Re: Problem setting up broadband from Tiscali

"Tickettyboo" <tickettyboo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:5dmqmlF35eh19U1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Friend has signed up. usb modem and cd arrived, line actvated
and checked by BT

Is this a completely new ADSL Connection on that Phone Line?

Or is it a "Migration" from a previously working ADSL Connection
with another ISP?

What Make & Model of Modem is it?

& does it have an Ethernet Socket as well as the USB Socket?
It's far easier to get a Modem Connected up to the PC using Ethernet,
rather than USB, cos Ethernet doesn't need any Drivers, whereas USB
does & USB Drivers can often be problematic.

What Make & Model of Computer is it?

& What Operating System does it use?

If it's Vista, then many USB Modems don't come with the correct
Drivers for Vista & won't work properly (if at all).

Some Manufacturers (such as Thomson/Alcatel/SpeedTouch) do now have
Vista Drivers available for their USB Modems, but they need to be
Downloaded from their WebSite, which may be a prob for someone who
doesn't have an Internet Connection though.

He tried to install the software from the cd ( presumably drivers
plus a load of Tiscali branded stuff)
Apparently the install stopped part way through with an error that
'may' have been numbered 1040.

Can you find out what the actual Error Message was?
& also, at what point "part way through" in the Installation it failed.

Long and tortuous calls to Tiscali help desk ensued. Must have been
difficult with an Indian accent and a North of Scotland accent :-)
Friend was led through various changes to his set up, most of which
he can't remember and still no joy.
Conversation ended with the verdict that it was 'something on his
laptop stopping the software installing' No info as to what that may
or may not be.

If he is using Vista, then that may be what's stopping it from
Installing.

If he's not, then there are loads of other reasons that might be
stopping it.

We'd need more Info to be able to suggest what it may or may not be.

Laptop now no longer auto connects to the wifi at his Dad's house
when he visits

Oh bums!!!
:-(

Can he Connect to the (or any) WiFi Network Manually?

& can he Connect to the WiFi Router thingy OK using an Ethernet Cable?

To the best of my knowledge his laptop uses Windows Firewall and AVG.
I have advised him to do a system restore back to the point before he
embarked on this, duly done and wifi still not functioning.

What about doing a System Restore to a (different) earlier point?

Am waiting for the model of laptop (Packard Bell) to Google in case
there is a wifi 'switch' that could have been turned off by a key
stroke combination.

Yep.
But if the failed Install has caused a *Network* prob (screwed up the
Network Settings), then it won't work with the WiFi or any other thing
(such as USB) either.
So (if that's the case) he will have to sort out that prob in addition
to getting the USB Modem working.

Next advice was to 'borrow' an old Binatone modem, and see if the
cd for that will install. Not yet done.

In my experience, it's actually relatively easy (& in many cases
preferable) to Install most USB Modems *without* actually "Running"
the ISP's CD!!!

When you "Run" the ISP's CD it Installs a whole pile of other stuff,
which can cause all sorts of probs, if not there & then, later on,
down the Line.

Like you said at the beginning - "He tried to install the software
from the cd ( presumably drivers plus a load of Tiscali branded stuff)"

Just bung the CD into the Drive but *don't* let it AutoRun - Hold
down the Shift Key when you Insert the Disk, or just Exit out of the
AutoRun Screen.

Then Plug in the Modem, which should Trigger the "Found New Hardware"
Wizard thingy & when it says it can't find the Drivers, tell it to
look on the CD (& you may need to also tell it which Folder on the
CD to look in, so it's a good idea to Browse the CD first, so you know
what Folders there are on it)

You may need to choose the [Advanced...] Button & then Press the
[Have Disk...] Button & then Browse to the Folder on the CD where
the Drivers are - look for Files with a File Extension of .inf,
which is what the "Found New Hardware" Wizard needs.

I am a long way away and to get there to 'see' the set up atm.

Yes, oh dear - I can understand the problem you have.
If you could actually "see" what was what, it would be a lot easier
to suss it all out.

& trying to get them to describe what's happening (& then trying to
explain to them what to do) is very much more difficult, when you
can't "see" it, isn't it?
:-(

Anyone got any experience of something similar

Yep!
I expect lots of people have!...

I've had quite a bit of experience of Installing various USB Modems
on various different sorts of PCs - Desktops & Laptops.

/suggestions about this possible error message?

More details are needed about that, before we can come up with any
sensible suggestions..

What does Device Manager say about the Modem?
Is the Modem still showing up as (partly) Installed?

He may need to UnInstall it from Device Manager, to be able to
satisfactorily Install it again, properly.

Also, he will need to find out if the basic Network stuff
(The TCP/IP Stack etc,) is still OK.

Can he Ping his own Machine?

Start>Run cmd /k ping 127.0.0.1 [OK]

Get him to do that - it should come back with some lines all beginning
"Reply from ...", followed by a summary. If the ping doesn't get a
Reply even from his own Machine, then that will need sorting out.

But if it does, then that means the Network stuff is basically OK.

I would suggest (if you can't get up there to sort it out) that
if you/he don't want to (or don't have time to) do a whole load
of "Faffing" & "Fiddling" around, that it might be a good idea for
him to just go out & buy an ADSL Modem (or Modem/Router) that has an
*Ethernet* Connection on it.

USB Modems are OK usually, *if* you can get them to Install properly.
But Ethernet Modems/Routers are far better & have less trouble when
Installing (cos there's no Drivers needed) & they are also *much*
easier to Troubleshoot & diagnose/track down/sort out probs later on,
when the (inevitable) "Internet Connection" probs happen.

HTH

--
pmj


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