> > On Sep 7, 9:14 am, Vic RR Garcia <VicGar...@at-gmail.dot.com> wrote:
> >> On 09/04/12 17:51, Bill Bowden wrote:

> >>> On Sep 3, 8:02 pm, Vic RR Garcia <VicGar...@at-gmail.dot.com> wrote:
> >>>> On 09/03/12 22:46, Bill Bowden wrote:

> >>>>> I'm getting error 633 when trying to use a dial-up modem. Says the
> >>>>> port is already in use or the modem is not configured right. The modem
> >>>>> seems to be working and passes the query test in device manager. Port
> >>>>> used is COM3 but com3 does not show up in the listings of ports. I
> >>>>> tried deleting the modem and re-installing, but no help. I called
> >>>>> customer support for my ISP and they couldn't figure it out and
> >>>>> finally suggested buying an external modem running from the USB. Also,
> >>>>> the modem does work with AOL installed but doesn't work either before
> >>>>> AOL was put in or after it was removed. Seems AOL is the only one who
> >>>>> knows how to use this modem. The computer is a P4 running Win-XP

> >>>>> Any ideas?

> >>>>> -Bill

> >>>> The software you are using to dial-up is:
> >>>> broken / miss-configured / do not work with Win Modems.

> >>>> Since you do not said what Modem, program you have, cannot give you more
> >>>> specific advise.

> >>> There is no special software, just win-xp. The modem is a Lucent win
> >>> modem. I'm just using a dial-up connection made in Network Connections
> >>> (from control panel). It works fine in another computer (different
> >>> modem) also running win-xp.  All it does is establish a connection and
> >>> then I can open whatever browser or e-mail program, and they all share
> >>> the same modem connection. But there are other problems. I was unable
> >>> to delete the modem and try to re-install. The modem was deleted but
> >>> reappears when the system is re-booted. The only way I found to delete
> >>> the modem was to remove it from the computer and then it dissappears.
> >>> However, if I again plug in the modem, it reappears (without any
> >>> installation) on the next re-boot. I can't get rid of it. My service
> >>> provider tried to help and looked for a couple files that were not
> >>> found. I think one was "telephone.exe and another was a (.ini file).
> >>> There shouldn't be any extra software needed other than what is in win-
> >>> xp.

> >>> -Bill

> >> It should work with XP dial-up, so something miss-configured.
> >> The .inf file for Lucent modems are called 'mdml*.inf', if you remove
> >> those files from 'C:\Windows\Inf, it will force XP to re-install the modem.
> >> Other option will be to disable COM1: since it share the IRQ with COM3:.
> >> If none of these work, well follow your ISP advise, use a USB or
> >> external modem if you can get one.- Hide quoted text -

> > Thanks, I'll try it. I just discovered that public wifi is available
> > where I live by just using a password. I'm wondering what sort of
> > modem is needed to connect my old desk top machine to the wifi
> > network. I have heard of security issues, but I just want to use a
> > dedicated machine to read the news and watch videos on the internet
> > using the wifi connection. I'm not worried about security. It is
> > possible to do this with a simple wireless modem that connects to the
> > USB port? Something like a flash drive to plug into the USB port
> > without any complicated routers and such?

> > What hardware do I need to connect an old PC to a public wifi network?

> > -Bill