REDIALING DIAL-UP NETWORKING CONNECTIONS

If you have a Windows 98 Dial-Up Networking (DUN) connection that sometimes disconnects, you can set it to redial the destination computer automatically.

To do this, click Start | Programs | Accessories | Communications | Dial-Up Networking. When the DUN connectoid's window opens, select the connectoid to be altered.

From the Connections menu, click on Settings and check the Redial box. Select the number of redial attempts, between two and 100, and OK your changes. Now, if the dial-up fails, Windows should attempt to automatically redial the connection for you.

You may have a problem, however, if your modem is based on the Rockwell chip set, is either a 3Com or US Robotics modem, and Windows attempts to redial 15 times or more. These modems support "blacklisting," a number that fails to respond to a call 15 times or more. This stops the modem from dialing the number again until a timeout in the modem has occurred, which results in a warning message on-screen. There are additional modem string settings you can enter that support "blacklisting" to work around this problem; however, you should consult the modem's documentation or manufacturer to see if these settings are available for your model.