How to Disable Call Waiting

If you are using a dial-up connection (modem) to connect to the Internet rather than a DSL or broadband (cable) connection and you also use call waiting, you must disable call waiting while you are taking a test in Blackboard. If you do not and you receive a telephone call, your call waiting will disrupt your Internet connection and remove you from your test. Please follow the steps below for disabling call waiting when you connect to the Internet. As soon as you disconnect from the Internet, your call waiting feature will be restored. This action is not required if you use DSL or broadband (cable) to connect to the Internet.

Instructions for Windows 95/98 and Windows ME

  1. Click the Start menu, then click "Settings," then "Control Panel."
  2. In the window that appears, double-click the icon labeled "Modems."
  3. In the window that appears, click the button near the bottom labeled "Dialing Properties."
  4. In the box labeled "Area Code," be sure to enter your actual area code.
  5. Click the checkbox beside the option labeled "To disable call waiting, dial." Then select the correct code in the drop down list that appears to the right.
  6. Click "OK," then click "OK" again to save your settings.
  7. Close all windows to return to the Desktop.
Now, whenever you connect to the Internet, Windows will first dial the code to disable Call Waiting before dialing the Internet access number.

Instructions for Windows 2000 and Windows XP

  1. Click the Start menu, then click "Settings," then "Control Panel." (In Windows XP, "Control Panel" is listed directly on the Start menu.)
  2. In the window that appears, double-click the icon labeled "Phone and Modem Options."
  3. In the window that appears, click the button near the bottom labeled "Edit," as shown below:

    Phone and Modem Options Dialog Box

  4. When the "Edit Location" dialog box opens (see figure below), be sure to enter your actual area code in the box labeled "Area Code."
  5. Click the checkbox beside the option labeled "To disable call waiting, dial." Then select the correct code in the drop down list that appears to the right.
  6. Click "OK," then click "OK" again to save your settings.
  7. Close all windows to return to the Desktop.

    Edit Location Dialog Box
Now, whenever you connect to the Internet, Windows will first dial the code to disable Call Waiting before dialing the Internet access number. Remember that as soon as you disconnect from the Internet, your call waiting feature will be restored. This action is not required if you use DSL or broadband (cable) to connect to the Internet.