Laptop modem causing Internet headaches

Q: I’m sending this email from my friend’s computer because the modem on my Dell laptop stopped working. I bought a replacement but it still doesn’t work. I haven’t been able to access the Internet for days. What could the problem be? Is broadband really worth the extra money if we decide to upgrade?

A: You might begin to see a pattern with my answers here. Much like the Internet connection problem two weeks ago and the monitor problem one week ago, you need to test each component one at a time to find out what the problem is.

Start with the phone outlet itself. I’m referring to the one you plug the phone cord into that attaches to your laptop modem. Grab another phone in the house and plug it into the phone outlet. If the phone works, you know the problem is not with your phone outlet.

Next try a different phone cord. Plug a spare phone cord in between your laptop and the phone outlet to see if that fixes the problem.

If both the phone outlet and phone cord check out, the next step is to replace the modem. Because you said you already tried a new modem, I’m afraid the problem is with another piece of hardware inside your laptop.

You will need a qualified technician to diagnose the problem so your best bet is to call the Dell customer support center or take your laptop to your nearest computer repair center.

As for upgrading to broadband, if you can afford it, it is worth every penny. There is simply no comparison to the speed differences between dialup and broadband. And much like any other new technology, once you go to broadband you may never be able to go back to dialup.

This post was originally broadcast Friday, April 6, 2007 on Tech Talk with Noobie, a weekly radio show on WCBK 102.3 FM in Martinsville, Indiana. Tech Talk with Noobie airs every Friday between 11:30 a.m. and noon. If you have a question you would like Noobie to answer on the air, simply e-mail your question to .