download kbps

[mcjamesk]

ok this thing will start at 10.0 then rapidly go down to around 2.4, any help with this problem, it use to stay around 8.0 or 8.5

[mcjamesk]

modem is "56K PCI Voice Modem SF-1156IV R9A " Conexant came with com.

[tycoonist]

Who is your ISP? I know that download rates really depends on your ISP and the site that you're downloading from.

And 10 kbs is really good with a 56K. I get about 4 to 6 kbs on my 56K and my Juno account.

[mcjamesk]

MSN starts at 10.0 then goes down, AOL starts around 8.5 to 9.0 then goes down, my phone line is old, but clear as a bell, but with it starting high then going down i think it is the isp but i was wondering if there were any tweaks i could use to off set this problem

[cableguy69]

Your prob is most likely your ISP or the site where you're downloading.

Here's a quick breakdown of bites and Bytes (if I can remember correctly):

b=bit
B=Byte
8 bits=1 Byte

56K Modem
56K refers to 56,000bps
56,000bps=7000Bps or 7K


Mb=Megabit
MB=MegaBytes
8Mb=1MB

Cable Connection
1.5Mbps=1,500,000 bits per sec
1,500,000bps=187,500Bps or 187.5K

Don't get confused with the 56K. That isn't the same as the download speed you see. If you see 5K, that means 5,000Bps or 40,000bps. If you were to compare that to 56K it would be 40K.

You should be getting 7K anyway, I wouldn't expect 10K, look for the 7K neighborhood. It's probably the server or ISP and not you.

[gibsinep]

Well I can give you a kinda simple answer. Almost all the time a download with any connection will start at its peak rate, highest it can the go down to what it normally does. Does this happen on all downloads or just the one?

When I had dial up I never it abou 5k/s but did see it start at 8k/s them always fall to 3-4k/s

[mcjamesk]

it does it on all, but thanks for all the info. i'd be happy if it held at 5.0 but it wont(use to)

[BFlurie]

The initial high rate is modem and/or software compression on the html code & other compressible data. Then incompressible data like files or graphics load -- and the rate falls.

Have you read the modem's documentation carefully? Set everything up as it suggests -- com port, modem, dial-up, network setting, etc. Most recent modems do NOT need "extra settings" -- just experiment w/toggling between modem or software compression, and the IP packet size (small, large, automatic). Both modem/software compression can be checked, but usually only one or the other work well. Depends on your ISP.

[mcjamesk]

BFlurie; no i have'nt mess with the settings but will try different ones to se if it helps , thanks to everybody for the input

[mcjamesk]

did some changing and so far is holding at 5.0 to5.2 thanks guys

[BFlurie]

I think the best sustained rates you can get w/a 56K modem are about 5 - 5.5 kb/s at, say, a 48 kb connection, unless you're downloading compressible files, which are rare anymore. Most everything is already compressed. Sometimes bad d/ling rates are the fault of your ISP & not your machine. A "bad" 45 kp connection can be much worse than a "good" 28.8 one. The Axcel site (http://members.aol.com/axcel216/) has alot of modem info.

[gibsinep]

did some changing and so far is holding at 5.0 to5.2 thanks guys

Nice, Glad to hear it.

[Trojan]

BFluery,
When changing the toggles on the hardware/software controls, must the computer be restarted for those changes to take effect?

[BFlurie]

To be honest, I'm not sure 'cause Windows doesn't ask to reboot when you do that. But 'cause it is a hardware setting, reboot just to make sure.