This page has some information on common problems that may be helpful if things are not working properly. This information can also be found in the program help.

Caller ID Problems

If the program logs all calls as "No Caller ID", then the Caller ID feature on your modem is not working. For the Caller ID to work properly, your modem must have Caller ID capability, it must be compatible with the Caller ID service in your area, and you must subscribe to Caller ID service with your phone company. Also, your modem must be installed with a TAPI compliant .inf file (driver). If not, your modem's Caller ID feature simply will not be enabled. This is the most common cause of Caller ID problems.

If you're not sure whether your modem is Caller ID capable, or you think there may be a problem with the modem, you can use a communications program (such as the Windows HyperTerminal) to test it. This will eliminate your modem drivers, Unimodem, and TAPI as possible problems, and tests the modem directly.

First, close any programs that use the modem. Then run your communications program (it must be one with a terminal screen that allows you to type in AT commands). Make sure it is setup to communicate with your modem, then type in the AT command that your modem uses to enable Caller ID (refer to your manual). For example, AT#CID=1 is a common command string. Also, AT+VCID=1 is very common. Press Return and you should get an OK back. Now have someone call you and you should see something like this:

AT#CID=1
OK
RING
DATE = 0317
TIME = 1405
NMBR = 5045551234
NAME = A NAME
RING

If this works, then you know your modem supports Caller ID and is working properly. If so, you probably have a driver problem.

If this test fails, then you may have a modem problem, your modem may not have Caller ID capability, or it may not be compatible with your local Caller ID standard.

Intermittent Problems

Some modems simply are not 100% reliable at reporting the caller's name and number. If the Caller ID works most of the time but you sometimes see "No Caller ID", that means that your modem failed to report any Caller ID information on that call. The program can't show the Caller ID information if your modem doesn't report it properly.

If you have this problem, make sure that your modem is connected directly to the telephone wall jack. Connecting the modem to another device (such as a fax machine) can cause this problem. Also, if you have a telephone plugged into the "Phone" jack on your modem, try unplugging it. Some telephones, especially Caller ID phones, can cause intermittent problems with your modem's Caller ID detection.

You should also be aware that modems are generally designed to work on a standard land-line. If you are instead using a VoIP phone service and connecting the modem to a telephone adapter box, that can result in Caller ID problems. VoIP telephone adapters tend to put out lower signal levels which can be difficult for the modem to detect.

Speakerphone Problems

If you can't get the Speakerphone feature to work on Phone Plus or CallStation, remember that a speakerphone is not included on all voice modems. In fact, speakerphone modems have become hard to find. If your modem has speakerphone support, it will usually have a microphone input and a speaker output on the back of the modem card. If these connectors are present, you can be pretty sure that you have a speakerphone modem.

Make sure that your microphone and speaker are connected properly according to the instructions that came with your modem. A common mistake is to try and operate the speakerphone using a microphone and speakers connected to the sound card when they need to be connected to the modem. You can usually use the speakers connected to your sound card if you connect a jumper cable from the speaker output on the modem to the "Line" or "Aux" input on the sound card. When doing this, make sure that the sound card's line input is enabled and the volume is turned up.

If you are sure that your modem has speakerphone support, but you still can't get it to work properly, you probably have a driver problem. Your drivers may not be 100% TAPI compliant. Impulse Technology cannot help you if you have driver problems, you would need to contact your modem manufacturer.

Answering System Problems

Here are some common problems users may run into when first using the CallStation answering system.

When CallStation answers a call, I see "Error loading wave file" on the pop-up window, and then CallStation hangs up without taking a message.

CallStation can only use standard PCM format wave files for the greeting. Click Voice | Greetings | Standard to display the Standard Greetings dialog. Make sure your greeting plays OK here. You may need to select another wave file, or record a greeting from a microphone.

When CallStation answers a call, I see "Error playing wave file" on the pop-up window, and then CallStation hangs up without taking a message.

This error can occur if CallStation has a problem playing the greeting or the beep. Go to the Control Panel and double-click the Multimedia icon. On the Audio tab, make sure the "Use only preferred devices" option is NOT checked.

Also, your greeting must be in 8,000 Hz, 16-Bit mono format. If it is in any other format, you will get this error. Greetings recorded by CallStation will always be in this format.

When CallStation answers a call, the caller cannot hear the greeting or the beep, but they can still leave a message if they speak at the right time.

This problem is caused by a bug in the Vista operating system, and mainly affects Conexant based modems. The only solution is to use a different modem that is not affected by the Vista bug. Check the Modem Review page for recommendations.

When CallStation answers a call, the caller hears the greeting but no beep, and then CallStation hangs up without taking a message.

Click Voice | Greetings | Standard to display the Standard Greetings dialog. Make sure the "Greeting only" option is NOT checked. When this option is checked, CallStation simply plays the greeting and then hangs up. This also applies to the Personal and Group greetings.

CallStation hangs up on callers while they are leaving a message.

Standard modems do not have a good way of telling when a caller has hung up. CallStation has two ways of detecting when a caller has finished their message and hung up the phone. Problems occur when one of these methods malfunctions. You can usually fix the problem by changing the settings under the "Advanced" button on the Voice configuration tab.

The first method involves detecting silence. CallStation analyzes the message as it is being recorded looking for periods of silence. If CallStation detects continuous silence for more than the period set in the "Hang up after X seconds of silence" option, it will decide that the caller has finished leaving a message, stop recording and hang up. When working properly, this keeps the program from recording a long period of silence after the message. On some modems, the recorded sound level may be too low for CallStation to detect so it thinks there is silence when the caller is actually talking. This problem can be easily fixed by changing the silence detection sensitivity to "High". The problem may also be solved by setting the "Record Boost" option to +6dB or +10dB to amplify the recorded sound. Doing this will also make the messages sound louder when you play them back.

The second method involves detecting a "pulse" on the line. When a caller hangs up the phone, a pulse occurs on the line. CallStation can try to detect this pulse. This allows it to hang up quicker than having to wait for the silence detector. A pulse may be falsely detected if you have the "Record Boost" option set too high for your modem causing the audio to "clip" excessively. If this option is set to +6dB or +10dB try setting it down a notch. If you still have a problem you can always disable the pulse detection by unchecking the "Auto Detect remote hang up" option.

CallStation keeps recording even after the caller hangs up.

If the recorded sound level on your modem is unusually high, you may have a problem where CallStation sees noise on the line making it think the caller is still talking. The silence detection then fails to hang up the modem. If this happens, you may need to change the silence detection sensitivity to "Low".

When I try to enable the answering system, I get an "Error getting device ID" message.

This error occurs when CallStation can't get a "device ID" to play wave files through your modem, so this means that there is a problem with your system. You may not have a modem wave driver installed.

Here is something to check. Go to the Windows Device Manager. Expand the "Sound, video and game controllers" branch. Make sure that you have a "Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Device" (it may say "Full-Duplex"). View the Properties for this device and make sure it is working properly.

If you find a problem, you may be able to correct this by downloading and installing the latest drivers for your modem. Check your modem manufacturer's web site.

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