The Online World resources handbook

Your first trip online. Typical pitfalls and simple solutions http://home.eunet.no/~presno/bok/v3.html
You have contact between your computer and modem. The modem answers "OK" as
assumed. We now have to test if there is contact with the phone line. That is easy.
Enter the following command and press ENTER:
ATQ0E1V1
When the modem answers OK, enter the dialing command:
ATDT37031378
The modem will try to call 37031378, the number that used to give you my BBS. Don't
try it. My BBS has now been closed down. Replace the number with a local one.
Your modem will wait for CONNECT a preset number of seconds (rarely longer than 60
seconds).
If your modem does not detect the dial tone (within the preset waiting time), it will give
you the following error message
NO DIALTONE
All other messages (except ERROR) declare that the modem did detect the dial tone. If
it did, continue reading from "Configuring your program."
NO DIALTONE
The most probable causes of NO DIALTONE are that your phone cable is not
connected, is damaged, or that it is the wrong cable for the job.
The latter cause is common in many countries. For example, a cable made for a
telephone network in the United States, may not work in Norway. A cable made for
connection to a switchboard, may not work when connected to a domestic phone line.
A standard, domestic American phone cable contains four lines. Two of these (line
number 1 and 4) carry sounds. The others are not being used. A standard Norwegian
domestic cable is set up in the same way, but here line number 1 and 3 carry sound.
Changing the configuration of such cables is often simple. Just cut the cable in two, and
put the lines together correctly. This is typically required when your modem assumes
that you use it in North America, while you are in a country with different cabling.
One other possible reason for the NO DIALTONE message: Your modem may be
unable to recognize the tone. The solution is to tell your modem to ignore it (ATX3), and
just go ahead dialing.
Some years ago, I had this problem in Hotel Watson, Mekuro, Japan. My solution was:
[1] Add the following string to the modem AT setup command: "X3", [2] Use this dial
command: "ATDP0W3739 9968."
The "ATDP0" portion dialed 0 to provide an external line. Thanks to the X3 setting it
ignored the perceived absence of a dial tone. The "W" command portion made it wait
for an external dialtone. Upon detection of the tone, the number was dialed
(3739 9968).
Configuring your general purpose communications
program
The modem answers. The dial tone is being detected. Procomm is installed on your hard
disk. Now, check if the program has been correctly configured.
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