Can I still use dial-up internet? PROBLEM OF THE FORTNIGHT
QWe’re retiring to a green and pleasant part of this country. Broadband is coming to our remote region but not until the end of the year. Obviously, I need a way to connect in the meantime. I thought a mobile broadband dongle might do but scouting trips suggest that the signal is patchy — so there’s no guarantee we’ll get a connection that way. It occurred to me that I still have my old 56Kbps modem somewhere, last used over a decade ago. Would it be possible to use this for a basic online connection? Would it work with my Windows 10 PC? If so, how would I go about it? Whatever happened to the dial-up panel in Windows? I really don’t know where to begin, or even if it’s worthwhile — but I only need an email link, so perhaps dial-up would do? Pat Fuller
AYes, it’s possible. A 56Kbps connection would be painfully slow but it would suffice for email.
We can’t say for certain whether or not your current modem would work with your Windows 10 PC. If the modem is on an expansion card and you have a desktop PC, open up your PC, plug the modem into a spare PCI slot and see what happens. Windows 10 has a load of basic drivers built in, but it’s also good at downloading the latest versions of software where available.
The same is true for an external modem that connects via USB, so if that’s what your modem is then plug it in and see what happens. If you’ve retained the modem’s original driver disc and Windows prompts you for it, then pop it in and hope for the best.
If your PC won’t recognise or work with the old modem then modern replacements are reasonably affordable (such as this £11 model from Amazon — www.snipca.com/24338).
Once you have the modem installed then you’ll need to set up a dial-up connection. Once upon a time this would have involved a monthly subscription to an ISP. But today, and for your purposes, a pay-as-you-go service such as Freeola ( www.freeola. com) will do the job — it charges 2p per minute for access.
In Windows 10, click Start followed by the settings cog, then ‘Network & Internet’ followed by Dial-up. Next, click ‘Set up a new connection’ (see screenshot), ‘Connect to the Internet’, then Next. Now click Dial-up and then fill in the form with the connection details (for Freeola, this means typing 0845 123 2035 in the ‘Dial-up phone number’ box and then anything in the ‘User name’ and Password boxes). Tick ‘Remember this password’, then click Create followed by Close.
When you’re ready to connect, return to the Dial-up screen in ‘Network & internet’, click Dial-up Connection followed by Connect, then Dial.
Finally, wait for those familiar dial-up screeches — and perhaps prepare to emit some yourself when you’re reminded just how slow this form of internet is!