Testing Your DSL Link

This test verifies that your modem hardware is installed correctly and that your DSL link to the telephone company equipment is working. Note that this test does not test the connection to your ISP. The next screen in Diagnostics will test the ISP connection if the link test is successful.

If this test fails, try the following solutions:

Microfilter is installed on modem line

DSL service has not been activated

Modem cable not attached

Modem cable plugged into wrong socket on modem

In-home wiring does not meet minimum standards

Modem driver is not loaded

Line quality does not meet minimum requirements

Bad telephones


Testing the Modem

The modem test verifies that your Intel® PRO/DSL Modem is working correctly. If the test passes, click Next to proceed to the next test to verify the DSL link to your telephone company.

If the modem test fails, use the following list of possible solutions to troubleshoot the problem:

Modem is not installed

Modem is not seated correctly in the PCI slot

Modem driver is not loaded

Modem is not in a bus mastering slot


Testing Your ISP Connection

This test verifies that your connection to your ISP is working properly. If this test fails, start Connection Manager and make sure you have green status lights for both the modem and the DSL link. If these lights are not lit, you will not be able to access the Internet through your ISP. Repeat the previous tests, and use Help to troubleshoot any problems.

If Connection Manager shows green status lights for both the modem and DSL link, use the following list to isolate the problem with the connection to your ISP.

User name or password is incorrect (PPPoA)

Wrong driver is installed (PPPoA or 1483)

Wrong "phone number" In Dial-Up Networking (PPPoA)

IP settings are incorrect

Line quality does not meet minimum requirements


Diagnostic Results

Congratulations. You have successfully completed the DSL Diagnostic Tests. You are now ready to connect to your ISP. Click Finish to end the Diagnostic Tests.


Microfilter installed on modem line

Microfilters filter out all DSL traffic. If you have a microfilter installed on the same phone cable that is going to the DSL modem, you have filtered out the DSL signals and your modem will not operate. Remove the microfilter from the DSL cable, then plug the cable securely into the modem and wall outlet.

What are Microfilters?


What are Microfilters?

One feature of DSL technology is that it allows Internet traffic to share existing telephone lines simultaneously with other voice or data traffic. "Phone lines" can carry many different types of signals at different frequencies. Voice traffic uses only a small range along the lines. Other technology (including home networking, security systems, and DSL) use different frequencies, and can therefore coexist on the lines.

However, "noise" from one technology’s signal can sometimes cross into another frequency area and interfere with that signal. Microfilters are small fixtures that attach to your telephone lines to allow only certain types of traffic to pass through, filtering out the rest. With DSL, microfilters filter DSL noise from lines leading to telephones, fax machines, and security systems. Those devices are then able to function properly, free of unwanted static or signal interruptions.


DSL service has not been activated

In some cases, you may receive your DSL modem and installation software before the telephone company and your ISP have finished setting up your account.

Look at the service installation date that was provided by your telephone company and verify that the date has passed. If it is after the date on which your service is supposed to be activated, contact your phone company for assistance.


Modem cable not attached

Be sure that the supplied modem cable is firmly attached to the modem on one end, and to the phone outlet at the wall on the other end.


Modem cable plugged into wrong socket

Your Intel® PRO/DSL Modem has two RJ-11 sockets into which phone cables can be plugged. One socket is for the cable connecting the modem to the wall jack. This socket is labeled WALL. The second socket is a passthrough with a built-in microfilter, for you to use to plug in a telephone, fax modem, or other appliance. This socket is labeled PHONE.

If you have inadvertently plugged the cable from the wall jack into the PHONE socket, your DSL modem will not operate. Unplug the cable from the PHONE socket and plug it in to the WALL socket.


In-home wiring does not meet minimum standards

DSL shares the same phone lines with your existing phone calls. In many older homes, phone cables have been wired and rewired, often with different gauge wires, and often in ways that are not compatible with current standards. In many cases, the phone wires are just old and weathered. In those cases, high-frequency DSL signals are simply unable to be transmitted efficiently over the lines.

Check all of your telephone connections and junctions to ensure that they are all secure and tightly wired. Call the telephone company or a certified technician for assistance.

If you rewire, use 24-gauge wire.


Modem driver is not loaded

If the driver for the Intel® PRO/DSL Modem did not load properly, you will not be able to connect to your ISP.

Check the Windows* Device Manager to verify that your modem is installed and functioning correctly. Your DSL modem is actually a network adapter, and will appear in Device Manager under Network Adapters, not as a modem. Do not look for the Intel PRO/DSL Modem in the Modem section of Device Manager.

To view Windows Device Manager (Windows 2000 and Windows XP):

1.	Right click on the My Computer icon on the desktop, and select Properties.

2.	Click on the Hardware tab.

3.	Click the Device Manager button.

4.	Locate Network Adapters and expand the heading to expose all installed adapters.

If Device Manager shows a red X or a yellow ! next to the Intel PRO/DSL Modem, the modem is not functioning properly. Highlight the device and click the Uninstall icon on the task bar (computer with a red X covering it). Place the Intel PRO/DSL Modem CD in your CD-ROM drive and restart your computer. This will cause Windows to detect the adapter and you can reinstall it. After installation, verify in Device Manager that the modem is functioning properly.

If the Intel PRO/DSL Modem does not appear under Network Adapters, look for it under Other Devices. If the modem is listed here, highlight it and click the Uninstall button on the task bar. Restart your computer and reinstall the modem.


Line quality does not meet minimum requirements

Signal quality that does not meet minimum requirements may interfere with your modem’s ability to train. In some cases, you may be able to train and even pass traffic, but you may be disconnected from time to time due to poor line quality.

To check your line quality, launch Connection Manager and select the Statistics tab. The statistic that gives you information about line quality will differ depending on whether you have an Intel PRO/DSL 2100 Modem (CAP encoding) or an Intel PRO/DSL 2200 Modem (DMT encoding).

If you have an Intel PRO/DSL 2100 Modem:

Look at the number for Line Quality (dB). If this number is less than 15, you may not be able to train. If it is between 15 and 18, you may be able to train, but not consistently, and you are unlikely to be able to pass traffic reliably.

If you have an Intel PRO/DSL 2200 Modem:

Look at the number for SNR Margin (dB). If this number is less than 6, you may not be able to train. If it is a very high number (~80-100), your modem may not be able to transmit data at an acceptable speed.

Bad line quality may have several causes. You might be too far from the telephone company central office, or there might be "bridge taps" between you and the central office. These are problems that the telephone company must assess. Your in-home wiring may be an issue as well. Read the following tip to see if you in-home wiring might be a problem:

•	In-home wiring does not meet minimum standards

After checking your home wiring, you may need to contact the telephone company’s technical support for additional assistance. They can often determine whether the bad lines are inside or outside your home, and may need to correct the problem if the bad lines are between your home and the central office.


Bad telephones

DSL shares the same set of copper wires that carry telephone calls into your home. In some cases, old or low-quality telephones can cause traffic to be generated on the copper lines, interfering with your DSL service.

If you suspect you may have such a phone, disconnect each telephone in your home one by one until the bad telephone is isolated. Replace this bad telephone.


Modem is not installed

In order to successfully install the software for your Intel® PRO/DSL Modem, the modem card must be installed in your computer in an available PCI slot. Follow the instructions in your User’s Guide to install the modem in your computer.


Modem is not seated correctly in PCI slot

If you have installed the modem in your computer but Windows* cannot detect the board, check to ensure that it is seated correctly in the PCI slot.

When you insert the modem into the sot, you should hear a snap as the modem seats firmly into the slot.


Modem is not in a bus mastering slot

The Intel® PRO/DSL Modem must be in a bus mastering PCI slot. Some older computers have PCI slots that are not bus mastering, or bus mastering may have been disabled via the computer’s BIOS.

Try putting the modem in a different PCI slot and restarting your computer.

You may need to check your system’s BIOS and ensure that any bus mastering options are enabled for the PCI slot in which the modem is installed. Consult your computer documentation for information about accessing the BIOS.


IP settings are incorrect

About IP addresses

DSL and the Internet use TCP/IP as the protocol to transport data across the World Wide Web. Your IP address is how your system is identified on the Internet. You must have an IP address to be on the Internet.

To verify that you have an IP address, launch Connection Manager and select the ISP Info Tab. There must be a valid IP address displayed. If the IP address field reads N/A or 0.0.0.0, you do not have your connection set up correctly.

Types of IP Addresses

There are two methods used to assign IP addresses to computers – Server Assigned (Dynamic) and Static (Permanent).

Server Assigned (Dynamic) IP addresses are assigned randomly to you each time you connect to your ISP. These numbers are assigned from a pool of IP addresses that the ISP owns. The ISP uses a technology called DHCP to dynamically assign addresses.

Static (Permanent) IP addresses are also assigned to you by your ISP from their pool of available IP addresses. However, unlike dynamic addresses, if you are given a static address, it will be your machine’s permanent address. (This is the preferred option if you are hosting a web server.)

When you installed your modem, you selected a method for your ISP to use to give you an IP address. (Your ISP should have given you the method that they use.) If you selected the incorrect method or input the wrong static IP address or subnet mask, you will not be able to pass traffic on the Internet.

To verify your IP settings for either Bridged Ethernet (1483) or PPPoA in Windows 2000 or Windows XP:

1.	Open My Network Places, and click Network and Dial-Up Connections.

2.	Double click on the icon for your DSL connection.

3.	Click Properties, and select the Networking tab.

4.	Verify that Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is checked and highlighted, and click Properties.

5.	Examine the settings listed. If your ISP assigns addresses dynamically (DHCP), make sure the option to Obtain an IP Address Automatically is selected. If you have a static IP address, make sure the option to use a user-supplied IP address is selected, and that the IP address and DNS server(s) entered match those given to you by your ISP.

6.	If the settings are incorrect, enter the correct IP address and DNS server(s).


Wrong driver is installed

The Intel® PRO/DSL Modem supports two methods of operation, each with its own driver. You may have a Bridged Ethernet (RFC 1483) connection, or a Point-to-Point Protocol over ATM (PPPoA) connection. The equipment your ISP has and the account type you selected when you ordered DSL service may both affect the driver type you need to use. Refer to your ISP Information Worksheet for the correct setting to choose.

To verify the type of driver you have installed, launch Connection Manager and click on the ISP Info tab. What does the Driver Type indicate? If this is not the driver type you should have, you will need to uninstall and reinstall the software.


User name or password is incorrect (PPPoA)

If you are using a PPPoA (Point-to-Point Protocol over ATM) connection to your ISP, you will be asked for a user name and a password. Both must be correct in order for you to be authenticated by your ISP so you can pass traffic on the Internet.

Verify the user name and password when you type them in the Dial-Up Networking Connection. Most user names and passwords are case-sensitive; make sure you’re using capital and lower-case characters correctly. If you are sure you are typing the user name and password correctly, contact your ISP.

NOTE: Bridged Ethernet (RFC 1483) does not require a user name or password.


Wrong "phone number" in Dial-Up Networking

Instead of using a familiar seven-digit phone number, as dial-up service to an ISP uses, DSL uses VCI/VPI (Virtual Circuit Identifier/Virtual Path Identifier) combinations to route the DSL "call" to the ISP. These numbers show up as the Phone Number when using a PPPoA connection type; for example, 1,1. Your telephone company assigns these numbers, and your ISP may be able to provide them to you as well.

To verify your VPI/VCI numbers, look at the "phone number" in Dial-Up Networking. Make sure the numbers listed are the ones you were given by the telephone company or your ISP. Make sure they are in the correct format (1,1), with no other spaces or characters present. Area codes or call waiting codes are not necessary.