$100 reward for information leading to a faster dialup connection

[Frank]

$100 reward for information leading to a faster dialup connection on OS X.

I recently purchased a Power Mac G4 Dual from Apple which runs OS 10.2.6.
Using the internal 56k v92 modem, I have been unable to connect at a speed
greater than 31200.

My PC routinely connects at 44k, using the same phone line.

I have tested the throughput on several modem speed test websites and
verified that the PC is connecting much faster than the mac.

I have disconnected everything from all phone jacks except the phone cord
to the modem. I have tried several phone cords.

I contacted my ISP and they told me to contact Apple.

I contacted Apple and they had me run a few tests and told me there was
nothing that could be done.

I purchased a Best Data external USB modem and it could only connect at 31200.

I purchased a Zoom external USB modem and it could only connect at 31200.

I tried several different connection strings including the default strings
that came with the modems. The Apple default strings connect slower, at
28800. The only way I have obtained 31200, is by using this string:

AT&FW2+MS=V90,1,14400,33600,31200,56000

My ISP has stated that they support the v.90 protocol. The string above
specifies V90 and a minimum receive speed of 31200. Increasing the value
above 31200 results in a connection failure.

I'm not interested in switching to high-speed connection methods. I just
want my 56k modem to connect at 44k. My PC routinely connects at 44k,
using the same phone line. On a 10 point scale, this is an annoyance
factor of an 11.

You can contact me at [email]slow_mac_modem@yahoo.com[/email]. For reward purposes,
please copy newsgroup postings to my email address. Statements like "get
a real computer" or "buy a cable modem" will be immediately deleted.

Thanks for reading.

[Mike Cohen]

There's no such thing. Don't even bother. Just get cable modem or DSL.
You'll be glad you did.

--
Mike Cohen - mike3k <at> onepost <dot> net
Personal: [url]http://www.mc-development.com/[/url]
Mac News: [url]http://www.macmegasite.com/[/url]

[Jerry Kindall]

In article <no-0210032037320001@eli-208-186-131-115.ev1.net>, Frank
<no@spam.com> wrote:

> $100 reward for information leading to a faster dialup connection on
> OS X.
>
> I recently purchased a Power Mac G4 Dual from Apple which runs OS
> 10.2.6. Using the internal 56k v92 modem, I have been unable to
> connect at a speed greater than 31200.
>
> My PC routinely connects at 44k, using the same phone line.
>
> I have tested the throughput on several modem speed test websites and
> verified that the PC is connecting much faster than the mac.

What is not important is the connection speed, but the throughput.
Some modems, particularly the cheap ones, are overly optimistic about
line quality and thus give you an impressive number at connect time.
But after a few minutes, they encounter transmission errors and have to
back off to a slower speed. Since only the initial connect speed is
ever reported, this makes the modem seem like it works better than its
competitors. It is possible, even likely, that your PC's modem is
actually giving you the same throughput as your Mac's modem -- your
Mac's modem simply gives a more honest estimate at connect time.

To find out for sure, you should check to see what throughput you're
actually getting, say by downloading a sizable file from a
well-connected Web site on both machines. I'd be fairly surprised if
you actually see 4KBps+ on the PC.

If you can really get the promised throughput on the PC, then I'd
suggest you use the PC to connect to the Internet, and use its Internet
sharing function (available in Windows 98 Second Edition and later) to
use that modem from the Mac.

--
Jerry Kindall, Seattle, WA <http://www.jerrykindall.com/>

Send only plain text messages under 32K to the Reply-To address.
This mailbox is filtered aggressively to thwart spam and viruses.

[Frank]

> What is not important is the connection speed, but the throughput.

> To find out for sure, you should check to see what throughput you're
> actually getting, say by downloading a sizable file from a
> well-connected Web site on both machines. I'd be fairly surprised if
> you actually see 4KBps+ on the PC.

Thanks for replying. Indeed I have tested the throughput. The PC runs
over 5000 cps while the mac runs < 3500.

I performed an interesting test tonight. I wanted to know how the Zoom
USB mac modem would do on the PC. I downloaded the PC driver for it and
dialed my ISP. As I suspected, the connection speed was a sucky 31200.
Throughput tests matched the mac. This leads me to believe that the
chipsets used in the Apple, Best Data, & Zoom modems do not work with my
ISP. I know the Apple is Conexant - possibly all three are but I'm not
sure.

Alas I am running out of USB mac modems to try. Fry's only sells the Zoom
& Best Data in a USB form. There are a couple serial-based mac modems but
I don't have a serial port on my G4. I could get a serial-> usb cable but
I'm hoping to uncover another manufacturer that sells usb modems for the
mac.

I've tried two PC USB modems and they failed miserably. The Creative
Modem Blaster (my PC has a Modem Blaster which uses the Creative chipset),
and the Hayes. Neither one of these is recognized by OS X. They show up
in the Apple Profile as USB devices, however, they are not selectable in
the Network control panel. The Best Data & Zoom modems both popped open a
window in OS X that basically said "Oh, I've found a new modem" upon
connecting them. The PC modems have failed to do this.

> If you can really get the promised throughput on the PC, then I'd
> suggest you use the PC to connect to the Internet, and use its Internet
> sharing function (available in Windows 98 Second Edition and later) to
> use that modem from the Mac.

Thanks for this suggestion. However, I'd prefer not to run on OS with
holes in it.

[Bev A. Kupf]

On Fri, 03 Oct 2003 20:49:36 -0500,
Frank (no@spam.com) wrote:

>> If you can really get the promised throughput on the PC, then I'd
>> suggest you use the PC to connect to the Internet, and use its Internet
>> sharing function (available in Windows 98 Second Edition and later) to
>> use that modem from the Mac.

>
> Thanks for this suggestion. However, I'd prefer not to run on OS with
> holes in it.

You don't have to run Windows on the PC you know. There are other Intel
operating systems that will let you share the PC's internet connection
with the Mac.

Bev
--
Bev A. Kupf
"The lyfe so short, the craft so long to lerne" -- Chaucer
Sussex - Division One Champions 2003!