Internal Modem seems broken - Repairable at home??

Question

Internal Modem seems broken - Repairable at home??

If I try to plug my phone line into the iMac it is fine for about 2 minutes and then it opens the line and never hangs up. I don't even have to use the modem for this to happen. We get lightning storms here and was thinking that I may have gotten a surge through the phone line at some point. Any thoughts and can you actually replace the internal modem yourself or does it need to go in for repair? I am going to replace my surge protector with one that protects the phone line also. Probably a little late but better late than never or whatever that saying is.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Posted on Oct 19, 2005 5:42 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 19, 2005 7:24 PM in response to Richard Warnke

The modem is part of the minplane, so there is no way to replace the modem like in a PC with a PCI card. Call Apple, but my guess is that they will probably send you the new USB modem as a solution.

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Answer 2

Oct 19, 2005 7:45 PM in response to Richard Warnke

Thanks Eric. Its not what I really wanted to hear but I understand. I assume that you can leave the original internal modem shut off while using the newer USB modem. I guess this is the price you pay for having such a sleek case with a lot crammed into it.

Richard

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Answer 3

Oct 19, 2005 8:00 PM in response to Richard Warnke

"I am going to replace my surge protector with one that protects the phone line also."

The phone protection in the surge protectors is mostly psychological. It will possibly protect you from small surges, but anything that can make the jump from cloud to ground or vise versa will have no trouble negotiating a "surge protector" and will make hash of the delicate electronics and micro-relays in a modem.

'Best protection? Unplug 'em, and move the phone cord far away from the unit when a storm threatens! (Go ahead. Ask me how I know all this.)

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Answer 4

Oct 19, 2005 8:09 PM in response to Richard Warnke

David,

Sound like you are from the Tampa area as I am. The lightning capital of the US. When a big storm hits I unplug but sometimes I am actually out of the house so I am left somewhat unprotected. I just can't see unplugging my whole system every time I leave the house in the summer as we frequently have 2-3 storms every week. I will get the best surge protector I can and unplug whenever I know it is getting nasty but I have had computers for almost 20 years and this is the first time I have fried a modem. Not bad but of course it would have to be with a computer that doesn't allow you to replace it.

I looked at the available usb modems and find Apple with one at $50 and others for $38. I will probab;y go with the Apple unless someone knows of a good quality one for less that works all the time. I only use this for sending and getting the occassional fax. I use cable modem, and soon DSL, for internet.

Thanks for the advice......

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