Got A Slow Dial-Up Modem Connection? Here's a cheap solution.

[Marxist]

V92 external modem.

I couldn't get a modem to fit in my super cheap old computer so I bought a Creative Labs external modem. I'm cruising at 115K. Twice the old 56 (normally 40 something) standard.

Don't worry, I'll be upgrading to DSL / Cable this fall, but until then this is the next best thing I think.

 

[perks]

so, like why don't you call me?

 

[Sillyman]

The speed on this thing is killing me. How much did you say it was?

 

[Marxist]

The speed on this thing is killing me. How much did you say it was?

I paid $39 in Atlanta. But I don't know what connection speeds are available in the Hpatch, so you might be stuck with 28K. Call or go to your ISP's website to find out. If they support V92, then it'll be much higher than posted.

 

[Rambling Rose]

You shall have my firstborn, as requested.

 

[Marxist]

so, like why don't you call me?

I don't have your number.

 

[Sillyman]

Her number is 12.

 

[Spinaroonie]

115K?

Over a phone line?

That's against the law.

I'm serious... The FCC mandates that you cannot have a data call of speeds exceeding 52K over phone lines.

It's pretty much the dumbest law ever!

 

[cg_allstar]

115K?

Over a phone line?

That's against the law.

I'm serious... The FCC mandates that you cannot have a data call of speeds exceeding 52K over phone lines.

It's pretty much the dumbest law ever!

That's a law/regulation? I thought 56k was near the upper limit of ordinary copper phone lines.

 

[Jedi_Outcast]

got to agree with spoonie here. the feds say 52kbps is the best you get.

are you looking at the data rate between the serial port and the modem. that should be 115k, though you should never reach that because of the limis of the modem. You wouldn't see that on an internal modem, no serial port to connect to.

 

[Jedi_Outcast]

That's a law/regulation? I thought 56k was near the upper limit of ordinary copper phone lines.

yup, if you look on the modem box, there is always a little star and a disclamer on the side about fcc regulations

 

[perks]

Her number is 12.

on which scale?

 

[Marxist]

Not according to Mindspring and my download times. It says 115K in the corner where it used to say <56K, and I'm moving and grooving much faster.

I'll leave it to you guys to figure out why I'm getting either this wrong number and surfing faster.

 

[Spinaroonie]

Not according to Mindspring and my download times. It says 115K in the corner where it used to say <56K, and I'm moving and grooving much faster.

I'll leave it to you guys to figure out why I'm getting either this wrong number and surfing faster.

Hmmmmm.

Well either way, can't argue with results, lucky.

 

[Private Vasquez]

There's a song kinda like that, I think.

 

[Sillyman]

on which scale?

The Ricter Scale...




IN MY PANTS.

 

[perks]

The Ricter Scale...




IN MY PANTS.

ohhhhhh myyyyyy word! thanks

 

[Weird Harold]

I'll leave it to you guys to figure out why I'm getting either this wrong number and surfing faster.

The 115,200 bps is the connection to your serial port -- you're talking to the modem at that speed. That is NOT the speed a v.92 modem talks your ISP.

v.92 is faster than v.90 because it compresses data better and has better error correction so it doesn't have to resend as much data -- but it is still limited by the 52Kbps limit the FCC places on dial-up connections.

v.92 is faster at transferring data than v.90, but it is the compression factor and not the connection speed.

 

[Marxist]

The 115,200 bps is the connection to your serial port -- you're talking to the modem at that speed. That is NOT the speed a v.92 modem talks your ISP.

v.92 is faster than v.90 because it compresses data better and has better error correction so it doesn't have to resend as much data -- but it is still limited by the 52Kbps limit the FCC places on dial-up connections.

v.92 is faster at transferring data than v.90, but it is the compression factor and not the connection speed.

So what was my connection rate before and I how do I determine my connection rate to my ISP now?

 

[Weird Harold]

So what was my connection rate before and I how do I determine my connection rate to my ISP now?

If you have a modem log, it should report the connection response code from the modem.

I'll have to dig around in the documentation and modem setup to figure out how to make Windows report the modem connect speed instead of the serial port speed.

I did find the command for the serial port speed to follow the connection speed, but that would cost you some of the speed advantage that v.92 gained you. (Add &B0 to your modem's initialization string. that's B-zero, not BO, BTW)

If you can find a copy of 3com's Modem manager program, it would show youthe true connect speed as well as a graphic depiction of the data going in and out of your computer.

 

[Weird Harold]

So what was my connection rate before and I how do I determine my connection rate to my ISP now?

I found a couple of sies that explain about 56k and v.92 connections:

The first answers your question about how to get your system to report DCE instead of DTE: http://www.56k.com/trouble/connect.shtml#dce

http://www.v92.com/v92.htm has some good information on what v.92 is and how it works. Interestingly, v.92 does NOT allow improved (v.44) comression when connecting to a v.90 ISP -- you need v.92 on BOTH ends to get the full benefit of it's capabilities.

I suspect your perceived improvement is due more to having a new modem than any inherent capability of the v.92 capablility.

I did discover that there is a firmware upgrade for my USRobotics external to turn it into a v.92. I'm going to try it and see what difference the new protocol makes.

 

[AzureAngel]

Something to keep in mind - I'm not about to say it's not going faster, but... - the connection rate number can sometimes be pretty deceptive with dialup. Back when I was on it, sometimes I'd connect and it'd say "44400 BPS"... othertimes I'd connect and it'd say something like what you're saying "115000 BPS" and I'd flip out.

I believe it has something to do with the X2 technology... ugh. I so can't remember all that techy stuff.

 

[Unclebill]

Originally posted by Jedi_Outcast
got to agree with spoonie here. the feds say 52kbps is the best you get.

are you looking at the data rate between the serial port and the modem. that should be 115k, though you should never reach that because of the limis of the modem. You wouldn't see that on an internal modem, no serial port to connect to.

Actually you might get something faster than the 52K which is the FCC limit over the phone lines. Compression techniques working over a good quality phone line and increase throughput noticeably.

And your internal modem does have a serial port (RS-232A). It's just built into the modem card that plugs into your motherboard slot. And you must set the parameters for this port so it does not conflict with the serial ports built into almost every motherboard nowadays or the motherboard port must be disabled.

An external modem may not have the serial port any longer since you can now buy modems with USB interface.

Originally posted by AzureAngel
. . . I believe it has something to do with the X2 technology... ugh. I so can't remember all that techy stuff.

x2 is USRobotics proprietary 56K protocol. A competing protocol was developed that was not proprietary and the two, with some refinements and improvements were incorporated into the V.90 specification which was compatible with both the prior 56K protocols. V.92 is another step in the evolution of over-the-phone-lines digital communications.

 

[Weird Harold]

V.92 is another step in the evolution of over-the-phone-lines digital communications.

Speaking of USRobotics and v.92...

I just downlaoded and installed th firmware revision for my USRobotics external modem and gained a faster connect and higher connectionspeed to my ISP's v.90 modem -- about 10 seconds to connect as opposed to the 45-60 seconds it took before the upgrade.

v.92 modems ARE compatible with v.90 servers and they do improve the connection quality.

Anyone who has a 56K modem should check the manufacturer's website for a "firmware upgrade" to v.92 and install it if it's available.

 

[Semler]

Try this website for a line speed test.

I just got 1819 kbps with my cable modem.


Internet Line Speed