Dial-up wont dial in :(

[Dejavou]

I know this may not be the right area to post in but I figure I might get more response here. My parents just got a new computer but I haven't convinced them yet to make the switch to adsl. When I tried to connect their dial up on the new PC it wouldn't connect to the host computer, I kept getting the error message saying that it could not connect to the remote computer. I tried ringing the ISP to make sure I had all the right details etc and they also said that their system wasn't showing any connection attempts. I checked all the settings on the modem card and everything appeared to be in order, all drivers intstalled etc. When the modem tries to dial out, I can barely hear the electronic static and cannot hear at all if the modem is getting a dial tone. I have checked the phone line and the phone cable and both are working perfectly. Everything seems to be in working order but it just wont connect. Can anyone give me any suggestions to fix this problem??

[Philquad]

phone line in phone not fax connection?
isp phone number?
username
password
zonealarm? firewalls?

[Dejavou]

phone line in phone not fax connection?
isp phone number?
username
password
zonealarm? firewalls?

Modem has 2 sockets, tried both of them.
Rang the ISP to confirm number, number correct.
Username and password both correct also
only firewall is the Windows one.

Oh yeah, the OS is XP Home if that helps any...

[BCNZ]

Here's a tip:

Connect an ordinary phone to the same line as you are dialing out on. When you hit "dial connection" on the PC, pick up the phone and listen to what the modem is doing (if anything).

You should be able to hear it hook the line (dial tone level will drop), dial the number, then listen to the remote answering and acknowledging the call. Subsequent to that you should hear a series of tones and noises while authentication takes place.

I know that some modems don't allow "listen in" (the noises you normally hear from the little piezo squeaker mounted on the card) while they are dialing - especially software based units.

[z80]

A lot of people forget to set the region to Australia.

This causes the wrong tones to be sent on internal modems.

Also some cheap modems fail to detect the dial tone, so goto modem properties, advanced settings, extra settings and set the initialisation parameter of "X3".

That will dial regardless of line state.