On 13 May 2003, at 14:41, John Loc wrote:

> Right now,I'm using Pentium MMX, 200Mhz, with Win98 SE installed. It seem
> like I will never get my modem to go as high as "40 something" bps. My
> highest speed was 31.2 kbps. I've go into Modem setting and tried
> everyting. No result. I even go into my ISP homepage(Netzero). They all
> tell me to do the same thing that I had been doing, like seting modem up
> to max, try other access number, update my modem driver,ect..But to no
> prevail. I don't think it the Netzero server faults. Because I had tried
> to use the Web several different times during the day, and my sister was
> able to get her speed of about 44.4 kbps using Netzero account. I'm about
> to give up this modem and buy another one. But before I do that, I would
> like to ask anyone that might know any other ways that I can speed up my
> modem. I'm using a very stardard 56K modem wit h a not well-know brand
> name. I had this modem for at least 5 years now. Is it possible that the
> modem back then not capable of deliver speed up to "40 something" kbps?
> Or is it because my system was so slow? If I were to buy a new modem,
> will install it on my system will result the same thing?

  Any speed above 33.6 Kbps has very specific requirements about how the
ISP's modem connects to the phone system, which you have no control over.
It's also going to depend on how far you are from the phone company "central
office" that serves your line, and you don't have much control over that
either.

  Quality of your phone connection may also be an issue.  Policies may have
changed, but it used to be that you could only get the phone company to
check out a poor line (and perhaps move you to a better one) if *voice*
quality was impacted.  But since standard voice bandwidth is only about 3
Kbps, most 2400 bps modems (and all that are faster) are using techniques
that require a line better than that standard.

  Conclusion:  For your combination of location, phone company, and ISP,
31.2 Kbps may be the best that you can do over analog dial-up.  If that's
really not good enough, you may need to determine whether DSL, cable, or
perhaps ISDN is available in your location -- any of which is going to cost
more than NetZero.  (NetZero/Juno have some kind of "high speed" service
advertised for $15 instead of $10 per month, but I don't know what it is or
if you can get it where you are.)

David Gillett
(whose modem usually gets about 42 Kbps at about 6 blocks from the CO)

              The NOSPIN Group is now offering Free PC Tech
                     support at our newest website:
                          http://freepctech.com