Test Failed Solutions not addressed by DSL Connection Manager

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Here are solutions to common connection problems that are not addressed by DSL Connection Manager.

NIC Test Failed
Processor (MHz) Test Failed
RAM (Memory) Test Failed
Available Disk Space Test Failed

1. NIC Test Failed
A Network Interface Card (NIC) is the physical card that controls the interface between a single computer and a computer network. It is generally installed as a card in one of the expansion slots of a computer (or a PCMCIA card in a laptop), although in many cases, especially in newer laptop computers, the NIC may be integrated into the computer's main board (motherboard).

A driver is a software component of an operating system that tells the operating system how to work a peripheral device such as a Network Interface Card, dialup modem, video card, etc. In the case of a network card, the driver will create an "adapter" in the Network Configuration window. This adapter will in turn be bound to a protocol such as TCP/IP (one of the most common for Internet and home LAN use). The protocol is, in essence, the "language" that the NIC adapter will use to communicate with other computers and the Internet.

You will not be able to establish a DSL connection unless your NIC is enabled and its adapter and the protocol that the adapter is bound to are configured correctly. The most common problems occur in the protocol configuration settings. For PPPoE, PPPoA, and DHCP (DHCP is commonly used in home LANs), the TCP/IP protocol should be bound to the NIC adapter and should be set to obtain IP address and gateway information automatically. For static connections, the IP address that you have assigned to the computer, an appropriate subnet mask, a gateway IP address, and DNS information should be entered into the TCP/IP protocol configuration manually.

2. Processor (MHz) Test Failed
Your computer uses a Central Processing Unit (CPU) to process data and present it to you as output on your monitor or printer. The CPU uses an internal clock to time how quickly it processes each of the software commands. If it were not timed correctly, commands would not be able to be processed correctly. The clock is set to a speed, indicated in megahertz (millions of cycles per second), that allows it to process these commands as fast as possible without processing them so fast that the heat generated literally burns out the CPU.

As advances have been made in the design of the CPUs, they have been able to process commands at a faster and faster rate. Some CPUs now operate at a clock speed of over 2 gigahertz (2 billion processes per second). At the same time, software programs have become more and more complex, and require faster CPUs to run them adequately. If a program is run on a processor that is too slow, it may run very sluggishly, or not at all.

The Minimum System Requirement for a CPU indicates the minimum speed in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz) that the processor must be able to run at. Connection Manager requires a minimum processor clock speed of 266 MHz. If your system does not meet this requirement, you must upgrade the CPU (and perhaps other hardware in your computer to match) to be able to handle faster clock speeds.

3. RAM (Memory) Test Failed
The System RAM test checks the total amount of Random Access Memory (RAM) installed in your computer and verifies that it satisfies the minimum requirements of Connection Manager. If you have less than 64 MB of RAM, Connection Manager will not be able to function and will not install. To correct this, you must install more RAM into your computer.

Note: This test only checks for actual RAM installed in the computer. It does not check for available RAM (memory not currently in use by another application). If you have several applications running at the same time as Connection Manager, you may experience problems. If you receive a "Low System Resources" error, or if your system begins to respond slowly, try shutting down some applications and restarting Connection Manager. If the problem persists, consider installing additional RAM.

4. Available Disk Space Test Failed
If you are running low on available hard disk space on the drive where you have installed (or are attempting to install) Connection Manager, Connection Manager may not function correctly. You must have at least 125 MB of free disk space on the installation drive prior to installing Connection Manager.

If your computer does not have adequate available hard disk space, close all programs and delete all unnecessary files and applications. Remember to empty your computer's "Trash" or "Recycle Bin". After restarting your computer, check for free space again. If you still do not have adequate hard disk space, consider upgrading to a larger hard disk.