On 2 Apr 2004 at 0:00, David Grossman  wrote:

> I'm confused about modem speed.
>
> I have a dial-up connection that ranges from about 34 to 46 Kbps. That
> speed seems to have no bearing on the actual speed that I can surf the
> Web, or the speed that I can upload or download e-mail.
>
> On some days when the connection is supposedly slow, I can work very
> quickly. On some days when the connection is supposedly fast, the computer
> seems sluggish.
>
> Is there another factor that governs the speed of Internet activity? If
> so, what is the meaning of the modem speed?

Hi David,

I've found the same situation....fast connection, sluggish response
and vice versa.
The best I can tell you is that the modem speed you see in the task
bar is what you *connected* at, for example 44000 kbs. This is not a
"static" connection, in that it remains the same speed at all times.
With others dialing in, sharing the bandwidth your ISP has, it
changes, sometimes dramatically.
Another factor of course, is internet traffic in general, which may
produce sluggish results on a highly visited site.
There are shareware applications to check your internet speed, but
I've always found them a little useless. Best thing is to note the
times when speeds slow down (like after work, lunchtime, after
supper hour), and try not to dial in at that time.

Sue Clark
Bristol ME

-- He turned on his antiquated computer, endured the squawks of his
temperamental modem, sat back, and counted the dots in his acoustical tile
ceiling until he finally connected to the Internet. He entered the missing girl's
name into a search engine, heard the computer hum and snore and flatulate---
indatagestion.
-- Jonathan Kellerman, "The Conspiracy Club"

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