Support staff has spent hours in the past with particular modem problems, only to find that the incorrect power supply is being used. If you open a connection using Internet Explorer and use another program for 20 minutes or so, Internet Explorer will consider idle time as time that Internet Explorer is not being used. Informing other family members not to pick up the phone will fix this problem. Call Waiting may cause your connection to your ISP to drop out if someone tries to ring while you are on the Internet. If you are sharing your phone line with your neighbours and a neighbour attempts to dial out while you are connected to your ISP then this will drop your Internet session.
Faxes are a big culprit as well .
If you are connecting to your ISP using your fax line, it is recommended that you remove your fax from the line also. External modems are less affected by H.F. interference because they are not housed inside of a computer case, which acts as an Antenna. If a connection is idle, ISP's usually send out an ''echo'' every 10 seconds which expects to get a response. If, after 5 consecutive echo ''fails'' has occurred their system assumes that your modem is no longer connected, and hangs up the telephone line. This mainly affects 486 or older computers that have less than 8MB of RAM - e.g. Netscape takes forever to start up on the machine.