Connection Speeds

[Molesworth]

I've got an IBM laptop with a Lucent modem rated at 56k. I can connect a about 41k to Supanet or my on line banking provider, but when I use Onetel I get 31200 no matter what. I've been into all the adjustment pages - modem, internet options etc- that I can find, and have asked the Onetel help line to no avail. I would like to stay with onetel as they are v cheap. Any ideas why I can't get a higher speed. One tel say their end of the connection is good for 56k. I've also tried removing and reinstalling onetel, but to no avail. All replies gratefully received.
Thanks, Mole

[R O Tiree]

I'm afraid it's all down to the quality of your phone line. I've had this out with BT and they say they will not guarantee a standard phone line at 56k. ISDN is a different matter.

[matelot]

You can ask BT to look at gain and attenuation on the line: there's usually a bit of adjustment they can do.

Also, take what your ISP says with a pinch of salt - 56k is usually an unattainable figure: it's a theoretical maximum - 28-42 is more the norm in my experience.

Cheers
:)

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Me, sweat? I'm that cool, it's condensation.

[BoeingBoy]

Yep, me too. I use BT Internet, BT Genie, Virgin, Gateway and recently tried AOL's free offer. I can only connect at 32,100 bps at best, and at times as low as 14,400.

I live out in the sticks, and the phone lines are held up with cow dung !

I asked BT to turn up the gain but it had no effect.

[The Unteleported Man]

The original 65k X2 blurb stated you'd only get above 33.6k if you: [list=a]
Had one exchange between the two modems.
The service that you were dialing has special 'provider side' modems.
[/list=a]

Even at '56k' the modems work in one direction at 33.6k

[Skycop]

My "connection" icon at the bottom right of my screen tells me I'm currently connected at 115,200 bps. This has happened since I flash upgraded my modem to V.90.

I take it that this is not the true state of affairs although it does work much quicker than before. I am using a standard BT line.

Anyone know what's happening? Sometimes the connection is indicated as 44,000, usually at peak periods though.

[bodger]

Isn't that the connection speed between the PC and the modem not the modem to the outside world.

[The Unteleported Man]

Some modem drivers report the initial connection speed to the computer; some don't. If your driver doesn't the machine will indicate your serial port connection speed (115k).

The speed can change throughout your session but your machine will continue to report the initial speed.

[Skycop]

Thanks for that guys, I'm sure you are right. Sometimes the connection is no faster even though the connection icon says it should be so.

Cheers, SC.

[CrashDive]

bodger is right, don't be fooled by the daft connection rates that some ISP's claim. They may indeed be able to connect your computer to their system at that, but you should always remember that, in general, the speed of down/up-load that you will percieve is going to equal to the slowest server/router in the link between you and the site you are accessing - of course having a highspeed connection yourself can only help - personally I use ISDN and it's always 115,200 baud plus literally three seconds from start of dial to connection.

[Big Red ' L ']

This is interesting. I use my bt line and get about 44000. Sometimes a bit more 45000, sometimes a bit less.40000 Thats with bt surftime off peak. Now, if i use my cable phone line, I connect with ntl(ex cable and wireless) at 50667, sometimes 53.333. Still cant work it all out....

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Its not the fall that kills you...Its the sudden stop.....

[Hew Jampton]

Use Bandwidth Speed Test at <A HREF="http://computingcentral.msn.com/topics/bandwidth/speedtest.asp" TARGET="_blank">http://computingcentral.msn.com/topics/bandwidth/speedtest.asp</A>

[carbheat]

Thanks,HJ.
Just followed that link to the bandwidth test and happily found that I'm getting what I want from my ISDN line.I'll sleep tonight knowing that!!