Paul:
Based on a similar experience several years ago, I'd say that you modem
is toast. But, before you give up on it, is it possible to try it on
another computer? You could also try acessing the modem with
Hyperterminal to see if there is any response to an AT command.

One word of advice: I've lived in eastern North Carolina for 35 years
where there are a lot of thunderstorms. During the warm months, they are
an almost daily occurrence. The only loss from lightning that we've ever
experienced was that one stroke that came in on the telephone line --
NOT the power line. It took out a cordless phone, an answering machine,
and the (internal) modem, but all of the cheap phones survived
unscathed. The good part was that the computer itself was not damaged. A
neighbor had his whole system fried by the same hit. Since modems are
too expensive to be used as fuses, I have made it a point to use a good
surge protector that includes provision for the modem. It has to be
plugged into a properly grounded circuit to be effective of course.
Avoid those inexpensive power strips -- from the reading that I've done,
they are not considered to be effective protection. As near as I can
tell, go with the one that has the best warranty.

Best regards,
Carroll Grigsby

"Villano, Paul" wrote:
>
> Wouldn't you know it.  The one time I forgot to unplug my phone line, we got
> a sudden lightning storm.  I was in the other room when I heard this "click"
> from the living room (where the computer is).  Took me a few days to realize
> it had been the lightning actually turning the modem on when it hit and I
> could hear it because the modem has a speakerphone-like function!  Next time
> I tried the computer, my modem was acting bizarre.  One moment, my ISP (AOL)
> says it's having trouble initializing the modem.  Next minute it says
> there's no dial tone.  (I replaced the phone jack, the phone lines and
> installed/uninstalled the modem seveal times).  Phone works fine.  Lines are
> all fine.  Is this definitely a "zapped" modem?  I'm having a tough time
> replacing it (can't seem to find an external USB modem anywhere) and am
> hoping that it's something simpler I've just overlooked.
>
> By the way, the computer is a Gateway Pentium II.  The modem is an external,
> USB 3Com "Pro" model (a few years old).
>
> PAUL
> CINC PowerPoint

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