Re: Phone lines

[pausch@saaf.se (Paul Schlyter)]

In article <00088392719-522-1488@www.goblinsreach.org>,
Adalbert Goertz <goertz@cyberspace.org> wrote:
 
> Hi:
> Can anyone of the experts tell me whether a computer internet
> user should have special phone lines?

He should have good phone lines of course.  Whether special lines
are needed or not depends on the quality of the regular lines....

> I find that downloading files from a website is very slow.
> I have a standard phone line. The download speed is about 2kb/sec.
> My modem can handle 27kb/sec.
> What are my options?
 
Your first option is to check the actual connect speed of your modem.
Yes, it can handle 27 kb/s, but it can also connect at several lower
speeds, and it will do so if either the phone line is too bad for the
higher modem speeds, or of the modem at the other end is unable to
handle the higher speeds.  The modem can usually be queried for the
actual connect speed while it's connected (check the manual for your
modem for the correct AT sequence).  If your modem is connected at a
speed significantly lower than 27 kb/s, a bad phone line may be the
reason, but the modem at the opposite end may also be the reason.
Try to dial up to other modems and see if you can get a better
connect speed there.
 
If you do get 27 kb/s (or nearly so) connect speed, your next option
is to try another time-of-day and see if your throughput improves.
Or try other sites - perhaps the bottleneck is that site you're
trying to access perhaps simultaneously with too many others?
 
Your third option is to try another ISP and see if the situation
improves.
 
-- 
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