Broadband modem appears as an ISDN TA

fwor

I've got a persistent problem on the PC of one of the people that I visit regularly to (try to) fix computer problems.

Ever since I first visited 2 years ago, her USB-connected ADSL modem appears in Network Connections and Device Manager to be an ISDN Terminal Adapter.

It behaves like a dial-up modem, in that it displays a dial-up dialogue box when you try to connect to the Internet, unless you select the option to "dial automatically".

But in reality it is a Speedtouch ADSL modem, provided by her ISP, and there is no other modem in the PC.

Several times now I have tried disconnecting the modem, deleting the device in Device Mangler and then reconnecting it, but it simply reappears as an ISDN TA. In fact she has changed ISP twice in those two years, but different makes/models of modem always do the same.

The internet connection itself seems to work fine, and is definitely not running at glacial dial-up speeds.

I've Googled but not found a clear answer. Does anyone here know: Is this normal? Can or should it be fixed? I've tried to explain to the user that she really is on broadband (by showing that she can make a phone call while on the internet) but she doesn't seem to believe me...

(Forgot to say: PC is a very ordinary 3 year old Evesham running XP Home)

isofa

There are some settings which bring up a "dial up" type connection box on ADSL modems, or require a prefix "number" to start the connection - so perhaps if this was changed in the config it'd connect more transparently?

Perhaps it's just a quirk with the driver/model of modem why it appears as a ISDN TA, it's essentially a very similar device, without dialing properties, running over ADSL.

If it was connected via Ethernet, not USB, it'd not even need to appear as a device, and you could just manage it from a webpage. (I've a SpeedTouch ADSL router!)

fwor

isofa wrote: »

Perhaps it's just a quirk with the driver/model of modem why it appears as a ISDN TA, it's essentially a very similar device, without dialing properties, running over ADSL.

I think you're right there - the driver for the first modem connected to her PC must have had this quirk, and every subsequent one has simply "inherited" it - probably from a key in the registry. But I've no realistic prospect of finding that.

TBH I was hoping to find evidence that it is normal, expected behaviour in XP, and thus avoid yet another 30 mile call out to install another modem that I know won't fix the problem!

basill

I dont think this is unusual, My cousin has a USB ADSL modem like yours which only connects on demand and uses the `dialling a connection` box when it connects and authenticates with the ISP. I`ve set it to dial automatically but it still shows the dialling window. Also for some reason gets unset after a while.

I think setting it to dial automatically is the best you can do.

Most ISPs seem to issue ADSL routers these days so the whole sign on to the ISP process is hidden from the user. Perhaps your friend has seen always on internet access somewhere and is wondering why his setup is different. If you explain that a router connects as soon as it is powered up, while his USB modem goes off when he turns his computer off and only connects again when the system requires internet access you might get some peace?

B