Hi, all. Please keep in mind that I am a beginner! I have a question that is probably simple to answer... Can I have both an internal and external modem installed on the same computer and have both enabled? I have a 2005 Compaq Presario SR1750NX desktop with Windows XP SP2. I am presently using just a plain PCI internal Agere software modem for dial-up Internet access (there are no other options other than satellite where I live). The modem itself has been fine for years, but recently I have been having line noise on my telephone line and my telco can't seem to fix the problem. So I read that external modems can sometimes handle line noise problems better than internal modems, so I bought a TRENDnet 56K external serial port modem to try. My question pertains to the fact that there is nothing 'wrong' with my PCI modem, but that I would simply like to try and install and use my new external modem to see how it performs in comparison. Can I install the new external modem without disabling the internal modem in device manager? Also, if I have both modems installed, how does my computer determine which it will use to dial-out with when I attempt to make a connection? Thanks so much!

Yes, you can have multiple modems installed if you desire. There is no need to disable the existing modem in Device Manager. As far as "which modem", you specify that in your connection properties for your dialup network. (bring up your DUN connection, and select "Properties" Under the "General" tab, you will see both of your modems listed under "Connect using: Select the modem you wish to set as the default modem, and press OK to apply the settings. The only stupid question is the one not asked.

Thanks so much for the quick response! I appreciate it!