After tiring of using a 28.8K modem that connected at 14.4K, I decided to go back to see what the issue was with my ZooM56K ISA modem.
Several months ago, a fan got loose in the case and ended up on the bottom impacting the modem a few times.
No visible damage, but one piece of metal on the MIDCOM(what it says on there, it controls a lot of things for the modem, the one issue I had was that it would constantly say "No dialtone") was moved to the right, a piece of plastic was broken and beyond that - looked fine.
Today, I pick it up and decide to give it a good looking over. Examining every inch of the modem, I finally see the problem - a red wire smaller than a piece of hair was snapped in half.
How the hell could I fix something like that, especially since the wire would barely reach around to make contact with the other side of it.
I begin messing with it, using the only instruments I had available - a toothpick, solder & soldering gun, cardboard, duct tape, tweezers and a glasses repair kit magnifying glass. After 3 failed attempts with the solder, since the wire was located in a deep groove, I am beginning to realise that I am about to chalk up another failure in my long list of failed fixing up attempts.
With nothing to lose, high on solder fumes, and getting the feeling the 28.8K running at 14.4K was mocking my attempts to get the 56K back to life - I went with a last ditch effort. I cut away the plastic that held the wire in the groove allowing more wire to reach the other side. Now I had finally made contact, but the solder up to date has produced nothing but failures. One last try though, then I'm going to pass out into a coma induced by the solder.
Sitting there, glaring through this miniature sized magnifying glass that may as well be called a pair of glasses for all its help it did, and working with this extremely thin wire and a hot soldering gun in my hand - I melt as much solder as possible onto the wire to insure that even if it doesn't work, I will have no other chance to mess with the wire that is no buried underneath atleast a half inch of solder.
Plug the modem in, boot up computer, and click the D.U.N. icon with the look of disgust from repeated failed attempts, and several burns to the hands (did you know solder actually pops like oil in a frying pan?!?! My hand now looks like a circuit board).
Just then, the modem's speaker comes to life and the sweet noise of victory over impossible odds springs from my PC box. Never before has errrrrr bing pop crack bzzzzztttt sounded so lovely.
I turn to the Hayes 28.8 and laugh insanely at it. Mock me will you?!?! Realising I am in a delirious state and recieving wierd looks from the dog, I stop laughing and open up the HTC hardware page to tell my fellow computer geeks of my success.
-SW
