeds.

There are several factors that affect the speed at which you connect, however:

1. The quality of your phone line - depending on the quality of the phone lines inside your home, you could experience varying degrees of connection speeds. Make sure you have an undamaged line going from your computer to the wall. Also consider the age of the phone lines inside your wall. If your wiring is 15+ years old, you may want to consider replacing it. The most common sign of this type of wear is static or noise on the phone line.

2. Other devices connected to the line - consider the fact that the more devices you have connected to the phone line you're using, the more problems you will run in to. This applies to phones, answering machines, fax machines, etc. that are connected to the line, even if they're in other rooms. Try removing all other devices from the line you are using and connect. Some people have reported jumping in speed as high as 10K after removing devices from the line.

3. The distance between your computer and the wall - if the phone line you use to connect your computer to the wall is longer than 10 feet, then you might want to consider a smaller phone line (most modems come with a 6 foot cord for that very reason). Also, if you have splitters, surge suppressors, or other connectors between the modem and the plug in the wall, these can affect your connection. Try removing them, with only the cord between the wall and the modem.

4. Drivers and Firmware updates - check with the manufacturer of your modem to ensure that you have the newest drivers and firmware updates for your modem. An excellent resource for finding these is 56K.com. If you can upgrade your modem from K56Flex to v.90, it is highly recommended as you may see better performance from the modem.

Q.2) Why do I get an error code when I try to connect?
Error codes help our technical support department accurately find the cause and solution to many problems with dial-up networking connections in Windows 95/98/98SE.

The following list of common error codes can help you discover how to solve any problems you may be running into:

Error 602 - this means that another program or device is trying to use the serial port that your modem uses. Make sure that there are no other programs open that use your modem, such as terminal programs, or fax software. If you don't find any such programs open, then restart your computer. Many times Windows will open a port and not close it properly, therefore requiring you to restart your computer.

Error 629, 650, 678- this error can occur for several different reasons. The most important thing to check is the kind of modem you have. If you see any reference to a "Soft" modem, "Winmodem" or HSP modem, then it is what is commonly called a controllerless modem. To solve the problem, double click on the "My Computer" icon on your desktop, then double click on "Dial-up Networking". Click on the "Everyone's Internet" icon using the right mouse button. Select "Properties" in the pop-up menu. Then down towards the bottom of the box that appears, click on the "Configure" button. Then select the "Connection" tab, then click the "Advanced" button and make sure that "Flow Control" is selected and that it is set to "Software (XON/XOFF)". If it wasn't, then make the change and press ok until you're back to where you started. The problem should now be solved.

Error 691 - Your password and/or userID have been typed incorrectly. Verify that you are typing them in exactly as you provided them to us when you signed up. This includes making sure you put lower case and upper case where it is supposed to be. If you're not sure whether your userID/password is lower case or upper case, it is probably lowercase. If this doesn't solve the problem, try restarting your computer. Many times this corrects the problem when all else has failed.

Q.3) Where can I get the newest drivers/firmware updates for my modem?
56K.com provides links to most major modem manufacturers. It is important to update your drivers and firmware on your modem so that connection problems are reduced, and you will receive fixes for known problems with older drivers/firmware updates. This is especially important for K56Flex or X2 modems so that you can use the v.90 protocol, or if you own a controllerless modem such as a Lucent Technologies (LT) Win modem.

Q.4) What do I do once I connect?
You can either launch your Web browser (VIP PowerNet Browser) or your email program or both. Many people actually use the email program built into their browser, so that launching your browser is all you need to do initially. Then you can use your default homepage such as www.msn.com to read the latest news, get the sports scores, find out what your stocks are trading at, or search for something specific with your page's built-in search engine. Your options are almost limitless. And if you know the URL (Web address) of somewhere you'd like to visit, all you need to do is enter it into your browser, hit the Enter key, and you're there.

Q.5) How do I disconnect or sign off?
Disconnecting is very similar to connecting. You click on the Disconnect button on your dialer to disconnect, just as you clicked on the Connect button to connect. Please wait for verification that you are disconnected before you close your program. You can also sign off from the browser by clicking on the fourth icon from the top right corner of the browser.

Q.6) What speed should I connect at?
The speed at which you connect to the Internet is determined by a number of factors:
1) The speed of your modem
2) The modem type and speed supported at the number you dialed
3) The quality of the phone lines in your area
4) The amount of traffic on the Net
Because of all these factors, you should not expect your connection speed to be exactly the same as the speed listed for your modem. Very often it is actually less.

Q.7) What does v.34 mean?
v.34 (pronounced "V-dot-thirty-four") is the name of the international standard established for modems connecting between 28.8Kbps and 33.6Kbps.

Q.8) What does V.90 mean?
v.90 (pronounced "V-dot-ninety") is the name of the international standard agreed on for all 56K modems. Before that standard was reached, there were two different proprietary standards for 56K modems: one called x2 and supported by 3Com/U.S. Robotics; the other called K56flex and supported by Rockwell and Lucent.

Q.9) How long can I be logged into your system before I'm knocked off?
On our network, we try to give all the time you need to do what you need without wasting access to other customers. Our polices about knocking off customers is only if they stay idle for over 10 minutes. We have no policy concerning the total time you can spend online per month, however, we ask that you are actively using the connection while logged in.

Q.10) Why do I sometimes get busy signals?
VIP PowerNet works hard to eliminate busy signals, but they are still an occasional fact of life on the Internet. You get a busy signal if too many VIP PowerNet members are trying to connect to the Internet using the same phone number at the same time. This happens infrequently for VIP PowerNet members because we have more dial-up Internet access numbers than most of the other Internet service providers. More numbers mean fewer busy signals.

Q.11) Can I expect to achieve 56kbps transmission over existing phone lines?
The condition of the local loop will determine the actual performance level achieved. Some lines will support 56kbps all the time, while other lines are not capable of supporting it. Other lines will permit speeds between 33.6 and 56kbps. Therefore do not be alarmed if you realize that you are connecting at 40 - 50Kbps. That is very good enough, and that's normal too!

Q.12) What is a "modem" and why do I need one?
"MODEM" stands for "MODulate/DEModulate". It translates the digital signals used by your computer into analog signals used by the current phone system. The current telephone wires do not communicate the same way that computers do. Computers talk with electronic pulses, and phones use different tones and vibrations to communicate. What a modem does, is take those electronic pulses and translates them into tones and vibrations, so that they can be transferred over the phone line. At the receiving end, the modem will take these vibrations and tones and translate them into the electronic pulses that the computer understands. Basically the modem works as a translator between your computer and your telephone.

Q.13) When I try to dial, I get this error message: "Modem Not Responding"?
Make sure the modem is properly connected and switched on. If you have an external modem, power cycle it by turning it off for a minute and then power on again. Otherwise, reboot the computer if you have an internal modem. Also, step the baud rate (port speed) down from 57600 to 38400, attempting a connection at each speed. If it works when set lower than 19200, contact the manufacturer. Contact the modem's manufacturer for possible driver and/or firmware updates. If your modem is new or fairly new, do not assume that it has the latest updates. Also, try adding or changing the Modem-Init String. Check for any IRQ conflicts.

In Windows 3.x, go to the DOS prompt and type MSD. Go to IRQ Status and make sure nothing else is using the same IRQ as the modem's COM port.

In Windows 95, go to My Computer, Control Panel then System. Open the Device Manager, highlight the modem's COM port and choose Properties, and check the settings here for any problems.

Q.14) Windows 95 says it cannot determine my modem or it cannot find it?
The modem may not be properly installed. Check for any loose cable connection between your modem and your computer. Windows 95 may not have a compatible driver for it. You may be able to configure it as a standard modem for a temporary workaround. However, to have it work to its fullest capability and properly you must obtain a Windows 95 driver from the manufacturer of your modem.

Q.15) Sometimes when I am online I get disconnected suddenly. What could be causing this?
There are several reasons as to why you may be cut off: You may not have call waiting disabled. If you have call waiting and it is not disabled you can get disconnected when someone tries to call you on the other line. You may have been disconnected due to a data transfer error. This can occur if data is either being received too slow or too fast. In the modem settings (follow previous directions to get to this section) choose the appropriate modem speed. If you have a 28.8kbps or higher modem, choose 57600 as maximum speed. If you have a 14.4kbps modem, choose 19200 as maximum speed. It may be just a fluke thing. Sometimes some problems happen that cannot be explained. If it was a one time thing it was probably due to a bad data transfer.

Q.16) When I try to dial, I get "No Dial Tone"?
This happens when you forget to plug your telephone line into your modem or the telephone line may be bad. A common problem is plugging your telephone line into the wrong jack on your modem. Many modems have two jacks, one for the telephone line and one for the telephone handset. Double check to make sure. There is usually label indication on the modem itself. Another common problem is that some other device on the same telephone line (e.g., a telephone answering machine) is off-hook. Double check to make sure that all other devices are on-hook. There may be a problem on your telephone line. Make sure that you can get a dial tone on a telephone handset connected to and through your modem when the modem (or computer in the case of an internal modem) is turned off. You can also perform a self test by connecting the telephone line to a telephone, make an outgoing call and listen for noises and echo.

Q.17) Why can't I use my telephone while I'm on the Internet?
I do have call-waiting Even though you have call-waiting, you only have one phone line. When you are using the Internet you are essentially occupying the telephone line, which makes it unavailable for voice calls. Call-waiting can interrupt your Internet transmissions and it's recommended that you turn it off before connecting.

Q.18) Unable to initialize modem?
There are many possible reasons that your modem may not initialise. We recommend that you attempt the following suggested solutions: Check the telephone line's physical connection from the modem to the wall. Ensure that the phone cable is connected to the line jack of your modem. Also, make sure that you have configured the correct settings on your system for your modem port. In your dialer, select the correct settings for your modem type. If your modem is not listed in the modem list of your dialer, choose Hayes Compatible or Standard modem, then try to dial again. Refer to your modem user guide to determine if your modem is Hayes compatible or Rockwell based, as Rockwell based modems will not work with a Hayes initstrings. If you are using an internal modem, ensure that your modem's IRQ is not conflicting with other devices, for example your mouse. If your mouse is running on COM1, configure your modem as COM4 with IRQ 3 IO Addr 2E8. If it is in COM2, then choose COM3 with IRQ4 IO Addr 3E8. If both ports are in use, choose IRQ9 or 15 for your internal modem. Please refer to your modem user guide for instructions to change IRQs and Addresses. Windows 3.1(and above) users using PCMCIA modem cards will need to have your card configuration software(supplied by your modem vendors) to recognise the PCMCIA card before you can configure the modem to be used in your computer. Windows 95 users, please refer to your modem installation guide provided by your modem vendors for instructions on configuring PCMCIA modem cards. Please be informed that your card will not work if your configuration software cannot detect its presence. Not ruling out the possibility that your modem may not disconnect properly after the last connection, due to modem or port problems, try unplugging the phone cable from your modem port and fit in again. Try connecting once more.

Q.19) Unable to open communication port?
If you have other modem/fax softwares running on your system, close them first. Also, if you are using a 3-button mouse or mouse-system mouse driver, use the Microsoft mouse driver instead. If your system comes with a telephony applications (usually PCs with internal modems) close these applications first before connecting to Pacific Internet. As there are no standards layed for telephony systems, every telephony system will have its unique way of disabling the telephony applications. Users of telephony system are therefore advised to seek your hardware vendors or PC user guides for assistance to disable them. Compaq Presario users will need to disable the MediaPilot operator before connecti ng to Internet. Acer users who have the Phoenix telephony operator and Acer desktop running on your systems, please close these 2 programs before connecting to the Internet.