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115200 on a 56k modem?

Discussion in 'Legacy Windows' started by MCHAAK, 2003/03/12.

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  1. 2003/03/16
    Hotspur

    Hotspur Inactive

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    MCHAAK. System Monitor?

    If this is a Win98 system, you’ll find system monitor by clicking Start - Settings - Control Panel - Add/Remove programs. In Add/remove programs properties click the Windows Setup tab, scroll down to System Tools, click - Details, scroll down to System Monitor, check the box, click Apply; you will then be prompted to insert your installation disk. Install from disk and there you go.

    I think the other guys are right about an external modem. :)
     
  2. 2003/03/16
    markp62

    markp62 Geek Member Alumni

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    How true that is. At this moment, my DUN in the Systray reports 54666. Sysmon reports 53.3K, while the Bytes Received/Second ranges anywhere from 5.2Kb to 6.8Kb. This is during a 283.96Mb download (Dragon Linux), and replying to this post.
     

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  4. 2003/03/16
    MCHAAK

    MCHAAK Inactive Thread Starter

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    SYSTEM MONITOR

    Nice to see I started some good posts here - and I finally got my system monitor too! It told me I didn't have one - but I went to setup and added it to system tools - had to insert my disk to get it. WOW! I was blown away by all the stuff it can check on!!! I have it set to monitor my connection - but it seems to be stuck or something. In the box - I set it for numerical - it keeps showing the same number when ever I check it - 112.5K? What am I doing wrong - plus when I have it onscreen and click to test the speed to go to another page - it disappears! When I test at all the other speed sites I am 39-42 and I checked at PitStop and it was 39 - so I figure that is an accurate number - but it still doesn't tell me what I am connected at to start - used to be 45333. But as someone said - it is how it downloads the pages that counts - not the numbers. By the way - I am as quick as I have ever been right now - so I think I might stop trying out all the freeware accelerators under the sun! I am using something called - TERMINAL OVERDRIVE 2000 - simple automatic setting and go - no tweaks for me to screwup! Is working great - so I guess I will quit downloading and testing - never found anything that ever really increased my speed ! Just doesn't exsist . m:cool:
     
  5. 2003/03/16
    BillyBob Lifetime Subscription

    BillyBob Inactive

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    MCHAAK

    I gotta ask.

    What do you mean by It dissapears ?

    Does it just go behind or to the taskbar ?

    Do you have it set to always be on top ?

    If it actually disapears or the gets distorted in any way it * May * indicate a possible video problem.

    The numbers should change but not the overall display.

    BillyBob
     
    Last edited: 2003/03/16
  6. 2003/03/17
    MCHAAK

    MCHAAK Inactive Thread Starter

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    BILLYBOB

    I guess it what you call - minimizes to the taskbar - but why can't I get another reading than the one - 112.5K? Anyone? I just set it for always on top - thanks - I will see now if it ever changes while I am surfing or what. m
     
  7. 2003/03/17
    MCHAAK

    MCHAAK Inactive Thread Starter

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    NEVER CHANGES

    HI! Been around the block a few times and still it never changes from 112.5K - just sits there - even as a line chart it is flat line? anyone out there have a clue - I was hoping this system monitor would be useful not useless!:( thanks. m
     
  8. 2003/03/17
    markp62

    markp62 Geek Member Alumni

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    MCHAAK
    Are you using AOL?
    If so, it uses it own dial up adaptor, and probably will not show up correctly.
     
  9. 2003/03/17
    rambler

    rambler Inactive

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    The 115200 speed displayed is the speed of the COM port interface with the modem. You can see this setting in the modem's properties in Device manager or Control Panel Modems. It's the modem which reports this speed, not Windows, and external modems are just as likely to report the interface speed rather than connect speed if they don't have the correct INIT string.

    For most modems, the INIT parameter to force connect-speed reporting is W2, but see here:

    http://www.modemhelp.net/quickref.shtml
     
  10. 2003/03/17
    MCHAAK

    MCHAAK Inactive Thread Starter

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    I use Juno - not aol. My modem did not respond to W2 - it is the latest driver version - 8.24 for LT Win Modem it is N/A of course. But it worked before so why not now after my last reinstall - that is the ? Now the system monitor will not tell me either?! Strange. m:confused:
     
  11. 2003/03/17
    rambler

    rambler Inactive

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    Just checked - W2 IS the correct parameter for Lucent Winmodems. I used one until last year, and I have the AT command manual (PDF). I can't find the file on the net, but I can upload it to my website if anyone's interested in Lucent "tablets of stone ".
     
  12. 2003/03/17
    BillyBob Lifetime Subscription

    BillyBob Inactive

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    That is not a bit unusual for a WinModem.

    At least you got it too work. Some times a WinModem will not work at all after a clean re-install.

    Some times it requires a complete uninstall/reinstall to get them to work properly. But I would not recommend that in this case as the Modem does appear to be working. It looks like just the indications that are a little off.

    But regardless of what the connection speed shows, ( which I myself never really believed because most of the time it lies anyway ) it is the download speeds that are a far better indication of how good ( or bad ) things are.

    BillyBob
     
  13. 2003/03/17
    reboot

    reboot Inactive

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    It's not wether an external would be to your benefit or not, it's wether a hard modem would be.
    Internal or external, same chipset.
    At today's CPU speeds, a winmodem works as well as any other, under average conditions. In some cases a winmodem works better, simply because of hardware compatibilities (or lack of).
    If, and ONLY if, you are a hard core online gamer, would I consider getting an external, when your internal is working as good as it is.
    Who cares what initial connect speed is?
    Who cares if the modem retrains?
    If a modem is doing it's job properly, it will connect, and stay connected, with minimal lag, decent ping times, and reasonable throughput.
    If your modem is NOT doing one of those things, then there are certain steps one can take to rectify them. The LAST of which is the purchase of a new modem. Why spend money if you don't have to, with no guarantee of anything better than what you have now?
    In approximately 33% of all cases, the ISP is to blame, and it has nothing to do with your choice of modem, or operating system.

    Did this answer the question at all?
     
  14. 2003/03/17
    bobmc32

    bobmc32 Well-Known Member

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    Reboot

    You answered mine and I respect your knowlege. I obviously have factors in place over which I have no control so will accept your advice and quit worrying and thanks from me.
     
  15. 2003/03/17
    BillyBob Lifetime Subscription

    BillyBob Inactive

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    I agree with reboot As far as the point of whether the modem is working or not and that is it. If it is working, leave it be.

    With a WinModem the modem is only providing the connection. The processor is doing the rest.

    IF you are lucky you might be able to take WinModem in Win98 and either re-install the same OS or upgrade the OS and the Modem MAY or MAY NOT work.

    And it May or MAY NOT provide the user with mucho many hardware ( IRQ ) conflicts. In all the years that I have been messing with windows I have NEVER had an IRQ conflict as long as an Internal Modem was not involved.

    I just re-installed Win98 on a machine and had to pull the stupid modem in order for Windows to even find the SB16 sound card. Got the sound fixed and luckly the Modem went back in and worked. after I found the correct drivers. No such problems with an external ( My old USR by the way )

    I have had to pull an Internal Modem just to get an NIC to work properly.

    An external is tied to a BIOS asigned COM port ( 1 or 2 )with a BIOS asigned IRQ ( 3 or 4 ) which is the same no matter what OS you are using. ( at least I do not think that has changed )

    As I have said many times my original USR 56K V90 External ( bought when 56K V90 first came out ) has been on more machines and more OS than I can count. And in at least three different homes. And YES it even worked IMMEDAITELY with XP Pro. I did not use but I just tried it to see.

    Also an external will work along side of a NIC & cable or DSL modem where an internal may not. I have done that too until I made sure my Cable was going to be satisfactory.

    And unless you have a full blown internal ( which the cost of is almost as much as an External and I believe reboot refers to as a HARD modem ) there is no way he or anyone else will convince me that an Internal is just as good. I have used both and I think quite differently.

    The life of and/or usefulness and ease of setup of a good External Modem extends far beyond any Internal.

    BillyBob
     
    Last edited: 2003/03/17
  16. 2003/03/17
    reboot

    reboot Inactive

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    Yes, I was referring to certain internals also being HARD modems.
    99% of all ISA are hard, but only about 2% of PCI, and being so rare, they're expensive and difficult to find anywhere.
    Actiontec, Multitech, and USR are the only current manufacturers, and the first two are well over $100. The USR (I forget the model) is on newegg for about $39, and is as good as Bill's much touted external (same chipset BTW), but has a nasty habit of taking Com 5, which most people find totally unnacceptable, but in XP, it's workable (with ACPI). Not recommended for Win9x.
    Installing ANY internal modem, I always recommend disabling all possible com ports in BIOS first, before opening the box, and hopefully the modem will take one of the logical ones, and not assign a virtual com (like com 5).
    A good motherboard will assign the next available com port to a modem, and some newer boards BIOS' allow one to assign a specific IRQ to a modem, which forces the HAL to assign it's corresponding com port (assign IRQ 3, and the modem will "take" com 2, assign IRQ 4, and the modem will "take" com 3).
    Windows will then keep sharing away from that com and IRQ, because it's a forced hardware issue.
    If this is clear as mud, don't worry about it. I tend to talk over many peoples heads about modems, and com ports, and without going through the A+ manual, and explaining in detail about how windows assigns resources, based on hardware (BIOS) assignments, it's enough that you understand that modems are seriously fussy devices, and the simpler the setup, the better. Hence the recommendation for an external modem, in EVERY instance.
    Just another of the many things to consider when purchasing a modem.
     
  17. 2003/03/17
    BillyBob Lifetime Subscription

    BillyBob Inactive

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    Hey reboot

    You are not really taking over my head as I pretty well undestand what is SUPPOSED to happen.

    But the problem lies in the fact that what do you do if it does not happen ?

    The next problem is that two different OS may do it ( and has done it ) altogether different. In one OS it might work. But in another in may not.

    I therefore prefer ( and recommed ) using an External and stay away from all of that bad language making, hair pulling stuff. Why sholud I ( or anyone ) spent maybe HOURS doing something that can be done in 10 minutes ( or less ) and have something much more reliable and stands a better chance of working on the next OS.

    And also indirectly you are referring to a COMBINATION of various hardware ( and the OS as Software ) which can be the downfall of most anything. Be it hard or soft.

    And again when I have to remove one pice of hardware to get another to work it does not make any sense at all. And the worst part is that the modem that I removed would NOT go back in and work. No matter what I did. It that case it did not really matter as the machine was going Cable Internet anyway.

    With the best part being this can be prevented in a lot of cases.

    And not in every case can COM 1 and/or COM 2 be disabled. One or the other may be needed for a Serial Device.

    So my bottom line feeling is more long term I guess.

    A $100 external Modem that will ( as far as I know ) work with OS from DOS on up to and including XP. And on any machine I plug it into is much more worthwhile than a say $30 modem that MAY only work in ONE OS ONE TIME Yes my Friend I have had that happen. And when I have to try at least four Modems to get one that works. The $$ savings just ain't worth it. Plug in the good old external and BINGO !!!

    BillyBob
     
  18. 2003/05/28
    bobmc32

    bobmc32 Well-Known Member

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    USR external modem

    Just a comment to an old post and directed mostly at Billy Bob. I just purchased a USR external and replaced my hastily purchased Diamond Supra modem. I couldn't be happier since I am one those unfortunate individuals that is stuck with dial up since neither cable nor DSL is available in my rural area and satellite is still much too expensive for my check book. As mentioned earlier, I connected at approximately 28,800 and sometimes at lower with the old modem. New external connects, as best I can tell via Modem speed checkers and download speeds, now between the upper 30's to 44,400Kbs. I guess it's all relative. Folk with cable or DSL would laugh :D but to me it's a big step forward.
     
  19. 2003/05/28
    BillyBob Lifetime Subscription

    BillyBob Inactive

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    Well, well. There is nothing like reviving and old thread with good news.

    Thank you.

    BillyBob
     
  20. 2003/05/28
    bobmc32

    bobmc32 Well-Known Member

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    Your welcome

    And now I guess I'll have to change my signature.:)
     
  21. 2003/05/29
    reboot

    reboot Inactive

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    I can't say that the cable guys are going to laugh at you. You've managed to double your speed! Good on. :D
     
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