Slow Modem?

[conquistadorst]

I have a 56K 3COM US-Robotics PCI modem that's hardware based and is NOT a winmodem that connects super slow. It used to connect around 26400bps-33333bps, which is kinda slow but probably due to old phone lines, but recently I haven't been able to connect any faster than 24000kbs even during working hours or early mornings! Im connecting at 19200-24000bps all day and night!! This is totally unacceptable! Does anyone know what could be going on?

Im using AltaVista, which isnt the best ISP, but I have friends that are connecting at much higher speeds than this.

Thanx for trying to help out if you reply.

 

[Unolocogringo]

the max 36000 is a known problem with these cards something about a double analog connection from the phone company limits them to 36000. as for your degrading slower and slower a couple of things, too many phones connected to the line can cause it especially older phones in your house. do you have a clear connection or do you hear some static? also a corroded connection at the wall jack or jacks or outside where the phone line connets to your house. if you have static take a regular phone and open the door on the outside connection unplug the wire there and plug the phone in, no static means problem is in house wiring, static means problem is in line to house and you need to call for repairs. sometimes it can be a dirty or bad wall jack

 

[SoulReaper]

Don't forget that ur telephone wires also determine ur speed. And your distance to the nearest way point on the telephone poll. if ur friend is in the city, chances are he'll get a faster connection than someone out in the country.

 

[conquistadorst]

Thanx Rick, its probbly something I should of mentioned in my post, I do have line noise, but I hoped that wouldn't be the problem. But the line noise isnt just static, I can hear someone else's phoneline-and im not using a portable. Today I called up the local phone company and scheduled an appointment. I hope all things will go well, thanx for ur help

Only thing is that I regret buying a 3COM PCI fax&voice modem cost me over 60 bucks, now I find out it wont connect over 36Kbs, too bad I dont have any ISA slots available, bc its hard to find PCI non-winmodems Any suggestions on this??? External any good?

 

[Guest]

Bar None the best 56K modem ever made is the US Robotics Courier modem. It's external and plugs into a serial port. At 280 dollars retail, it had better be good though. I bought mine off Ebay for $165 (three weeks before getting DSL... Doh!). It's worth every penny if your having problems with your telephone lines though. This thing is unstoppable. It eminates quality from when you first take it out of the box, to the first time you hear it dial. I went through two modems, one internal pci, one external usb ($100), until finally seeing the light. It's funny what happens when engineers design something right... I had never connected above 42 kb per second (when I could connect at all) and the first time (and every time after that) I tried the courier I connected above 50kb. My dynamic download speeds doubled also from 2.4 Kb to 4 or 5Kb.

The highest quality modems made are always going to be external, BTW.


- Every private citizen has a public responsibility

 

[Zyphoid]

Your problem is most likely you need to update your drivers or inf files . Also you might want to ad an init string .Start / settings / control panel/ modem /properties/ connection/ advance / Extra settings .This is what an init string would look like AT+ MS=K56,1,,,40000,44000 or AT+ MS=V90,1,,,40000,44000 this is for a different type of modem but after having the same problem as you this type of change brought me from connecting at 28800-31200 to 44000. check here for drivers and inf http://www.usr.com/support/overview-template.asp?prod=s-cour and here for init strings for your type of modem http://www.56k.com/trouble/interop.shtml btw i live in the country and it is actually not where you live but how close you are to a swithcing station . Also this change brought my downloads fron 2.8-3.1 to 5.1-6.0 Kbs so as you can see it could make a huge difference 10 megs perhour to 16megs+ per hour . As for the phone lines the more things you have connected to it the more it acts as an antenna and the less reliable it is . Try going strait from the modem to the wall jack .


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