I think I once saw a thread similar to this here, but that was a while ago and I can’t find it now. I guess the title of the thread is self-explanatory. I have a 56K US Robotics modem and whenever I connect to my ISP it is always at 26,400 bps. Do I have a bad ISP? Do I have some settings on my computer set up wrong? Is this really the maximum speed I can connect at?
Blunt, your phone line could have considerable line noise from the “Demark”(I.E.- the place where the wires enter your home). It could also be the phone companiy’s line from the demark to the CO.
Further complicating the matter, it could be your ISP’s modems or cabling.
I’d suggest starting with your line. Do you hear much interference when on the phone? like Radio stations bleeding through, or general noise?(I don’t know how to test for dirty cabling).
THen if nothing came of that, I’d call my phone company and ask them to check your line. Also try locating one of those websites that will remotely check your line for it’s potential speed(not very accurate, but if it says 128kbps, and you only hook up at 26.4, you’ll know there’s trouble somewhere.
Last but not leats, you can go and talk to your ISP about issues with line speed.
-Sam
This is quite possibly not a line noise or poor connection problem as such. To get beyond 26/33 K v.34 line speeds to v.90 speeds there is a set distance maximum (about 3.5 miles or so) and a limit to the number of analog digital conversions that can be made (misplaced my v.90 faq link) between your ISP and yourself via the central switching station.
The Telephone Pioneers of America will descend at this point and beat me senseless for some terminology mistake I have made above but I think the general point is that there are situations where v.90 is not feasible for a land line connection esp. in quasi-rural areas (like mine) where distance and switching issues may preclude anything other that 33.6 maximum at this point.
Don’t feel bad. My 56k modem is hooked up to a very noisy line, and I can only connect at 19,200 bps. It wasn’t always like this, though…
I remember the good old days when I could connect at speeds as high as 26,400 bps.
Visit usr.com Find the usr test 800 number. Call the number, find out your connect speed. It might be 3comm.com now.
Another source of problems like this has to do with analog switches. I’m not sure of all the instances where analog switches might be in-line, but one common place is in apartment complexes. If you live in an apartment and are seeing this kind of degradation, it’s probably due to an analog switch. Some apartment complexes will let you bypass the analog switch as a special case, if you ask nicely…
It’s probably the line. I have the same problem at my house. I could connect from my SO’s apartment at 56K, but never get above 24K from my house. Sucks, doesn’t it?