DSL Modem Woes
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From: Grinder on 25 Feb 2006 15:31 I friend has broadband internet provided by Frontier, in the form of a Speedstream 5200 modem. It is connected to his single PC via an Ethernet cable, but we have cause to switch to using an USB cable. That's were the problem comes in. When we run the Frontier setup disc, it will wait forever to spot the device after we plug it into the USB port. Windows XP, on the other hand, can see it immediately, but notes that it's not working properly because it doesn't have software for it. If we try to manually update the drivers using those from Frontier's support site, Windows XP will claim that the drivers we're directing it to don't apply to the hardware in question. It remains in the Device Manager as an "Unknown Device" under the USB category. We are confident that the USB ports are functional, as both of them work to transfer music to his iPod. We used the same cable as well. Also, the fact that XP can see, if not properly install, the modem suggests that the port is operable. In "Add & Remove Programs," there is an entry for "Efficient SpeedStream blah blah." Any attempt to remove this software and start over fails quickly with the complain that the uninstaller is not present. All of these attempted solutions have been tried with the aid of a Frontier tech support guy, who is now completely flumoxed. Can anyone recommend what to try next?
From: Paul on 25 Feb 2006 18:09 In article <n83Mf.797816$_o.516706(a)attbi_s71>, Grinder <grinder(a)no.spam.maam.com> wrote: > I friend has broadband internet provided by Frontier, in the form of a > Speedstream 5200 modem. It is connected to his single PC via an > Ethernet cable, but we have cause to switch to using an USB cable. > That's were the problem comes in. > > When we run the Frontier setup disc, it will wait forever to spot the > device after we plug it into the USB port. Windows XP, on the other > hand, can see it immediately, but notes that it's not working properly > because it doesn't have software for it. > > If we try to manually update the drivers using those from Frontier's > support site, Windows XP will claim that the drivers we're directing it > to don't apply to the hardware in question. It remains in the Device > Manager as an "Unknown Device" under the USB category. > > We are confident that the USB ports are functional, as both of them work > to transfer music to his iPod. We used the same cable as well. Also, > the fact that XP can see, if not properly install, the modem suggests > that the port is operable. > > In "Add & Remove Programs," there is an entry for "Efficient SpeedStream > blah blah." Any attempt to remove this software and start over fails > quickly with the complain that the uninstaller is not present. > > All of these attempted solutions have been tried with the aid of a > Frontier tech support guy, who is now completely flumoxed. Can anyone > recommend what to try next? If you go to the Knowledgebase from here, then click "5000 Modem/Bridge", you can find some information on the 5200. (I guess Siemens must have bought Efficient Networks.) http://subscriber.communications.siemens.com/subscriber_networks/support.shtml Basically, it says for USB, you are supposed to insert the SpeedStream CD first, and install the software, before connecting the USB interface of the 5200. Now, maybe the Frontier setup disk, installs the SpeedStream software as part of its operation. (Maybe the SpeedStream installer is inside the CD somewhere, and can be found by exploring the CD.) In any case, _somebodies_ tech support should be sorting out the uninstall procedure. Maybe you should hire a local computer service to sort it out, then bill Frontier for the cost of the service call. That may get them interested in doing the job right. Paul
From: Grinder on 25 Feb 2006 19:33 Paul wrote: > In article <n83Mf.797816$_o.516706(a)attbi_s71>, Grinder > <grinder(a)no.spam.maam.com> wrote: > > >>I friend has broadband internet provided by Frontier, in the form of a >>Speedstream 5200 modem. It is connected to his single PC via an >>Ethernet cable, but we have cause to switch to using an USB cable. >>That's were the problem comes in. >> >>When we run the Frontier setup disc, it will wait forever to spot the >>device after we plug it into the USB port. Windows XP, on the other >>hand, can see it immediately, but notes that it's not working properly >>because it doesn't have software for it. >> >>If we try to manually update the drivers using those from Frontier's >>support site, Windows XP will claim that the drivers we're directing it >>to don't apply to the hardware in question. It remains in the Device >>Manager as an "Unknown Device" under the USB category. >> >>We are confident that the USB ports are functional, as both of them work >>to transfer music to his iPod. We used the same cable as well. Also, >>the fact that XP can see, if not properly install, the modem suggests >>that the port is operable. >> >>In "Add & Remove Programs," there is an entry for "Efficient SpeedStream >> blah blah." Any attempt to remove this software and start over fails >>quickly with the complain that the uninstaller is not present. >> >>All of these attempted solutions have been tried with the aid of a >>Frontier tech support guy, who is now completely flumoxed. Can anyone >>recommend what to try next? > > > If you go to the Knowledgebase from here, then click "5000 Modem/Bridge", > you can find some information on the 5200. (I guess Siemens must > have bought Efficient Networks.) > > http://subscriber.communications.siemens.com/subscriber_networks/support.shtml > > Basically, it says for USB, you are supposed to insert the SpeedStream > CD first, and install the software, before connecting the USB interface > of the 5200. That is what the Frontier installer recommends, and is in fact, what we did. > Now, maybe the Frontier setup disk, installs the SpeedStream > software as part of its operation. (Maybe the SpeedStream installer > is inside the CD somewhere, and can be found by exploring the > CD.) In any case, _somebodies_ tech support should be sorting > out the uninstall procedure. Maybe you should hire a local > computer service to sort it out, then bill Frontier for the > cost of the service call. That may get them interested in > doing the job right. I'm not in a good position to issue threats on behalf of my friend. You are, however, most likely right.
From: Clark on 26 Feb 2006 09:29 Most of the time, WinXP doesn't need drivers for USB stuff and the software may not be just for connectivity, but other things. Do you know if the modem is USB 2.0 and whether you have that set up on the computer. When you insert a device Windows needs drivers for, it usually asks and you can point it to the CD if you need to. I had poor results when I once used a USB modem, but maybe they have gotten better. If I were you, I would remove the device and any drivers from Windows. Reboot in safe mode and check the device manager to see if any occurrences of it show up and remove those. Reboot to normal Windows and then just plug in the device and see what happens. If Windows asks for a driver, point it to the CD using the know location scenario And for clarification, do you have a 5200 or 4200 modem? Clark "Grinder" <grinder(a)no.spam.maam.com> wrote in message news:7H6Mf.790232$x96.603135(a)attbi_s72... > Paul wrote: >> In article <n83Mf.797816$_o.516706(a)attbi_s71>, Grinder >> <grinder(a)no.spam.maam.com> wrote: >> >> >>>I friend has broadband internet provided by Frontier, in the form of a >>>Speedstream 5200 modem. It is connected to his single PC via an Ethernet >>>cable, but we have cause to switch to using an USB cable. That's were the >>>problem comes in. >>> >>>When we run the Frontier setup disc, it will wait forever to spot the >>>device after we plug it into the USB port. Windows XP, on the other >>>hand, can see it immediately, but notes that it's not working properly >>>because it doesn't have software for it. >>> >>>If we try to manually update the drivers using those from Frontier's >>>support site, Windows XP will claim that the drivers we're directing it >>>to don't apply to the hardware in question. It remains in the Device >>>Manager as an "Unknown Device" under the USB category. >>> >>>We are confident that the USB ports are functional, as both of them work >>>to transfer music to his iPod. We used the same cable as well. Also, >>>the fact that XP can see, if not properly install, the modem suggests >>>that the port is operable. >>> >>>In "Add & Remove Programs," there is an entry for "Efficient SpeedStream >>>blah blah." Any attempt to remove this software and start over fails >>>quickly with the complain that the uninstaller is not present. >>> >>>All of these attempted solutions have been tried with the aid of a >>>Frontier tech support guy, who is now completely flumoxed. Can anyone >>>recommend what to try next? >> >> >> If you go to the Knowledgebase from here, then click "5000 Modem/Bridge", >> you can find some information on the 5200. (I guess Siemens must >> have bought Efficient Networks.) >> >> http://subscriber.communications.siemens.com/subscriber_networks/support.shtml >> >> Basically, it says for USB, you are supposed to insert the SpeedStream >> CD first, and install the software, before connecting the USB interface >> of the 5200. > > That is what the Frontier installer recommends, and is in fact, what we > did. > >> Now, maybe the Frontier setup disk, installs the SpeedStream >> software as part of its operation. (Maybe the SpeedStream installer >> is inside the CD somewhere, and can be found by exploring the >> CD.) In any case, _somebodies_ tech support should be sorting >> out the uninstall procedure. Maybe you should hire a local computer >> service to sort it out, then bill Frontier for the >> cost of the service call. That may get them interested in doing the job >> right. > > I'm not in a good position to issue threats on behalf of my friend. You > are, however, most likely right.
From: John McGaw on 26 Feb 2006 14:43
Grinder wrote: > I friend has broadband internet provided by Frontier, in the form of a > Speedstream 5200 modem. It is connected to his single PC via an > Ethernet cable, but we have cause to switch to using an USB cable. > That's were the problem comes in. > snip... It is hard to imagine what sort of "cause" would motivate anyone to attempt to use USB, a definite non-network connection if there ever was one, in place of an already-working Ethernet connection which was made for such tasks and which handles them so gracefully. Sure, one can sometimes get USB to work with a modem in a half-assed sort of way by installing all manner of intrusive software to cover its shortcomings but why bother? Simply uninstall all the software, drivers, and other trash from the startup disk and go back to the Ethernet connection where nothing extra is required. -- John McGaw [Knoxville, TN, USA] http://johnmcgaw.com |