modems?

Mac daddy

question, i have a standard modem 56kb wich came with the pc when i bought it in november. it is crap, i was trying to download a file wich is only 2Mb big,it takes about 30 to 45 minutes before i can download it. the transfer speed is around 6-7kb per second.
Any idea's on this.

Occidental

Could be crap software modem, crap phone line, or combination of both. Give details of O/S, modem, line etc.


Also suggest this might be better off in Nets/Comms

Capt'n Midnight

And also have you have confirmed it is a problem with all files by downloading a similar sized file from your ISP's local site.

6-7Kb is slow and sounds like bandwidth limiting at the server you are downloading from.

BUT: you say the file is 2Mb which makes me think you meant to say transfer speed was 6-7KB per second.
So remembering that one Byte = eight bits (actually in modem terms it's more 'cos of stop/start bits and the handshaking and ack's and flow control)

So 7KB = 7Kb*8 = 56Kb . . . .

rez

7kb....

If this is kilobits that sucks...

If its kilobytes then thats well impressive!!

It's more than likely the remote server, 56kers always seem to think (understandable really) that the speeds they get are due to their phone line/modem whereas those with much faster connections realise that the biggest limitation on the speeds you get is often the speed of the remote server or bottlenecks in the route the data takes to get to your ISP...all things outside of your control.

=rez=

Mac daddy

I'm fairly sure this is kilobites,
the OS what i'm using is win xp home and pro,
the phone sockett is around 10 meters away from the sockett, i'm using goldplated connetors each end,
modem type is BCM V.92 56K voicemodem.

Mac daddy

And connected via eircom

Occidental

BCM is Broadcom. Not great, but they wouldn't be in the Aztech/Conexant league of crap software modems. The only problems I've had with these have been refusal to dial or falling over while connected. These were normally sorted by updating to the latest driver, or specifying connection speed.

Any chance you can try another provider, just to rule EircomNet out of the loop. If no difference, can you try another box/modem with your line, or have you got somewhere else you can try your box.

Capt'n Midnight

Goldplating only works if you have goldplating on both socket and plug otherwise you have dissimilar metals and any moisture makes it a nice half cell - ie. you are guarranteeed the connection to be more succeptible to corrosion than if neither connector was gold plated... (same is true of mixing goldplated and tinned RAM and sockets BTW)

Forget marketing buzz words, cheap twisted pair will beat Goldplating / Oxygen free copper flat cable every time - Also make sure your cable is away from other cables.

Get a download accelerator - the good ones will find faster mirrors.
Also check for viruses in case something else is leaking bandwidth.