When dialup refuses to receive any data, even though your browser or other program is trying to send data, it can be frustrating, especially with a deadline. The following short series of steps can keep your dialup receiving data without a delay.

1. If you don't have a browser that can refresh the page, get one. Opera works well for me, and it's faster than Internet Explorer in the first place.

2. Load a page such as Wikipedia.org (Not the homepage). It is large enough so that it doesn't completely reload from the cache when it refreshes, but small enough that your dialup doesn't just "give up" on the page.

3. Set the page to reload every second. In Opera, right click anywhere in the window and select "Reload Every". Select "Custom", then enter 1 second in the dialogue box that follows. Make sure to click "Enable", then click OK.

I suggest locking the Wikipedia tab so you don't accidentally close it and allow the connection to stop transferring data. Also note that this will use bandwidth, so expect a tiny drop in your speed on other pages. Finally, 1 second might be more frequently than you need, so adjust the time accordingly.

This does not seem to work for connections that disconnect, but is for connections that seem to go dormant. Sometimes this will not work, and your only other option is to disconnect and reconnect. If your connection seems dormant on your third connection, disconnect and try dialing your ISP from a phone and listen for any abnormalities.