If you are unable to get the Modem Test to work, first make sure you know exactly what port your modem is connected to. You can do that by following the procedure under: Using the Windows Control Panel to Determine Your Modem Port.  Write down the modem port and keep it handy.

Make Sure You Have a Phone Modem and the Modem is Connected.  First make sure you have a dial-up modem.  And make sure that the dial-up modem is plugged into your phone.

In order to use the phone and credit card features you need to have a "Dial-up" modem.  A dial-up modem is not the same as a DSL or Cable modem.  DSL or Cable modems will not take the place of a dial-up modem.

Dial-up modems come with most computers, but not all.  If you don't have a dial-up modem, they are inexpensive and can be installed easily.

If you do have a dial-up modem, make sure that your phone is plugged into the modem.  In other words, if it's an internal modem (which most dial-up modems are), your phone should be plugged into the jack on the back of the computer.

Here's some information about hooking up an internal dial-up modem:  A dial-up modem connects to the phone jack on the wall just like a telephone does. The key is to look at the back of your computer, where one or two phone jacks appear.  Plug one end of the phone cable into the "Line" jack.  Plug the other end of the phone cable into the wall jack.  If the internal modem has only one phone jack, well, then, by golly, it plugs into the wall.  It doesn't matter which end of the phone cord goes into the wall or modem; plugging in a modem is just like plugging in a phone.  If a phone is already plugged into the wall, unplug it.  Then plug it into the Phone jack in the back of your modem.

Try the Alternative Modem Engine. If you know that you have a dial-up modem (which is connected to the phone), and if you've conducted the Modem Test and are unable to make a successful connection with your modem, you may need to use the Alternative Modem Engine.  The Alternative Modem Engine is often needed for older operating systems like Windows 95 and 98.  The Alternative Modem Engine comes with the AnyOrder installation package.  To try the Alternative Modem Engine, click on the "Alt Modem Engine" at the bottom of the Modem Test dialog box.  You can turn the Alternative Modem Engine off or on by clicking the "Telephone/Internet" tab in Basic Set-up.  Place checkmark in the Alternative Modem Engine box.  To remove the Alternative Modem Engine and allow AnyOrder to return the internal modem engine, remove the checkmark.

If Your Modem Stops Working. If your modem suddenly stops working, make sure that your modem's settings have not been changed by another software product.  To reset the modem, re-start your computer.  Re-starting your computer will often clear modem problems.

After the computer re-starts, get AnyOrder running again, and return to the modem test.  Make sure the correct COM Port is selected. Follow the testing directions and see if your modem now works.

Try Modem Initialization. If the modem still doesn't work, there's one last thing you can try: a modem initialization string.  To initialize your modem, follow the procedure found in: Initializating the Modem.

Be sure that you have tried all four trouble shooting steps: 1) Check for a Dial-up Modem and make sure it is plugged into the phone;  2)re-set your computer;  3) make sure that you have the right COM Port selected by referring to the Windows Control Panel; and 4) entering the modem initialization string.

If you've done all of these and your modem still won't work with AnyOrder, your system is, unfortunately, not compatible with AnyOrder.  It does happen now and then.  There are hundreds of different hardware and software combinations out there, and some just won't work.

That's the reason why we make AnyOrder available as shareware.  Shareware gives people an opportunity to try a program out and determine whether it will work on their system.