Getting 28.8, 33.6 or 56k Connects
Depending on your phone line quality, you may not achieve 28.8
connect speeds, much less 33.6 or 56k connections. 26.4
connections are very common and probably won't adversely affect
throughput very much. To try to improve your connect speed, try
changing your modem's initialization string (see the section on
Initialization Strings for more information).
Also contact the phone company to see if there are any problems
with your phone line that can be corrected.
Initialization Strings
Many times, simply changing the initialization string that your
modem uses can improve your connection. Some basic strings to try
are ATZ, AT&F,
or AT&F1. If you know the brand
and model of your modem, you should consult your modem's manual or
the manufacturer. You can also check out the following web sites:
Call waiting
A common cause of a modem disconnection is call-waiting. If
your connection freezes up for a period of time, or you are
disconnected suddenly and the phone starts ringing, you probably
did not turn off your call-waiting. It is possible to deactivate
call-waiting for outgoing phone calls by dialing *70
before dialing a number.
Line noise
Line noise is perhaps the most difficult of these problems to
solve. When you place a telephone call, the data, be it your email
or your voice, is transferred through different exchanges within
the phone company and eventually routed to us. Anywhere along the
way something can cause line noise, which is characterized by the
sound of static, or intermittent popping, which you might hear
when your modem is dialing in. There is a great page on the web
that can help you figure out if you have noisy lines or not. Go here
to learn more. If you suspect that line noise is a problem, you
should contact your phone company to test your lines.
Configuration problems
The configuration of your communications software may also
cause problems with your connection. A few of the things that you
can double-check are that you have hardware handshaking active, or
set to CTS/RTS. This ensures that communication between your
computer and your modem are properly regulated. You should also
avoid selecting any option that says "Connect at this speed
only" which may force certain modems to disconnect under
noisy conditions rather than change to a slower speed.
Communications overflow
If you are using an older computer, it may be possible that
your computer is incapable of handling higher speed connections.
You might try lowering your baud rate. It
may be possible to upgrade your computer's UART chip to handle
the speeds of modern high-speed modems.
Buffer size
By reducing your transfer buffer size under Windows95, you can
improve communications reliability. To decrease this buffer size,
go to the "Modems" control panel. Select your modem and
go to Properties. On the Connection page is a button for Port
Settings. Select this and slide the sliders in the pop-up window
over to the left one notch.
Modems
Some modems have design problems which can sometimes drop
connections. If you have a modem that you suspect might have some
internal trouble, you can contact the manufacturer directly. Some
problems we've found include;
- Some earlier USR Sportster modems have shipped with bad ROMs
in them. These can be replaced through US Robotics for better
reliability. US Robotics Technical Support can be contacted at
(847)982-5151 or by emailing support@usr.com.
- PCMCIA modems, especially earlier models, have shown a
tendency to overheat. This problem will result in bad
performance after the modem has been in use for some amount of
time. This problem can be alleviated by providing better
ventilation (cooling) to the area, and by contacting the
manufacturer.
Digital lines
If you are using a digital line, it may have a damaged relay or
SCR. If you suspect this may be a problem, contact your phone
company or other professional for support.
PBX systems
If you are experiencing problems when connecting to BauerCom
through a PBX or similar system frequently used in office
environments, it may be that this equipment is adversely affecting
your modem's line quality. The more switches, relays, and
equipment on the line that you are using, the more opportunities
there are for potential connection problems and line noise. If you
suspect that your internal phone system may be causing problems,
try testing your setup on a standard line if you can. Ideally,
your data communications should go through dedicated lines and not
through office switching equipment.
Lucent
For further assistance on Lucent chipsets and init strings,
along with other useful information, go to http://808hi.com/56k/ltwin.htm.
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