Dialup - Frequently Asked Questions
How do I set up my dial-up connection?
When I try to connect, my computer is reporting that my username
and password are incorrect, but I am sure they are right.
When I try to connect, my computer is reporting that there is no dial-tone.
When I try to connect, my computer is reporting a different error message.
It seems that I cannot stay on line for more than
a few minutes without being disconnected. Why is this?
Can I use my connection in other countries?
I have forgotten my password, how can I retrieve it?
I am connected to the internet, but why can I not view web pages?
How do I cancel my account?
How do I set up my dial-up connection?
We have made guides that give you step-by-step instructions on setting up your dial-up connection on the most popular operating systems here. If your operating system is not listed, or if you need further advice, please call us on 0845 117 0555, or e-mail us at support@clara.net.
When I try to connect, my computer is reporting that my username
and password are incorrect, but I am sure they are right.
There are many possible reasons why you cannot connect, and sadly the error message that your computer reports is rarely accurate. If your computer reports that your username and password are incorrect, it could actually be the case that your phone number is withheld, or ex-directory. Our servers will only allow you to connect if you allow us to see your phone number. Putting 1470 in front of the number you are using to call may solve this problem (for example, instead of "08450790008", use "147008450790008"). Ensure that you are using capital letters and lower case letters in the correct places.
When I try to connect, my computer is reporting that there is no dial-tone.
This error message is generally accurate. Please verify that the modem cable connecting your computer to your phone line is plugged in properly. Also try connecting a standard phone into the phone socket, so that you can be sure your phone socket is working. If you are certain that your phone socket and wires are working, there may be a problem with your modem. Please contact the vendor of your computer for further advice, or if you are confident in such matters, try un-installing and re-installing your modem.
When I try to connect, my computer is reporting a different error message.
Unless the problem is related to not having a dial tone, or not entering the correct username and password, computers generally have great difficulty reporting an accurate error message. However, if your computer managed to connect to us for even a brief moment, we should be able to see why your connection was refused. Please call us on 0845 117 0555, or e-mail us at support@clara.net for further advice. Before you contact us, please note down the exact error message, including any error codes.
It seems that I cannot stay on line for more than a few minutes without being disconnected. Why is this?
This could be caused by connecting your computer to a phone socket using an old modem cable, or using an old modem. But, more often than not, this is the result of a poor signal on the phone line itself. Technically, this is known as a "lost carrier", and it occurs when your connection is not strong enough to maintain a data phone call. You will not notice the problem when making phone calls, because internet and data calls require a much stronger signal. You will probably also find that, when you do connect, the speeds you receive are much slower than they should be, because your computer is forced to connect to us at a slower speed due to the poor quality signal. Phoning BT, and asking that they increase the signal strength or "gain" on your line should solve this problem. If it does not, please contact us for further advice.
Can I use my connection in other countries?
You can certainly use your account to connect to the internet in other countries (Although Freetime customers cannot use their free minutes). The exact price will depend on where in the world you are; please refer to this page for further advice.
I have forgotten my password, how can I retrieve it?
Following a simple security check, we can reset your password. This information can change from account to account, so we recommend you call us on 0845 117 0555 for assistance.
I am connected to the internet, but why can I not view web pages?
here are a few troubleshooting tips that you can use when you appear to be connected, but cannot view web pages. If you are unsure how to perform any of the following steps, please call us on 0845 117 0555 and we will be happy to talk you through the process.
Open the command prompt (Click on "Start", then "Run" and type in cmd)and type "ping www.clara.net" without the quotes. Do you see a new line appear every second that says something along the lines of "64 bytes from 80.168.69.13: icmp_seq=0 ttl=53 time=23.832 ms"? If you do, then it would seem the problem lies with your web browser. Try totally clearing out your cache, your browser history, and your cookies folder. Reset your machine and see if you can now view pages.
Open a command prompt, and type "ping 80.168.69.13". If you found that the above stage did not work, but this does, then it appears that your computer is having difficulty resolving domain names. Please make sure that your name servers are set up in your connection properties as 195.8.69.7 and 195.8.69.12 respectively.
If you find that neither of the above steps worked, and you are not using Windows XP, please move to the next step. If you are using Windows XP, you may find that resetting your TCP/IP stack resolves the issue. The TCP/IP stack is the set of information that your computer uses to make internet connections, and it can become corrupt. Please click on Start, then Run, and type into the run box "netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt" without the quote marks. When you click "run", you will see a black box appear, and then disappear. Please restart your machine, and now try to access a web page.
It is possible that your dial-up connection may have become corrupt. Please delete your current dial-up profile, and set it up again (be sure to make a note of any settings you may need to remember, such as username, password, phone number, and name server settings).
If, after setting up your connection again, you find that you still cannot connect, then it is possible that there may be a more fundamental problem with your computer. However, although we cannot generally help with hardware problems, there may be another issue that we can help with. Please call us on 0845 117 0555 for further advice.
How do I cancel my account?
If you would like to cancel your account, we will need some security information from you. We require 30 days notice for cancellations. Please e-mail us at accounts@clara.net with your request to cancel and provide your username (if you have not emailed us using the email address on the account), the contact address we have on our records, the last four digits of your credit/deit card number (if you have a subscribed service)and quote the first and last characters of your password. Please also advise us whether you would like to keep your email address as a free service.