Dialup connections can be prematurely terminated for a number of reasons. The most common causes of disconnections are covered here.

Call Waiting

If call waiting is enabled on your line, a 'beep' tone will be transmitted when you have an incoming call. While this is desirable if you are making a telephone call, the tone can cause problems with your internet connection.

Temporarily disabling call waiting while you are online will solve this problem. To do this, insert *44,, in your dialup connection before Westnet's dialup number. For example, when you go to connect to Westnet, your computer will display our dialup number, which is 0198308333. If you wish to temporarily disable call waiting, change this to read *44,,0198308333. This will tell your computer to disable call waiting while you are connected to the internet, which will prevent it from disrupting your connection.

Telephone Equipment

Some older telephone handsets can draw unusual amounts of power from the telephone line which may cause your internet connection to be terminated. To find out if this is the cause of your disconnections, simply disconnect your telephone handset(s) from the line when you are connected. If the problem disappears, then it is likely that your telephones are causing your disconnections. If this is the case, you may need to purchase newer handsets. If, like most people, you are renting your handset from your phone provider, you can contact them to have it replaced with a newer unit.

Wiring and Cabling

Damaged, old or low quality cables can cause problems with dialup connections. If the cables you are using do not appear to be in good condition, it is recommended that they be replaced. You should use the shortest cable possible, as increasing cable length also increases error numbers. Extension cords longer than 5 metres may render the connection completely unusable, depending on the quality of the cord.

The internal telephone wiring in your house may also be damaged. This problem is more common in older houses, where the wiring may have degraded. Premises in areas which experience extreme weather (tropical or desert areas) may also have problems with internal wiring. If you suspect this to be the case, you should contact an authorised telephone technician. Please do not attempt to repair or modify internal wiring yourself as this may be hazardous.

Line Noise

Audible noise on your phone line will almost definitely cause dialup disconnections. Line noise is static, ticking, whistling, crackling or any other interference while you are making a telephone call. If you have already checked your telephone equipment and cabling, you should contact your telephone provider to request that your line be tested and possibly repaired.

Electric Fences

Certain types of electric fences can cause telephone line interference. Unfortunately, short of turning off the fence, this problem is difficult to resolve. If you can hear a regular 'click' sound on your line, you could be hearing an electric fence. You may be able to contact your telephone provider to have your line tested.

Further Assistance

If these steps do not resolve the problem, or if you require any further advice, please contact Westnet Support on 1300 786 068.