Tip #4309 - PC on Hold
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PC
on Hold
Here's one for all you
dial-up users (I know you're out there!)
If you're still
using dial-up (like me) and you're tired of missing phone calls while
you're connected to the Internet (also like me), this tip is just
for you! Today, I will show you how you can configure your computer
so that when you have an incoming call, you can place your connection
on hold while you talk on the phone. It's called PC on Hold.
Cool, huh?! And the best part? This service costs absolutely nothing!
In fact, it's not a service at all. Nope, it's all done with just
a few clicks of the mouse to change the settings on your PC. Let's
check it out!
To begin, I want
to make it clear that you will not be able to see the name of the
caller or their phone number when you get a call, but with this, you
will never miss a single one! The only stipulation is that you have
to have a V.92 modem. But never fear! I have the
steps and screenshots included below to help you figure out if you
have a V.92 modem or not. I will also show you how to set it up so
that you can be notified of your incoming calls. I use this on my
own PC and I love it. It’s free, it’s easy and it’s
very helpful. Sounds great, right? Yeah, that’s what I’m
thinking! So, are you ready to get started? Then let's go!
Note:
The photos contained in this tutorial are from a computer
using the Windows XP operating system. Yours may look a little different,
depending on the operating system you use.
First, we will
walk through the steps to see if you have a V.92 modem.
Step 1:
Click on the Start menu.
Step 2:
Click on the Control Panel.
Step 3:
In your Control Panel, click on the Printers and Other Hardware
link.
Step 4:
Under the Printers and Hardware section, choose Phone and
Modem Options.
It will look something
like this:
Step 5:
Once there, click on the Modems tab.
Step 6:
Under the Modems tab, if you see “V.92” under your modem
name, you can easily set up PC on Hold to be notified of incoming
calls.
Assuming you have
found “V.92” under your modem name, similar to the above
photo, let’s continue on with this tutorial. If you haven't,
I apologize in advance.
Step 7:
While in the Phone and Modems Options box, on the Modems
tab (Figure 1), click on Properties (Figure 2).
Figure 1:
Figure 2:
Step 8:
In the Properties box, click on the Modem on Hold
tab.
Step 9:
Under the Modem on Hold tab, checkmark the box beside "Enable
Modem on Hold to place a checkmark in the box" and then
click OK.
That's all there
is to it! You can now sit back and relax while surfing the Web and
you'll never have to worry about missing any important phone calls.
All it took was a little time, a little patience and no out of pocket
expense. Yes!
Now, suppose you’re
surfing the Internet and you receive an incoming call. Here’s
what you will see.
When you first
receive notification of a call, a flashing box will appear at the
bottom of your screen. That box will say “BCM V.92.”
Click on the box to open the BCM V.92 Modem window.
Here’s a
photo of what an open BCM V.92 box looks like:
Note that you
will not see the name or phone number of the person calling. It will
only say "Unknown." However, if you have Caller ID, you
may be able to see that information.
From here, you
can choose to Answer the call or Ignore
it. By clicking Answer, you will have effectively placed your Internet
connection on hold and you will be able to talk on the phone.
Once you finish
your conversation, simply press Resume to go back
to surfing the Web.
That's it. I hope
this makes your dial-up experience just a little bit easier!
~ Becky Miles
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