Modems and telephone lines

Can computer seize control of telephone line? I end session on AOL, confirm that modem has hung up & that line has dial done. Later, after several minutes or hours, can not get dial tone on telephone. Line sounds as if it is hanging "open" & in use. Ongoing problem. Have already replaced CPU & all phones. Have checked every setting that I know how to check. Is it even a computer problem? Thanks for any suggestions

 

If your in the US & your lines aren't to old you may have a D-Mark. Outside where the telephone line comes into the biulding there may be a gray box. Get a screw driver open it up and you should see what looks just like a telephone jack with your interior lines plugged into it. Unplug that & plug a standard phone into it. Be sure the phone you use doesn't need external power. If you can hear a dial tone from that point the cause of the problem is internal wiring. If you don't get a dial tone it's the telephone companies end.
The problem may be an open lead. I had problems were the phone lines on my end were just old & sunfaded. The insulation will break down over a period of time cause all kinds of problems. Another time it was one side of my line pair barely hanging on. This was up on the pole so any time the wind blew my dial tone would be intermitant.
If it's an internal problem & you don't pay for line maintanance don't woory standard home phones are easy to work on & cheap to repair.
If it's a phone co. problem obviously call them.
In fact if you don't have a D-Mark call them to come out & check it. They will usually check the D-Mark or it's equivalint at no charge. Fair warning they may tell you it's $40 -$50 dollars to come inside if you don't pay for maintance.

 

It's not uncommon for a faulty modem to stay "off-hook" and tie up the line. The easy way to find out is when you discover the line is being held open, unplug the modem line and see if the problem clears. The usual RX is a new modem.