How do I get my 56 K modem to connect faster than 28.8?

HELLO!I HAVE A DELL COMPUTER AND ITS A 56K MODEM. I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO SIGN ON TO AOL ANY FASTER THAN 28800 OR SLOWER? I CALLED DELL ETC... AND THEY TELL ME TO GO TO THE MANUFACTURER? I LIVE IN A NEW HOUSE WITH US WEST? SOME PEOPLE TELL ME IT'S PROBABLY POOR PHONE LINES? WE TRIED TO EXPAND SOMETHING TO SPEED IT UP BUT DIDN'T WORK. ANY HELP WOULD BE NICE. I HAVEN'T TALKED TO AOL BUT FIGURE THIS IS MORE OF A PHONE PROBLEM? THANKS GARRY RODEN

This question was answered on April 13, 2000. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

More than likely the problem is not your modem You can check the configuration of your modem by double clicking your My Computer icon, double click on your Control Panel icon, double click on your Modems icon (it should look like a phone if you are running Windows 95 or higher) In the dialog box that comes up click on the General Tab (if it is not already selected) and click on the Properties button In the new dialog box that comes up click on the General Tab (if it is not already selected) and in the bottom frame there should be a box containing your “Maximum Speed” option For a 56 K modem it is counter productive to have this set for any higher than 57600 You can click on the “Only connect at this speed” box, but that is entirely optional.

The other fix you might want to try is to check the phone number(s) you are using to connect to AOL They have Speed Specific phone numbers they use Even if you have a very fast modem, if you connect to one of their 28.8 servers that is as fast as you are going to connect.

If neither of these work, you can be sure that it is poor phone line connections The “Last Mile” as it is called is the phone line that runs from the main phone lines to the subdivisions and lastly to the houses, and if this line is poor quality NOTHING will help your connection speed but getting a different type of connection (i.e DSL or Cable).

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Posted by Matthew of University of Advancing Computer Technology on April 13, 2000

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