modem speeds, I need some advise :)

moediggity · May 23, 2005

ok I was wondering in the properties section of your internet screen on the general tab, there is a spot where you can go tweek the speed of your modem. I was wondering if that can actually help me or harm me in any way shape or form.
figured that this would be the best place to post this so I will check later and thanks in advance.

Adrynalyne · May 23, 2005

It can harm you if you set it too low. It can only help setting it to max.

Thing to keep in mind though, that is merely the com port speed, not the modem throughput. You won't be speeding up your modem at all.

Toke · May 23, 2005

There is a piece of software available that proffesses to be able to surf at broadband speed. It does not make your modem go faster but when connected it speeds the connection between URL's, and is a one off payment for 12 months... I heard a discussion on the radio about it and evidently it was designed by NASA for what reason I dont know and the IT guy says that it does what they proffess.. http://www.onspeed.com/en/

DavidGP · May 23, 2005

All onspeed does is to compress webpages/pictures so that general surfing or loading of pages could be quicker...it will not make your downloading of files or connection speed any quicker! They also use proxys similar to a few ISPs so cached pages are located a bit quicker.

"Broadband speeds on a 56k modem may seem like fantasy, but amazingly it does work" ~ I would have loved to be drinking or smoking what this reviewer was on at the time

Granted a webpage may on dialup load quicker but at reduced quality as you will to get some speed have to set the picture quality to low, if your on broadband I wouldnt waste my $$££.

I did a test on a machine that had Onspeed installed, it had 512k ADSL, internet speed tests and downloads were quicker with onspeed off, I did 3 different tests and 3 readings from each test and divided x3 for an average. What you have to remember is with Onspeed installed your now going through 2 servers your ISP and theirs.

just my 2 groats

bigbazza · May 23, 2005

Check out

http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/108 for lots of tips.

Download and install DrTcp for an easy method to change/experiment with modem settings. MAKE SURE YOU WRITE DOWN your original settings, all of them, before you start experimenting.

Link to download DrTcp http://www2.kansas.net/drtcp.asp

You might try TCPOptimizer.exe http://majorgeeks.com/download2104.html

TCP Optimizer Description: The TCP Optimizer is a free Windows program designed to help optimize your Internet connection. Just download and run, no installaion required. The program makes it easy to find the best MaxMTU value, test latency and tweak all the important broadband related registry parameters. The Optimizer can be helpful with tuning any Internet connection type, from dialup to Gigabit+ If you need help with the program, read our broadband tweaking articles, the Optimizer FAQ, and/or visit our Forums. As an alternative, you can try one of our generic Registry patches instead.
OS: Windows 9x/ME/2K/XP | version: 1.0 | date: 04/25/02 | filesize: 425 KB

Probably more recent version available now.

Never used it so can't comment. Hope this helps, keep us informed. Bazza

pacvan · May 24, 2005

Howdy,
Modems these days (most) are rated at 56kbps, but the FCC has a put a bandwidth cap at 53kbps. Due to line conditions you are lucky to get even that (heck I get 28kbps when I am lucky). But, you will be able to see a great performance and reliablity increase if you have a 100% controller based modem; not a winmodem, soft modem, or flex modem.

bigbazza · May 25, 2005

Can you explain the differences between these 4

100% controller based modem; not a winmodem, soft modem, or flex modem.

Thanks, Bazza

====

pacvan said:

..........
But, you will be able to see a great performance and reliablity increase if you have a 100% controller based modem; not a winmodem, soft modem, or flex modem.
Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

DavidGP · May 25, 2005

should answer your Q Bazza http://www.56k.com/reports/winmodem.shtml

Controller modem has all the hardware nesassary to do the jon on the card a win/soft/flex does not it uses your CPU etc to help thus your PC is working a little harder to run the win/soft/flex modem.

I was always advised to get a Hardware Modem

pacvan · May 25, 2005

Here is info about different modems:

Winmodems/ Soft Modems

So-called Winmodems, host-based, HCF-, HSP-, HSF-, controllerless, host-controlled, and soft modems require vendor-supplied software to do the work of proper hardware modems. The sale of these devices for x86-based PCs is becoming increasingly popular among retailers and OEMs because of their lower cost.

If Winmodems are not really modems, why do manufacturers make them?
It all comes down to cost. First, a winmodem lacks parts found in regular modems-- these parts are "emulated" by software running on your CPU. This lowers the unit cost to manufacture them. Second, most consumers using Microsoft Windows will never realize that their "56K Modem" is actually a winmodem, so the OEMs are happy.

This is a great site about modems, a lot of information about chipsets. Large database about modems. Visit the site: win modems are not modems.
Click to expand...

Flex Modems

Traditional modems assume that both ends of a modem conversation have an analog connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Data signals are converted from digital to analog and back again, and this limits transmission speeds to 33.6 Kbps. But K56flex technology makes a different assumption: that one end of the modem conversation has a pure-digital connection to the phone network (which ISPs and corporations already use for remote access) and takes advantage of that high speed digital connection. This removes unnessacary encoding and decoding, speeding up transfer.

From burgen.org
Click to expand...

Contrlloer Based Modems:
Controller based modems are controlled by 100% hardware.

Here is a link to a U.S. Robotics page about modems:
http://www.usr.com/education/whatIsModem.swf

bigbazza · May 26, 2005

Thanks Halo and Pacvan for so much info and links. So much to read, so much to learn, so little time. Bazza

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modem speeds, I need some advise :)

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