Why am I getting "No Dial Tone"?

A "no dialtone" error can be caused by something as straightforward as a loose phone cord (just as it would on a telephone), or something as obscure as a missing modem driver or corrupted dialer settings. Here is a checklist of possible solutions:

1. Make sure the phone cord is connected securely, and is not crimped or frayed in any way. If you are unsure, try a different cord.
   

2. Most modems have two phone jacks on the back panel, one labeled line and a pass-through (for a phone or fax machine) labeled phone. The cord should be plugged into the line jack. You can still try switching it to the opposite jack.
   

3. Make sure the wall jack is in good working order. If you have a modular telephone, disconnect the phone cord from the back of the modem and connect it to the phone. Can you get a dialtone through the phone?
   

4. If you are in an office or other specialized environment and don't normally hear a tone when making voice calls, this will confuse the modem. You must configure the modem not to "wait for dial tone".
   

5. If you have voice mail service with your phone company and have messages waiting, there will be several skips before you hear a dialtone. The modem will not recognize this correctly. Check your messages before connecting to the Internet, or set the modem not to "wait for dial tone".
   

6. If you are using Windows 95 or Windows 98, in rare circumstances it may help to create a new Dial-Up Networking connection.
   

7. As a last resort, reinstall any modem files, drivers, extensions, libraries, etc. Consult your modem documentation for help.
   

8. If all this fails to pinpoint the problem, the modem may be damaged. Try a different modem or have it serviced by a qualified technician.