modem grabs phone line and wont let go

[born2bl8]

Please help.
I have a DELL Dimension PC with a 'mdp3900v-w' modem. (PCI)
Not sure who manufacturer is but it has a 'conexant' driver.
When the modem is plugged into the wall socket it renders any other phones in the house without dialtone (even when the modem is not in use)
Have tried another modem with the PC and the problem is not there.
The modem functions normally.
Any help / ideas greatly appreciated.

 

[Guest_imported]

Interesting problem... Does this happen even when the PC is completely switched off, and its mains plug removed from the power socket? What happens if you get an incoming call? Does the caller get "engaged" signal, or do the phones ring as normal? Can you try taking the PC and plugging it into a different wall socket for power and phone? Or even better, take it to a neighbour's house and see if it behaves the same there.

It's possible that insertion of the modem jack into the wall socket is somehow causing an open circuit on the rest of your house phones. Try removing the phone cord from the modem end, but leaving the other end in the wall socket. Does the problem remain? If yes, look very carefully at the RG11 plug (for U.S. phones) or the BT LJU plug (for U.K. phones), and see if it is mating correctly with the pins in the wall socket. The wall socket "fingers" should all be parallel to one another.

There's a remote chance the interface on the modem has been damaged say, by a close lightning strike, the charge having got onto the phone lines in your locality.

Good luck!


ROGER - GØAOZ.