56k Connectivity?

Synkronite

I am in the 021-4 Cork area (for those of you familiar with the area, Im in Frankfield, just off Grange and Douglas).

I would always connect at 44Kbps (or 45.2Kbps when Id be lucky) to No Limits, Eircomnet and Dellnet. But as of Sunday (after that storm we had) For some reason I am not getting connected at over 26.4Kbps. Ive tried different settings, checked and rechecked my model configurations, tried different phone lines into the socket, but my internet's become so SLOW

Im not a heavy gamer or anything, but I do browse quite a fair bit. Would calling up eircon be any help, asking them if they did something to my phone line. I called up No Limits, they told me I had a line with eircom and should report any faults to them.

Could they have installed that "decs" line thing people talk about over here? Im not sure if I should call them or not..

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated
Thanks!

Saruman

Since it only happened after a storm.. chances are the signal strength or "gain" has been reduced.. call Eircom or whoever you use and get them to sort it... also see if others in your area have a similar problem.

Inspector Gadget

I'm no expert in this line, but I can tell you that when one modem dials another, they must go through a process called handshaking before they can connect to each other; during this process, the modems will send and receive bursts of data at different speeds and they will eventually figure out which of the speeds that both modems are capable of that they can both "understand", and use that.

In the case of a damaged line (bad connection, or water - the most common causes since most of Ireland's phone system is underground these days), then the line's electrical properties change; whereas bad connections can mean excess noise on the line, water (as I understand it) can function almost like a filter, killing off certain frequencies. This means that the modems can't successfully connect at the higher speeds, and fall back on the slower ones that work instead.

Alternatively, it's what Saruman just posted. Either way, get on to eircom.
Gadget

ando

water in the lines? cause of the storms of late

Synkronite

Thanks for the replies folks..
Anyways, called eircom and the sweet lady did a signal test on my line and said everything was fine. She asked if I was experiencing any voice quality loss, to which I responded in the negative. She said everything was okay, which is when I explained to her (again) how I would connect at 45.2Kbps normally and now 26.4Kbps was a blessing, she said they did not look after data transmission.

Then I spoofed about being an eircom.net subscription customer, telling her their CSR told me to give the line-faults a call, and now here she is referring me back to them.

I asked her if there was anything to say something was done to my lines (problems, decs line, etc) She said nothing. So now Im going to ask my neighbours and then go tearing up all my lines from the room to the main socket. Dammit.

Oh well, I started the internet on a 9600bps modem where Id dial in through hyperterminal... atdtxxxxxxxxx .. then life was simple without the hormones of a 19yr old pulling you across the world like they do now.

Really appreciate the response,
Thanks alot!

sceptre

One word:
Lie

Eircom aren;t going to care one way or the other as long as voice on the line is fine - if it gives you 9600 or over they couldn't care less.

Try lying and say the voice on the line is really poor. Use a plastic bag to make noises while you're on the phone if it helps. With that, thay may come out and have a look. And even that may not do anything for you (especially if the nice man tries the lien and says voice is fine:()

Synkronite

Before I hated eircom for the usual no ADSL, expensive phone calls, blah blah.. But now. Now it's personal.

Ive checked around my area, internet is fine. Ive changed the phone lines in my house to make sure its not me. Contacted Eircom who did another signal test. I still insisted they send a tech out, and she told me I would be charged for it. So I told her to put that thought on hold..

And the stupid CSR had the NERVE to "advise" me that I could get ISDN and how cheap and fast it would be...