Reposting : Modem Issue

Kathy · Guest

I'm having a modem problem as well, but this was before I downloaded a
critical update.

This is a very strange problem and was wondering if you could tell me if
you ever heard of such a problem.

I too am using dial-up (all I can afford at the moment), anyway, I have
a U.S. Robotics 56K Fax PCI modem. It's been fine for at least 5 years -
the speed was always 56 kbps - for the past week and a half I am only
connecting at 24!! I called the ISP and they basically told me to do
already what I had done before I called them. I uninstalled the modem
and reinstalled and still the same slow speed connection. I changed
slots - the same problems - I also got an updated driver and still the
same problem. I always thought modems just die when something goes wrong
- never heard of it slowing down! Oh I had also used my other computer
and it connects at 56, different modem, so I can't blame the phone line.

Any ideas?

Kathy

Barry Watzman wrote:

Glenn · Guest

Have you added anything to the line? Call waiting, call forwarding,
caller id, (note: a caller id box WILL cut your speed by at least 10K).
BTW your speed was never 56K. The FCC says the fastest you can put on
the phone line is 53K. Higher speeds are done with smoke and mirrors.

Kathy wrote:

Art Van Dalay · Guest

Have you tried asking the ISP for a different phone number?

Richard

"Glenn" <gdickso@swbell.net> wrote in message
news:TG5wg.133174$dW3.103587@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com...

Kathy · Guest

I did all of that. I used a different phone number and still had the
same results.

I also used another computer (spare one) and it connected at a faster
speed - it said 56k, but like Glenn said, they never connect at 56k.

Now the modem speed is lower than last week when I connect.

Also nothing was added to the line - caller id, call forwarding, etc.

I never heard of such a thing. Has me stumped.

Kathy

Art Van Dalay wrote:

Art Van Dalay · Guest

I don't know where you live, but here in Clearwater Fl, Time Warner(Bright
House)
offers a " lite" version of their Road Runner cable internet access for
about $26.95 per month.
Faster than a 56k dialup account and less expensive than many dialup
accounts.
Check it out.

"Kathy" <forme2no@u2findout.com> wrote in message
news:12c7hrp5sh8sec9@corp.supernews.com...

Michael A. Terrell · Guest

Art Van Dalay wrote:

Kathy · Guest

I'm in New York. I think I might know what's going on with this whole
thing. If I remember right, maybe a week and a half ago, this is when
this all started, the phone company was messing with the lines down the
road from me. Well, ever since then we've had noise in the phone line,
like a humming noise. Only us on our end can hear, but people we call on
the other line can't hear the humming.

Would noise in the line cause this? I'm thinking it might.

(*** Verizon - lol)

Kathy

Art Van Dalay wrote:

Kathy · Guest

I know that - just wish I could afford broadband right now - life would
be less painful for me while browsing the web. Dial-up really sucks.

Kathy

Michael A. Terrell wrote:

Michael A. Terrell · Guest

Kathy wrote:

Michael A. Terrell · Guest

Kathy wrote:

Barry Watzman · Guest

I don't understand you post. Broadband costs LESS than most dial-up.
AT&T / Yahoo is offering DSL almost everywhere for $12.95 per month.
AOL dial-up is almost twice that much.

Kathy wrote:

Kathy · Guest

We get TW broadband here and it is over $45 a month.

I almost did get Verizon dsl, but hubby said we couldn't afford it this
year ($17.99) a month.

My dial-up service is only about $7.95 a month - I've had the same
service for 10 years with no problems.

Now you have me thinking about AT&T/Yahoo dsl - I will look into it.

Thanks

Barry Watzman wrote:

Kathy · Guest

I thought about trying a long phone cord, but I can't do it because we
don't have the Network interface - we have the old type box outside on
the pole. Today hubby took it apart and cleaned the wires and also
checked all of the wiring through the house and he see's nothing wrong
with none of the wiring. He thinks it's the outside lines. For a couple
of weeks now they have been doing construction about a mile down the
road from me - tore up the road, putting in new drain lines. We have
also seen the phone company down there working as well. What also makes
me think it's outside is because a few weeks ago we had also had
intermittent loss of the phone. At one point I was so angry I called
them from my mobile and had told them I wasn't too happy with their
service - the very next day we didn't have anymore intermittent loss of
the phone, but now it's the constant humming noise. If someone calls us
they can't hear the humming, but we can hear it.

Michael A. Terrell wrote:

Barry Watzman · Guest

Yes, Time-Warner is charging about $45 for cable modem broadband in many
places.

But DSL broadband (which comes in over the phone line, but it is true
broadband and not dial-up, with a speed typically in the range of
250,000 to 500,000 baud) is available for $12.95 in most places and
under $20 almost everywhere. DSL broadband is not as good as cable
modem broadband in most locations (cable broadband can reach 1,500,000
baud or so), but the difference is relatively small, since once you get
to 500,000 baud additonal speed will only be noticed on some specific
tasks. And, in any case, there is all the difference in the world
between even 250,000 baud and dial-up, which is only usually 39,000 to
53,000 baud. [baud = bits per second]

Kathy wrote:

Kathy · Guest

Thanks for that.

I really need to look into it because dial-up is painfully slow. It's
even more so painful when I want to download songs and large updates - LOL.

Barry Watzman wrote: