Your modem's 'screeching' can be silenced
By Tamara E. Holmes
Q. When I connect to the Internet, my modem screeches, much like when you call a person and get a fax machine instead. What is happening? How do I stop it? The screeching sound continues until a connection has been made.
A. The "screeching" is normal. The noise indicates the modem is making a connection to your Internet service provider's computer network. Some computers are automatically set to have that sound come on loudly or softly when you connect. Here's how to turn the volume down or turn it off. Go to the Windows Control Panel, click on Modems, then Properties and there will be a slider to adjust the volume. The lowest setting turns the modem's speaker off.
Q. I've noticed that some computer mice have more than two buttons. What do the extra buttons do?
A. The buttons on your basic two-button computer mouse will let you perform such tasks as clicking and double-clicking on areas of text and calling up context-sensitive menus. But mice that have additional buttons give users access to more functions. For example, a third button might be used to scroll through multiple windows on screen or it might be programmed to launch the start menu. While some two-button mice can be programmed to perform additional tasks as well, three- and four-button mice tend to give users more flexibility when it comes to customizing the input device to better fit their work habits.
Q. Is it true you can hurt your computer by installing more than one peripheral at the same time?
A. Although it's often recommended that you don't install more than one peripheral in one sitting, the reason has nothing to do with any increased risk of hurting your computer. Odds are, you won't hurt your PC in that manner. However, if one of the peripherals causes a conflict or problem with your computer, it will be more difficult to isolate that problem if you've installed multiple devices. If you're planning to add a number of devices to your computer, the best way to go about it is to add one at a time. That way, you can make sure each device works satisfactorily before adding the next one, and if a problem does arise, you'll be better able to figure out which peripheral caused the problem and, after troubleshooting, fix the situation.
Holmes is assistant Technology section editor at www.usatoday.com. She answers questions daily at www.usatoday.com/tech.htm.
