Here’s one for you. I frequently connect my laptop and desktop computers together via a Direct Parallel cable. One day after transfering some files I tried to go online. When dial-up networking tried to make the connection with my ISP it sounded a long tone and eventually disconnected. I uninstalled the drivers and reinstalled a newer driver thinking it was a driver problem.
Today, Is when I noticed the connection between the Modem problem and my parallel direct cable connection. I physically hooked my two computers together and before making the actual DCC connection between the two computers I tried to go online to get my email. Guess what, the problem mentioned earlier returned (long tone and disconnected). The only thing I could figure was that the direct cable connection was messing with the modem somehow so I removed the Direct Parallel cable from the Parallel port (without shutting down first) and attempted to connect again. Guess what? The modem connected with noproblem.
My question is why can’t I connect with my ISP if I’m connected to my laptop (no actual connection was ever established between the two, just a cable running from the laptop to the desktop)? When my printer is connected there is no problem. What connection does the Modem and LPT 1 have?