SP2 Install?? Did it cause problems?

Thanks, I am aware of modem strings as I have couple old Zoltrix external modems that REQUIRE a custom modem string to initialize. They dont work with default ATZ or AT&F. However my phone lines are such that short of Divine intervention, I am not going to connect at anything past 26.4k Many people even with good lines and within 3 miles of phone company terminal are limited to 28k due to phone companies economizing and splitting a line to provide equivalent of two separate phone lines with no new cable. It works with phones but limits dialup connection. Talk to the phone company and they will reluctantly admit it, but say they only have to provide phone service, not 56k internet connection.

I look at the bright side, I can get by with old used 28k and 33k hardware modems that tend to sell super cheap (winmodems tend to disconnect me frequently due to sensitivity to static plus I surf with linux operating system, not windows, so setting up winmodem can be a royal pain if it works at all). This is important as lightening tends to knock one out every once in a while. Used modems are far cheaper than phone line surge protectors. Course last spring I was stupid and playing with computer during lightening storm. Lightening took out motherboard, modem, keyboard, and mouse and seems like something else. I was still able to replace everything for around price of a good surge protector since mine is an older computer. I learned my lesson as I got a good electroshock treatment since I had phone line in my hand at the time, trying to plug it in. Stupid is as stupid does......

__________________
"What would you do with a brain if you had one?" -Dorothy

"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman

SP2 here,no problems at all.I downloaded it from Windows update.

BooBoo

OK Hermit. My new XP connected at 28.8, no better ever, untill I went and found the string that worked. The phone guys knew nothing about it except that dial up is ALWAYS slow, and nothing they could do about it. I am way out and these lines do need replacing. They have problems allot. When I told them the next time they came out to fix the lines (down the road), they were shocked that I connected at 57.6. AT&F&C1&D2&K3W1 is the string I use now, and it's never connected slow. I have a generic modem, but found it using my Tower info. I went thru 5 or 6 strings before I found the one that worked. I can't imagine 26.4, geeee, would drive me nuts in short order.

I am wondering if 57.6 is just the intial connection speed shown in your dialer or if you went to one of those sites that test your actual connection speed. I'll either connect at 24k or 26.4k but my actual speed measured at those sites is between 19k and 23k.

I have to fix my ex's computer once in a while. She lives in town and connects regularly in low 30's (AOL). It seems noticably quicker. So 56k would be really breezing along for me. By way you think 28k is slow, I was playing with an old 14k modem just to see if it would still connect. That REALLY seemed slow, but even that would be useable with text browser or to grab email.

My basic phone bill keeps inching up and price of two way satellite keeps inching down, so eventually I am hoping two way satellite price will equal phone plus dialup isp service. I can live ok without phone, just mostly use it anymore for internet.

By way the initialization string for Zoltrix modem is exactly the one the manufacturer recommends for this modem and lets see is AT&F&C1&D2S95=3 But then its a 33.6k modem so never is going to connect at 56k.

__________________
"What would you do with a brain if you had one?" -Dorothy

"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman

On my modem properities, it's set to connect no faster than 57.6, so that's what it does, even with the 56K modem. I can see the speed I am connected at by clicking on the status. Maybe if you find a faster modem, it might work faster. Without the string, I would get varing speeds from the dial-up numbers available here. No matter what ISP people have around here, we all dial up to the same phone #'s, same server building, so to speak. It would be 28.8 one time, and then 50.0 the next, depending on which lines were open I guess. But with the string, it dosen't matter, I really connect thru Cincy or Memphis, instead of Elizabethtown. It changes my IP. I have tried it on friends computers and it works too. The old AT&F. Don't have a clue as to why that one dosen't work on this new E-Machine, except I read that they try to make the modems ignore strings.

I even called my hosting company last year because I thought someone else had logged into my domain, different IP, from Memphis, but later learned it was me! I do allot of websites, FTP, ect, and I could not begin to do any of that with a low connection like that. There is a HUGE difference between 28 & 56. 28 would get me allot of 'Page cannot be displayed' and the like.

Ok, just for kicks go to following site and take their free speed test:

http://bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/

I took it and got a blistering 17.1k this morning though my dialer says I connected at 24k. What you initially connect at (what dialer shows) and what you surf at are not necessarily the same thing. By way I know nothing of this site, just first when I did google for free bandwidth test. Dont need to give out any personal info to use it. There are dozens out there if you need confirmation.

And a fast modem doesnt mean you can connect that fast, just that it is capable of connecting that fast under ideal conditions. I have had 56k modems and they surf no faster than 28k modem due to phoneline bottleneck. Some will dial faster but saving 10sec connecting is meaningless.

__________________
"What would you do with a brain if you had one?" -Dorothy

"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman

mine always says 50 something when i sign on,got 41.3 on test,but it is raining which always seems to slow it down

BooBoo

Mine said 23.9, but I'm zooming right along this morning, it's fast. I don't know what to choose except KY on the list. If I'm dialing up thru Memphis, the test result might be wrong. Depends on where their building is.

I am sure its because I am used to it, but for most surfing even my slow 17k isnt horrible as I dont install flash and java. Those things really bog system down. I also with both Opera and Firefox can toggle images off and on from toolbar for really graphics intensive sites. Still not as fast as a pure text browser, but pure text browsers tend not to do well with modern web sites. And on Firefox I use the adblock extension so I dont waste bandwidth looking at ads. Folks want me to waste bandwidth on their ads, they darn well can help me pay for satellite.

So surfing isnt too bad. Downloading large files is royal pain. I like to experiment with various operating systems and software. These have bloated tremendously in recent years so takes forever to download.

__________________
"What would you do with a brain if you had one?" -Dorothy

"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman

That test is not going to work for me, I had to go to Whois to see where I was dialing up from and it's Colorado today. Took forever to do the test again with Colorado as the region. Still said 23.9.