# how to disable modem



## vonique (Feb 28, 2004)

Hi all,

New member here with a question about modems. How does one go about disabling a modem? For example, if there are two installeed modems but you only want to use one?

Thank you,
Vonique


----------



## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

Cant give you step by step without knowing which operating system you are using, but general idea is to go into your device manager, click the plus sign next to modem, right click on the one you dont want and choose "disable" or "disable in this hardware profile"


----------



## raybro (Apr 27, 2003)

Hi vonique... and welcome to TSG. 

In order to answer your question accurately, we need to know what OS you are using.


----------



## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Hi and welcome. I guess I'm wondering why you have 2 installed modems anyway


----------



## vonique (Feb 28, 2004)

Hi all,

I don't really have two modems, but this is a hypothetical example given to me by my instructor who gave us an assignment to find out how to disable a modem. The example suggested that someone might want to keep the old one in after installing the new one to make sure it works before yanking out the old one. I couldn't find it anywhere in the book, and we are supposed to go to the internet to research it, so I don't consider it cheating if I ask you guys. 
I have Windows XP Pro but I can find my way around the other Windows OS's as well. I knew about device manager being able to disable drivers, but I thought in this example I would have to go through CMOS setup. 
I'm studying for my A+ certification and I'm glad to have stumbled onto this website. 
Would this be a good place to come to ask basic hardware and software questions?

Thanks,
Vonique


----------



## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

We don't do homework here 

I'm glad I asked.

And no, it wouldn't be, if all you are doing is have us do your research for you.


----------



## Gill (Dec 4, 2001)

hiya vonique 

if you ever find out how to do it, please tell me, because I've been trying to find out for months, because last year the lightening struck my internal modem, so I couldn't use it, so I bought an external one, which works great, but pcpitstop is still detecting my old modem, even though it doesn't work.

Good luck in your assignment.

Gill


----------



## starchild (Sep 17, 2002)

Gil, what if you just open the computer and pull the no good modem out?

Or, do you mean you did that?

That would also be a way of disabling a modem, wouldn't it?

Or, find it in device manager and uninstall it (the driver).

I once spent 6 weeks trying to get a computer to detect a modem (and tried several, and a lot of help here) but I don't know how it was doing it 

If I were trying to figure this out I'd put "disable modem" in google search and see what websites about it came up.

As to the homework, why would a teacher ask a question like that without giving some source of where the answer might be?

Don't teachers TEACH, or give assignments to read and then ask questions based on that?

~ Carrie


----------



## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

> _Originally posted by vonique:_
> *and we are supposed to go to the internet to research it, *


Gill, either take it out as Carrie has suggested, or if you don't want to open the computer, go into device manager and check the box to disable in this hardware profile, it'll leave a red x on it, but at least it won't be 'stealing' resources or an IRQ.


----------



## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

> go into device manager and check the box to disable in this hardware profile, it'll leave a red x on it, but at least it won't be 'stealing' resources or an IRQ.


hmmm....I thought I said that. I must be typing in invisible ink 

hehe


----------



## starchild (Sep 17, 2002)

I never thought of that, (device manager) and yet is seems to obvious, now.

Probably not many people try and get something NOT to work 

~ Carrie


----------



## lazarus118 (Feb 28, 2004)

Your internal modem, is it a PCI card or built in to the motherboard? If it's a PCI remove it physically. If it is built in go into your BIOS and disable it there.


----------



## starchild (Sep 17, 2002)

I'm thinking that someone might want to disable a modem so someone else can't go online, or might think it's broken?

If it's a school assignment, won't the teacher give the correct answer at some point, for those who couldn't find out the answer?

Aside from that, I don't know if everyone (especially newbies) knows how to go into the BIOS and do anything, let alone disable something, without specific exact steps.

I know I have looked at and done things in the BIOS but would still need to know exactly what to do for most things.

Somewhere... when I was trying to get a modem to work last year, I remember seeing how two could be set up (I'd get mine set up on more than one port- and they could be alternated by clicking on them). It was somewhere in the labyrinth of Device Manager.

There's also ADD/REMOVE HARDWARE- can one of the modems be "removed" with that?

~ Carrie


----------



## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

yes you can use add/remove hardware but if you do it that way and then don't physically remove the modem from the computer, windows will autodetect and reinstall it on the next reboot.

Disabling it will allow you to keep it in the computer physically but have it not use any resources.


EDIT:

As for the BIOS, it's usually not possible to do it that way. The exception would be a modem actually built into the motherboard or if your bios gave you the option to disable your PCI slot.


----------



## jcroix2002 (Apr 22, 2003)

solution: get broadband

 jc


----------



## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

Ya, that way you can deal with 2 network cards instead of modems


----------



## starchild (Sep 17, 2002)

Okay, JToast, I didn't think of that 

Windows would keep trying to instal it.

Someone recently suggested I try and answer questions if I have any ideas about them(making sure it was clear I really don't know and just TrYING) as part of learning.

I think it's a good idea and I am learning.

~ Carrie


----------



## vonique (Feb 28, 2004)

AcaCandy,

Before I stumbled onto this website (through "research") I typed in "disable modem" at Google and there came to me a list of DOS commands and all this other mumbo jumbo of which I could make neither heads nor tails. So I did another search on several other search engines and the same things came up. I also typed in the same search on XP Pro's "help" link. I spent about an hour and a half "researching" and then this website came up. Did I do enough "research" for you to give up and ask someone for help?
Anyway, this class I'm taking is an online class and the guy is, well, he's not too quick to answer emails so I usually like to get other help before I do that because it takes so long and we only have a week before we need to submit the homework. Usually he does put a link or two in, but this time he didn't and honestly I wasn't sure what he was looking for but I'm pretty sure it wasn't DOS commands as we are not studying those. 
So I can't come here for A-plus questions?


Thanks anyway,
Vonique


----------



## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

If that is a question for me, then I'd say to make your post very clear that it's an A-plus class question. There may be folks around here that don't mind helping with homework, but I do know there are many that don't and won't, and it's clearly not fair to lead people to believe that we are working with a real problem that will eventually lead to a real solution, and not some hypothetical question that we will never see marked SOLVED 

I hope that makes sense 

JToast, I saw your invisible ink post, I was more directing my duplicate answer to Carrie, as either she didn't see your post, or just wanted to hear the same thing twice  And I agree with you on not being able to disable from bios unless it is onboard and there is an option to


----------



## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

I know AcaCandy. Was just kidding.

Oh, and I don't mind answering homework type questions, just(as AcaCandy said) make sure you tell us up front.

EDIT:


> Someone recently suggested I try and answer questions if I have any ideas about them(making sure it was clear I really don't know and just TrYING) as part of learning.


Helping others is one of the best ways to learn. Everytime I research a question I learn some small fact I didn't know before.


----------



## starchild (Sep 17, 2002)

Seems lilke if anyone knew the answer it would have been quicker and easier to just answer it in the first place.

Also, you never know, someone with an actual problem might someday search the site, find the answer and not have to go through all this.

I probably didn't see he post with the duplicate answer, when click on the notification of a response in my email, it only brings up the exact post, and I sometimes forget to check and see if there are others before that. 

It says in the notification there won't be anymore until I visit the board, but sometimes there are several posts saying there's been a response to a thread I'm involved in - and the same thread.

if I click on the earliest one, it brings up the earliest post here. Then I do see if someone has already said what someone else might have.

Hopefull all of this is now settled and we can get back to important things 

Vonique, I've been told here since I first found the site "there's no such thing as a dumb question". Though sometimes I've felt like mine are see as dumb after I've asked them.

I never saw anything about not wanting to answer a question, based on if it's homework or a "real" problem. 

Though I once asked if it was possible to record a phone conversation with the computer, using CDex (like making an audio file from a cassette tape) just because I thought of it and wanted to know, and someone gave me a lecture about how it was probably illegal and I could go to jail.

Nobody told me it wasn't a real problem though. I don't take official classes but sometimes think of something I'd just like to know, just to know.

Maybe they need a "just to know" topic for this?

~ Carrie


----------



## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

The only reason I prefer people let me know if its a hypothetical question is because some problems require some trial and error. 

If its hypothetical I won't waste time giving you several steps to do and asking you to report the results. I will just either A) give you a link giving you general information or I will B) Give you a general answer that covers MOST problems of this type.


----------



## vonique (Feb 28, 2004)

Starchild,
You tickled my funnybone with the phone recording story. Reminds me of that saying "Ask a simple question and get a simple answer", but not always I guess.
I, too, think it is silly that someone on this board would think they can't answer a question, whatever the origin of it, for fear they might be encouraging cheating. I think they should just let the person who questions worry about that. I don't cheat on my homework, but the way my online class is set up, if I don't get a quick answer (and the instructor is not quick) I may run out of time to get the assignment done. And I usually only resort to finally asking after I just couldn't find the answer from a search engine. 
And anyway, when the point is that we want to pass the A+ certification exam, who cares how we got the answers as long as we know the material? On this kind of thing, I don't thing anything should be considered cheating, unless you're doing it while sitting for the exam. I really don't think my instructor cares anyway. I'm really just trying to pass the A+, and the course grade really doesn't mean that much to me. I already have a college degree as it is so all this hoopla is foolish. I just want to know how to disable a modem and I think I got my answer here so let's just forget the rest.
Next time if I just say, "I'm studying for my A+ and have trouble figuring out this concept, but it is not homework, and I've put my time in doing the research so I'm not asking because I want you to do it for me, I just couldn't find the answer" would that be okay?


Von


----------



## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

That phrase would be perfect, and just for the record, I didn't feel it was cheating. As Jtoast mentioned too, it would be nice to know if we are working towards a resolution to a 'real' problem, or a hypothetical question.

And to go one step further, I guess I would still wonder, why one would put a second modem in the machine, not wanting to get rid of the original one that WAS ALREADY working. If the original was already working which usually isn't the case for wanting to replace it, why the need to be sure the second was working prior to removing the first one  Or maybe it's just me today 

Sorry.......signing off for today


----------



## starchild (Sep 17, 2002)

I guess it goes under "everyone's different". And, also has their ups and downs and off days.

I'm also wondering why there might be two modems, thought I remember once someone saying their modem didn't work and they bought an external one and used that instead.

I think everyone made good points here. And we can't go back and redo the thread.

I had assumed there might be an overall concrete answer to it, like "go in________ and do ________" and that would be that.

I think if anyone should get blamed for this, it should be Vonique's teacher! But don't tell him until after she passes the test. 

~ Carrie


----------



## vonique (Feb 28, 2004)

Okay, well I guess I didn't document correctly what the assignment was. It was a hypothetical situation in which this company sets up several computers that come with built-in modems, only two of which will be connected to the internet. The instructor goes on to say that it is a good idea to disable the modems that are not being used (I have no idea why), and wants us to write a technical document on how to go about doing this. 
I think I was thinking of another assignment when I wrote that there were two modems in the computer, tee-hee. Sorry for the confusion.  
I guess I can see now why you want to know EXACTLY what the real situation is so as to avoid all the confusion like what we just went through.
Thanks again, and I think I'm all set now!:up: 

Vonique


----------



## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

> And to go one step further, I guess I would still wonder, why one would put a second modem in the machine, not wanting to get rid of the original one that WAS ALREADY working


Maybe they are Shotgunning the modems to get doublespeed........


----------



## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

lol Jtoast


----------



## starchild (Sep 17, 2002)

Maybe I shouldn't bring this back up again, but I was just looking in DEVICE MANAGER for something else, and clicked on modem, and the box that came up (telling about it, if it's working properly with links to drivers, etc) has a check box on the bottom that says "disable this in hardware profile".

Not sure if that's the same idea, but if so, if there were two modems installed and showing in device manager, couldn't this box be checked and disable one of them? Though, if there were two installed and showing, wouldn't there be a chance they'd conflict?

Or, wouldn't it stay disabled (if checked) and windows still detect it and try and install it?

If that's the way to disable a modem that you might not want for some reason, it would be simple and maybe that was the answer Vonique was supposed to be finding for the class.

But, if it was and that easy, seems like someone here would have pointed it out?

Just trying to learn...

~ Carrie


----------



## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

From my first post on this thread



> but general idea is to go into your device manager, click the plus sign next to modem, right click on the one you dont want and choose "disable" or "disable in this hardware profile"


Thats what I said...I really must by typing in invisible ink *sigh*...hehe


----------



## vonique (Feb 28, 2004)

"Thats what I said...I really must by typing in invisible ink *sigh*...hehe"


Jtoast, you say that like it's a bad thing. 

Keep typing! I like the way you get right to the point and just answer the question, without all the other gobledygook!

We'll just have to put on our "invisible ink" eyeglasses. 

We'll get the point eventually.


Carrie, I too, thought that answer might be too simple and easy, but I think that is what he is looking for and that is what I am going to submit, and I will let you all know what comes of it.

Von


----------



## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

> Carrie, I too, thought that answer might be too simple and easy,


If there is anything I have learned about computers, its that Occams Razor applies.

People tend to overcomplicate things for no other reason than "it CAN'T be that easy."


----------



## hammerbill (Feb 26, 2003)

We computer nerds sometimes use extraneous information to look pedant when we don't really know a good answer.

I run two 56K modems on my home network's dialup computer. I can run one or both; two are generally needed for online gaming but most of the time I use just one. It can be hard to tweek two modems just right but it can be done. To get around your type of problem, my second modem is an external. I can merely shut it off at the switch if it interferes with anything but normally I have no problems.


----------



## starchild (Sep 17, 2002)

JTOAST- is that something like "the shortest distance between two points" or something? (why go to points B,C,D. etc to get from A to Z?)

Sounds like something a subsitute teacher I once had in high school- trying to keep the attention of a class of bored and restless teenagers who didn't want to hear about whatever subject it was supposed to be, started telling about the subject of "logic" (he had taken in college) and asking questions that had logical- right in front of you, obvious answers, but most people looked for something more complex, missed it.

Like "if a train going north to south takes 80 mins to make the trip, why does a train boing south to north take 1 hour and 20 mins?" (not sure if that was the real question, but trying to find an example)

Of course, if you know ahead of time it's an example of logic it makes it easier. And asking it on a board with computer geniuses, it should be simple 

Vonique, yes let us know about the modem question. I, for one have gotten interested in the answer. Just to see what the teacher meant with the question.

I'd like to have more questions to figure out and find the answers to. Maybe if you specify that it IS a question from a class, and not a terrible problem you're in the middle of (but might be someday, and someone who puts it in site search here might be) those who aren't interested in questions/answers just to know, can skip them.

~ Carrie


----------



## vonique (Feb 28, 2004)

Okay, will do. 

I'm just a beginner and have millions of questions about not only hardware but software. Maybe if anyone on this board knows of any websites that are geared toward certification questions for A+ they can post it, and then I will post the real-life stuff on this board. Believe me there is a lot. I have to learn how to install Windows 98, NT, 2000 and XP, and fix everything that can go wrong. 

I used to know of a a good web site that specifically answered these kinds of questions for students, but I have lost the web address, can't find it anymore. 


Thanks,
Von


----------



## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

Starchild,

It just means don't rule out an answer just because you think it should be more complex. Simple=Good

Vonique,

I dont know of any A+ sites off the top of my head but I have taken several A+ courses and even taught a few so feel free to post any questions here you have.


----------



## vonique (Feb 28, 2004)

Thanks Starchild  


I really appreciate it!

Vonique


----------



## starchild (Sep 17, 2002)

Vonique, have you looked in yahoo egroups? There are "millions" of groups and you can put in what you want and maybe find some active ones. I joined a few MS Office ones awhile back, and there were people certified in that on some.

New generation of grandmas.

Not to say there's anyone there any smarter (and more willing to help) than people on here.

I, too want to learn EVERYTHING (about computers, programs, etc.) I have a great-grandmother, and at one time I thought grandmas (great or otherwise) would sit in rocking chairs and read, knit, or pet their cat.

So much I want to learn and do. I'm not doing it officially, like school, but more jumping in and trying to do what interests me at the time, and trying to figure it out (or asking).

And, as to fixing computers, I don't have the money to pay anyone, so don't have a choice. I've gotten a few discarded ones to play with, and find it really interesting. Frustrating at times....

~ Carrie


----------



## vonique (Feb 28, 2004)

Carrie,

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to look into the yahoo egroups and see what I can find.

I started out learning about computers because I also couldn't afford to drop almost $100 at Best Buy just to plunk my computer down on the counter whenever something went wrong with it. And that's just to diagnose. 

And then I took it to Compusa a few times to install new drives that they put in for free as long as you buy it there, and invariably I'd get the computer back with something else wrong with it!!! And they would claim no responsibility! Well it worked before I brought it here!

So I started changing my own floppy and hard drives and CD roms etc. and found I really loved it and wanted to learn more and more.

Right about that time I started looking for a new career, having grown very stale in my old one, and I thought this would be the perfect thing. I LOVE everything about computers, and I also want to learn everything about them. I even took a programming course which I loved, but where I live, no one is hiring programmers. There's more of a job market for fixing and configuring so I thought I'd go in that direction for now. 

This class I'm taking right now is an online course, and it's a big disappointment. We have a quiz a week, plus a minor homework assignment. We rely totally on the book. It's a chapter a week. The book is really good, but other than that, the teacher posts one or two paragraphs that he has written, usually just a repeat of what's in the book. There are no further explanations and hardly anyone but me ever posts any questions. He's not too quick to answer and then when he does the answer is in the form of "reread page such and thus in chapter such and thus." Big deal. What I was looking for was a more indepth explanation. If I wanted to reread the paragraph I would have just done that on my own. 

So whatever I'm learning I'm teaching myself basically, and the only thing the teacher does is grade the quizzes, and even that's done by the computer. 

Anyway, sorry for the griping. I'm hoping if I pass my A+ I'll be able to get an entry-level job.

Do you work in the field?


Hey, thanks again for the suggestion!

Vonique


----------



## Jtoast (Oct 3, 2002)

Entry level tech jobs are usually pretty easy to get as long as you don't need much money.


Best Buy and CompUSA in my area pay between $8-11 an hour.


Entry level telephone support jobs will run anywhere from $10-15 an hour depending on what you are supporting.


----------



## starchild (Sep 17, 2002)

I don't work at all. I was always a wife and mother, and we always had this plan of living in the country after our 7 kids were grown. We had tried living in the country (and moved around the country at one time) but with a large family and not a good income, it was hard. At least back when we started trying it, in 1969.
In Fall of 1997 we sold our house (outside of Boston MA)and bought a house in Northern Vermont. My husband (a housepainter and carpenter) planned to fix it up. We'd also had a vague idea over the years of being a foster home (for teenagers) when we had no kids of our own. Someone's kid was always getting thrown out at home and staying with us.

8 months after we moved to Vt my husband (a heavy smoker) had a stroke. He's been severly ill and handicapped and in a nursing home ever since. 

I found myself basicall alone (a grandmother- now a great grandmother) for the first time in my life, living in the country, without a car, and only on a very low income (Social Security).

In Fall of 1998, I had 47 cents in the bank and I just KNEW I had to get a computer. I thought maybe it was so I could write, which had been something I wanted to do. Even though I didn't really need a computer for this. I thought it would be a good skill to learn, anyway. I found a place I could buy one from (and pay twice as much) Fingerhut (catalog). It offered "no payments for 5 months". I thought "I can get this, learn it and find a way to make money with it before the payments start". 

Okay, you can get up off the floor and stop laughing now 

Actually, I got kind of sidetracked by the internet and discussion boards, which hasn't been a total loss, because I've learned a lot about myself (and "the world") which I had been more naive about before.

As far as learning computer tech stuff, it seems like everything is at least a step or two ahead of me in this. And there's so much I want to learn, and possibilities for doing something (financially) with it, but right now it hasn't gotten to that point.

First off I taught myself to make and put up websites (okay, I had a lot of help with this, people answering my questions, and trying to figure out I was asking about something that seemed right in front of me and obvious) and I have made a little money, putting pictures up for someone, or something. I don't actually charge, but do it to help and some have given me a little something for doing this. (I don't mean rich people and companies). Right now I'm learning some of the OFFICE programs (Exel and Access) or trying to. Also, Paintshop pro (I'm more familiar with) but I've been told I should be learning PhotoShop, instead. Desktop publishing is another idea, but I got some books on this, and it seems much too complex (overall) to set up and do, at least on a home business. Digital photography I also love, and have a vague idea about making my own greeting cards to sell on ebay, or in local tourist shops. This seems to involve more money to start than I can imagine having, and when I've written about this, someone is quick to point out that "millions" of people are already doing this and big card companies have so much printed at once, they can charge lower prices, etc. Though I think I could go for the "art" idea of it, and charge more. Same with screensavers, I've dabbled in. Can't believe people pay for them, seems there's so much free, but they are for sale on ebay and Amazon.

We need a topic for this? The business and learning side of computers/internet overall. Now, it just seems to come up in other topics (like this one) though it seems to fit more in the OFFICE programs one, if any. 

I know there is RANDOM but that is just too big and "random".

There seem to be so many people, even ones starting later in life, who are learning computers (etc) and would like to find (or discuss) ways of making money, or starting a business with this.

Is there room for another topic (like this) here?

I guess this is totally off topic in HARDWARE, and I think there's also a topic for SUGGESTIONS here. Can't see it overall, while writing in this one.

~ Carrie


----------



## StillLearnin' (Oct 25, 2001)

Other sites I participate in:

http://www.experts-exchange.com

http://www.tek-tips.com

To answer your training/certification questions:

http://www.tek-tips.com/gthreadminder.cfm/lev2/6

You will need to join these to participate. (username/password)


----------



## vonique (Feb 28, 2004)

Carrie,

Hey, we have something in common! I used to live just outside of Boston too! Born and raised and lived right in that area for most of my life up until three years ago. 

Now I'm a "southern belle" with three kids and dying to get out of the house and get a job. They are all finally in school. I was a nurse before I fell in love with computers. After my first child I decided to stay home for a couple of years. A couple of years turned into 11! 

I'm desperate to be a professional again! Wow, seven kids!!!! You must have nerves of steel! Of course I love my kids with my entire heart and soul, but my most precious moments now are when I'M ALL ALONE!!!  

Usually I'm driving to and from birthday parties and other school activities. Last year I got my internet certificate, and the only way I passed it was to whip my book out at the traffic light and study for a minute til it turned green. I'm hoping to accomplish the same thing with my A+.

Sorry to hear about your husband. I worked in a nursing home for years, and luckily they were good ones, but it is still tough to have to live there. That was my best nursing job, was in the home. Loved it. We got really close to the families, and would go there even on our days off to help feed people and bring them things. I hope he gets well enough to come home, if that's best for you.

I love everything about computers too. I did a few websites when I took the internet class and loved that too! If I get the nerve I will post my sites and you can see them.

How's Vermont? I have always loved that area and had dreams of one day living there myself. I love the weather, the cold and the snow. Really miss it, but not really the people that much.


Stilllearning, thank you for the url's. I will look into them, as well!


Nice chatting with you folks!

Vonique


----------

