Two ways to fix a modem

By Andy Walker

Question: My computer does not seem to respond correctly in the morning or whenever I first turn it on. I hook up to the net, but my browser will not pull up any web sites. It says: "Web-site found, waiting for reply", but nothing comes up. After a couple of minutes, it disconnects me. This only happens when my computer has first been turned on. If I leave it for 25 or 30 minutes, to "warm up", the browser works fine. I cannot access my mail, either. I tried faxing through my fax-modem, and again, it would not connect to the recipient until I'd left the computer running for half an hour. Can you help me with this problem? - T.H.M.

Answer: I once had a girlfriend with a similar problem - communication was impossible first thing in the morning. It took about a half-hour, but once she'd had a chance to wake up and had a good cup of coffee in hand, everything was great for the rest of the day. Maybe your computer's not a morning person.

Jokes aside, there's a simple solution. Actually, there are two, both variations on a theme. "The modem has probably worked its way out of its socket slightly," reckoned Jeremy Schmuland, an Edmonton-based GE Capital tech support whiz. "Once the computer has literally warmed up, the metal connectors in the socket expand just enough to come in contact and start working."

To fix it, try this: "Have her unseat and then re-seat the card in the computer's expansion slot," suggested Schmuland. If you're wary of opening the computer case for a little home repair, your neighbourhood computer technician should be able to help you.

The other possibility is there may be a bad connection in the modem's circuitry that is temporarily fixed when components heat up. If the modem is still under warranty, you might want to send it back to the manufacturer for repair or replacement.