Q: How do I disable call waiting while I'm on the Internet?

A: In most versions of Windows go to Start, Settings, Control Panel, then double click on Internet Options, Click on the Connections tab and select the connection you use to connect to Valley Internet. Click on Settings button. Then Click on Properties. Select Dial Properties and, under that, place a check in disable call waiting. For other operating systems, go to where you enter your phone number and, if there is no setting for disabling call waiting listed, place *70, in front of the phone number. If you need help, feel free to contact us.

Q: How can I force my computer to hang up when I receive another call?

A: There is no way to force a modem to hang up when the call waiting 'clicks'. Most modems will but some just interpret that as line noise and ignore it. There are modems and services for supporting call waiting through the internet, you need to contact us for information and support, but generally these do not work well.

Q: I have distinctive ring/ringmaster service. How do I use one number to dial Valley Internet and receive calls on the other one?

A: Distinctive ring/Ringmaster is a service that enables you to distinguish different calls on the same physical phone line, by using 'special' rings. You cannot use the 'other number' to dial out on because you only have one physical phone line. If you want to receive voice calls while on the Internet, you must get another phone line.

Q: I cannot connect, or connect very very slowly.

A: You may have any number of problems. Most often we see it is a combination of three factors:

1. Substandard modem chipsets (Such as PC Tel, Yamaha, and Cirrus Logic) that don't connect well even under the best of conditions. We can often attempt to update drivers or put in 'initialization' strings, to force it to connect by limiting it's speeds. Failing that we can replace it.
2. Older modem driver versions. We have seen modems with drivers dating back to 1999 who's connectivity were greatly improved by updating. Even the top of the line (Conexant/Rockwell, Lucent, and to a lesser extent, USR) modems can have drastic differences based on driver version.
3. Bad Phone line. This is generally the most difficult to deal with. There is very little we can do if your phone line is the majority of your problem. We may be able to force your modem slower to make it connect and stay connected, but you will have to convince your local phone company to repair your lines for a real solution. Often they are very difficult to convince, due to the fact that there is a vast difference in 'unusable' for modem connections, and 'unusable' for the purposes of voice call.

Q: I connect, but my connections seem slower than it indicates on the connect window, and I am frequently disconnected.

A: This is basically the same problem set as listed above, only less severe. It is also very difficult to get the phone company to do anything. We can usually slow down your modem slightly and increase the effective speed and stability.

Q: Does Valley Internet support v.92? Should I upgrade my modem to a v.92 capable model?

A: At this time our call termination software does not support, v.92, nor are there any plans from the manufacturer to add this support. In any case v.92's enhanced capabilities are in their infancy. Also, there are reports that some modems with v.92 capability connect worse or not at all to v.90 capable hardware, therefore we recommend not upgrading at this time.

Q: I just upgraded my 33.6k modem to a 56k, yet I still get connections at less than 28.8k.

A: The most likely reason is your phone line. The vast majority of the residents in Lincoln and Marshall Counties are not located close enough to a central switch (within a few miles) to get 56k connections under even the best line connections. However, you should still get excellent (near 33.6k) connections if your phone lines are very 'clean'. If you are getting much lower speed connections, then your phone lines are to blame. Unfortunately, you are not alone. According to many sources the average connect speed nationwide is 24k. Based on our records, our average dial up modem user connects at around 33k.

Q: When I connect, I get v.90 (33.6k-53.3k) connections, but they seem much slower than I used to get.

A: This is probably due to very 'aggressive' connection training (modem synchronization), which actually selects a speed beyond what your phone line is really capable of. Also, most modern modems will 'retrain' the connection when they get excessive errors or decide the connection is good enough for a higher speed. This will cause massive slowdowns in your connections. If this is occurring please call us and we can hopefully resolve the problem.

Q: I have a K56flex or x2 modem. Can I use them with your service?

A: K56flex will work with our digital dialup lines. Unfortunately your results will generally not be as good as they will with a v.90 modem (assuming you are capable of high speed connections in the first place). If you are getting 33.6k+ connections with a K56flex modem, we recommend contacting your modem's manufacturer about receiving an upgrade to v.90. While x2 modems can be used to dial into Valley Internet's phone lines, they will function as 33.6k modems. Contact your modem manufacturer (usually US Robotics/3COM for x2 modems) for an upgrade to v.90 if you get connect speeds at or near 33.6k.

Q: Do you recommend upgrading to a V.90 modem from a 33.6k modem?

A: If you are getting reliable and consistent connections at 33.6k, then yes I would say upgrading might be worth it if you feel you really need the speed. If, however, you are receiving connections of 30k or less, then it probably won't be worth the money to upgrade to V.90.

Q: I seem to be very consistent on my connections. My modem always reports a 53,333 baud connect. how can I get to the full 56k?

A: Congratulations, you have just reached the FCC imposed limitation for analog modems. The companies who have developed the standard claim that in tests it is capable of 56k, but FCC regulations force them to limit the speed to 53,333 baud. If you need more speed than that you can upgrade to ISDN, which is an all digital communications standard capable of 64k, or 128k if you 'bond' both of the lines (residential ISDN lines in Tennessee are only available in pairs), or DSL.