56k modem driver update.

[Crashman]

Telco is an abreviation for Telephone Company. The more connections/switches, etc, your computer has to go through before getting to the ISP, the longer your ping response will be.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[zemuron]

My dad also has a 56k modem. I'm not sure if it's a winmodem/software or not thought. Can someone tell me if it is or not? Does it have it's on cpu? It's called: sportster 56000 Voice internel.

Just tell me if you guys need more information.

Is it easy to just open up the case and see if it has a cpu or not?

 

[Crashman]

That's made by US Robotics, a division of 3-Com. It's a good modem, it uses hardware compression and so forth, but because it's plug-and-play, people probably call it a winmodem.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[r0man]

Hello ppl, Im new to this, was searching a place to suggest the THG to make a new modem comparison, including some basics and links for noobs, because (want it or not) there are a lot of people, including me, still using modems. I know that a winmodem or any kind of modem that relies on the system (CPU, OS, etc.) to perform tasks inherent to the modem are less preferable than "pure hardware" ones, but the market and sales people misinform the customers and I use to compare the final price of the product when I dont understand much of what I am buying, and many people act the same.
I use this thread because is the only one about 56k modem I found, but if someone from THG gets interested in doing such a benchmark it will be useful for many people, so they could buy reliable modems and will have less probabilities to complain. Thank you very much and I apologize for posting this in the Zaruman's thread.

Roman.

 

[umheint0]

Well, even USR calls it a winmodem, but who cares, right?

Zemuron, I'll do all the bloody footwork for ya.

Go into your control panel - phone and modem options - modem tab - properties - diagnostics tab - query modem.

Tell me the response for the ATI3 command. Then go to your driver tab and tell me the driver date, version, and provider. If you have any external documentation (manuals, driver disks, the box it came in, a drunked scribble on a napkin your computer manufucter gave you), that would also be appreciated.

I will then give you an exact link for the driver for your modem and instructions on how to install it and verify it is installed and functioning properly.

What it will do for you:

1. Increased stability (less frequent disconnects, more reliable throughput [upload and download speeds]).
2. Increased V.90, K56Flex, and X2 support (languages your modem uses to communicate with your ISP).

What it will NOT do:

2. Faster speeds. You can't get higher than 53kbps (yes, 53), because of government restrictions on the voltages running over phone lines. Tell me where you live Zemuron and I'll tell you if this applies to you. You may connect at 115,200, but that's just your computer's connection to your modem, not the modem to the other modem.
2. Significantly lower pings. Environmental factors such as line noise (caused by phone line age/quality, the weather, and your telco), your telco's router quality, and your ISP's own modems and network connection speeds. You might see a drop, but only because of increased connection stability and less lost packets. You won't to better than 250-300 ms at the best of times.
3. Let you connect to the internet and talk on the phone at the same time, increase your CPU speed, or do your laundry. As most people who call me for tech support know, only turbo stickers, or possibly ski wax, will actually do any of the above.

umheint0's phat setup --> <A HREF="http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~umheint0/system.html" target="_new">http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~umheint0/system.html</A><--

 

[Crashman]

Right. I think I've said already that any PNP modem is called a winmodem these days, because it's software configured. An amazing number of "software" modems are actually PNP hardware modems though. In fact, I've had quite a few modems that were 100% hardware modems, that had a PNP option by jumper. And what would you call a jumperable hardware modem when it's in PNP mode?


So it gets confusing when you're trying to judge the quality of a modem, with some being simple codecs and others offering full hardware support, when you call them all "winmodems" simply because they're PNP.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[zemuron]

My ATI3 command is: 2.1.2.171.021.003

Driver provider: Microsoft
Driver date: 7/1/2001
Driver Version: 5.0.0.2
Digitl signer: Microsoft Windows XP Publisher

I live in Alberta Canada in A small town called Girouxville.

Ok now about this below. This is what you said:

"If you have any external documentation (manuals, driver disks, the box it came in, a drunked scribble on a napkin your computer manufucter gave you), that would also be appreciated."

You really want me to mail to you my disk, box, manuals if I have them?

 

[umheint0]

Excellent.

Could you please list ATI1 through ATI7. You have a non-standard modem. That's okay, just takes longer to sift through the information. The key one would be ATI4.

The easiest thing to do would be go into start - all programs - accessories - communications - hyperterminal - cancel the new connection, so you're back at a plain white window - file - properties - settings - ASCII setup - check the box saying "echo typed characters locally" - okay - okay.

Here, type the ATI commands in. That's ATI1 through ATI7. Then, you can goto edit - select all - edit - copy.

Go into Notepad, and goto edit - paste. Save this, and e-mail it to me at umheint0@cc.umanitoba.ca.

I'll post back here with my results.

If you live in Canada, then you are subject to the voltage restrictions over the phone lines, meaning that you will NEVER get higher than 53kbps speeds on your connection, no matter what Windows reports.

I don't want you to mail the stuff to me, just e-mail me the information, such as type, revision, and any specifications listed.

umheint0's phat setup --> <A HREF="http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~umheint0/system.html" target="_new">http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~umheint0/system.html</A><--

 

[zemuron]

I sent the information on July 3 to your e-mail. The ATI1 through ATI7 you wanted. Is that enough information? Because I don't know what else exactly I can send to you.

 

[zemuron]

Why do you want this information? Were you going to send me something? I sent you the info. Did you get it in your e-mail inbox?