Modem Autopsy

[COLN]

Just being curious about what killed my Zoom modem. It had been working just fine, connecting at a very acceptable dial up speed. It is a Zoom 56k dualmode. Last Friday, we lost our connections as someone had cut one of those cables. I could dial into the ISP to send mail but not receive nor get on the internet. Periodically through the day the isp seemed to come alive for just a few minutes. I can not conceive of any way the lack of correct data transmission could harm it but by Sat morning it was kaput. If you left it plugged into the telephone lines, all telephones lines in the house were dead. The other pcs could not dial out and the telephones had no dial tone. So is there any way leaving it plugged in while there were circuit problems could have done it in. BTW it was plugged into a good surge suppressor and there were no storms so that couldn't be the source.

[rangeral]

What cable do you mean? House phone line or the modem line going to the wall outlet?

[userserver]

This often happens when the coil takes a hit (surge) and is not uncommon for zoom modems and other modems based on same chipset. When a cable is cut while powered, voltage surges are the rule. (AC voltage surge is a rate of change differential)

Some modems and chipsets can handle this better than others.

[COLN]

It was one of those Sprint? cables running from Chicago north. The kind that sends banks, their atms's, emergency services, and isps out of service. Have an older Supra which I decided to install. Still in it's sealed package. Now all I have to do is identifiy it, no model number on the box and nothing but a software disk inside, I'll have to download the drivers once I know what it is. I find that a bit strange and have looked at every folder on the cd; no drivers. And windows doesn't find anyi inf file either although it sees the modem.

[AllGamer]

just Use the Windows STANDARD or GENERIC drivers, that will do

[rmanet]

I've always had pretty good luck with those older supra modems, you sure there's no ID silk-screened on the card, or the chip and/or other numbers stamped will normally get you pretty close?

www.driverguide.com has a load of drivers for 'em

and maybe RMA the zoom modem if it's new enough?