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I was previously connected to the internet by way of being networked to another computer. When I left the network I could only log on with AOL. I tried with Earthlink but couldn't get a dial tone. The error message said that it could not connect to the remote computer. What can I do to fix the problem?

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reported leaving a shared/networked setup and then seeing AOL succeed while EarthLink failed with “no dial tone” and “could not connect to the remote computer.” That combination most often points to a modem/phone-line or dialer conflict rather than a registry problem. ’s pointer to recreating the connection is reasonable; the steps below expand what to check while doing that. ’ registry idea is low on the troubleshooting priority list and can do harm if used prematurely.

Start with the physical/driver checks: confirm a plain telephone plugged into the same wall jack has a dial tone. Remove DSL filters or splitters while testing. Verify the modem shows up in Device Manager (Control Panel → Phone and Modem Options → Modems) and run the modem’s diagnostics/“Query Modem” there to confirm it responds. If the modem is internal, try a different phone cable or another wall jack.

Address software/dialer conflicts next: AOL’s software historically grabs the modem. Stop all AOL processes (check Task Manager) and then try EarthLink. When recreating the Windows dial-up entry, explicitly pick the correct modem in the wizard and enter EarthLink’s local access number, account name and password. Make sure dialing is set to Tone (not Pulse) if appropriate for the phone service.

If problems persist, reinstall or update the modem driver, test the modem on another PC or phone line, and rule out digital/VoIP/ISDN phone service incompatibilities (modems may not work on some digital lines). Only consider registry cleaners as a last resort after full backups and a restore point; they rarely fix dial-tone or hardware-level failures. If the exact Windows error text or code is available, that detail will narrow the next steps (driver, PPP, or ISP-side issue).

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Member Avatar for Tatootie

I was previously connected to the internet by way of being networked to another computer. When I left the network I could only log on with AOL. I tried with Earthlink but couldn't get a dial tone. The error message said that it could not connect to the remote computer. What can I do to fix the problem?

Set up a new connection through the wizard - should walk you through the process. XP makes this very easy

peace

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