Modem Speed

      
Modem

The word MODEM is an acronym for MOdulator-DEModulator. Modems accept digital data supplied by the local PC, and convert it to a modulated analog wave form that can be transmitted over a normal analog phone line. And conversely, modems also accept a modulated analog wave from the telephone line, convert it to a digital form, and pass it on to the local PC.

A 28,800 or 33,600 bps modem can send data over a phone line up to fourteen times faster than the 2400 bps modems that were common up until 1990 -- and a 56k modem is over twenty times faster! Couple this with the built-in data compression ability of modern high speed modems which will compress ordinary text data by about 2:1, and some types of data by up to 4:1, and you can see that throughput can be 25 to 50 times greater (or more!) than for a 2400 bps modem. This tremendous increase in speed can dramatically decrease your online time and your phone charges, and makes it feasible to transfer graphics screens such as WWW pages in times acceptable to most users.

However, these high speed modems can present a challenge to a PC owner -- especially for those wanting to run the modem on older PCs under Windows. With improper hardware and software setup, incoming modem data can "over-run" the ability of Windows to process it, resulting in lost data, retransmission of data, and other problems. Read this page to find out how to optimize your system to maximize performance and minimize overrun problems. Note that with the powerful Pentium class of PC's, and the release of the Plug-And-Play versions of Windows which get better with each release, many of the problems mentioned above have been eliminated.

In the spring of 1997 modem manufacturers started producing modems that could download at rates up to 56 Kbps provided your ISP had digital equipment and a digital phone line at his end. At that time there was no 56k standard, and there were two different flavors of 56K modems which were not compatible. But in early 1998 the official 56K standard was "determined" by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and soon thereafter was assigned an official "V" number (V.90). This was good news, as it soon resulted in all new 56k modems being compatible. If you have an early 56K modem (especially a USRobotics modem), it is not totally compatible with most other 56K modems now in use.

Modem Speed Links

Modem Speed Test Page - Test the speed of your current modem, throughput.

High-speed modem merger - Westell Technologies (WSTL) today announced plans to acquire Amati (AMTX) in a $394 million stock transaction, boosting the emergence of fast-speed modem technology used over standard phone lines. [News.com]

Oceanic Cable - Offers high-speed internet cable modems and fiber coax hybrid signal delivery systems in Hawaii.

Broadband Exchange - A resource for High Speed Internet users including Cable Modem users.

Dell revs fast PC modem strategy - Dell Computer continues its push to offer more personal computers with faster Internet connections, now a crucial performance yardstick, by announcing today that its consumer PCs will come equipped with high-speed modems from 3Com. [News.com]

Modem Race Speeds Up - 3Com and Diamond Multimedia have made the latest offerings in a marketplace that has kicked into increasingly higher gear. [Wired News]

The @Cafe - Offers espresso, cappuccino, teas, pastries, sandwiches and salads, free e-mail and web surfing on Cox@home high-speed cable modem demonstration terminals.

Boca modem doubles speed - Boca Research (BOCI) hopes to double Internet connection speeds for consumers and small businesses with a modem technology that "glues" together two modems dialed into separate phone lines. [News.com]

Cable modems to speed access - A private start-up will this week introduce cable modem chips based on an increasingly popular industry specification, jumping into a field that's expected to dramatically boost the number of high-speed Internet connections in 1998. [News.com]

High Speed Access Corp. - Provides high speed Internet access via cable modem to residential and commercial end users. (Nasdaq: HSAC).

Cable Modem 'Giant' Born - with 45,000 Customers - The services merger of US West and Time Warner may make it the biggest of the lot, but it's got a long way to go before it can feed the masses the high-speed Net access they're after. [Wired News]

Motorola plans hybrid modem - Motorola will develop a new hybrid modem that can be used with both regular phone lines and ADSL high-speed Internet connections. [News.com]

Paradyne Corporation - Designs, develops and manufactures broad band modems for high-speed DSL, WAN, Internet access and multimedia applications.

I-Jolt - An Internet speed boosting program that accelerates your modem by tweaking your dial up networking TCP/IP network settings. Optimize your Internet connection with a free trial download. [Win 95/98]

Lucent touts high-speed modem - Lucent Technologies will later this year release a new modem technology that radically boosts downloading speeds, but doesn't require major capital investments or equipment overhauls to work. [News.com]

Peering into the DSL future - BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--Consumers need to buy digital subscriber line modems and have them work with any company's equipment before the idea of high-speed Net access over regular phone lines can become a reality. [News.com]

DSL modem standard due soon - Consumers may move a step closer toward high-speed Internet access at home, as a preliminary standard for digital subscriber line modems is expected to emerge by the end of the week. [News.com]

Xircom has high-speed modem card - Xircom today announced a new combination modem-Ethernet card, the first capable of operating on high-speed 100-mbps networks, older 10-mbps Ethernet connections, and as a 56-kbps modem. [News.com]

TeleDream, Inc. - Manufacturer of high speed access solutions such as ADSL modem , ATM router and VoIP.

ADF, AnDan Software FOSSIL driver - Serial port FOSSIL driver for high speed modem users. Supports FIFO UARTs 16550, 16650 and 16750, 115200 bps, any port, any IRQ, any FIFO trigger level, FOSSIL rev level 5 and multitasking environments (such as Windows 3, Windows 95 and OS/2).

SpeedConnect Internet Accelerator - SpeedConnect is an optimizer, an accelerator for Dial-Up (Modem) and LAN/Cable Internet connections. Visit CBS Software site to download this booster utility and speed up your Internet connection.

Aware, Inc. - Designs, develops, and markets telecommunications software, chipsets, and modems which increase the speed of data communications over conventional copper telephone lines. (Nasdaq: AWRE)

Comcast Corporation - Develops, manages and operates cable communications systems offering regular cable service, direct to home satellite television and high-speed cable modem service. (Nasdaq: CMCSK).

Orckit Communications, Limited - Designs and manufactures high speed digital modems for broadband communications. (Nasdaq: ORCT).

Netsville DSL - Offers high-speed Internet access service that connects homes and businesses to the Internet at speeds reaching 35 times a standard 28.8K modem, all using existing phone lines.

CableLabs - Defines interfaces for cable modems involved in high speed data distribution over cable television networks.

Modem FAQ - On high speed modems: (28.8/33.6/56 kbps modem tips and tricks)

Rockwell works toward high-speed modem - Rockwell Semiconductor (ROK) said it is readying modem technology that will enable consumers to connect at speeds which far exceed even today's fastest modems. [News.com]

Layer 1 Software - Bandwidth test tools, benchmark, modem and internet speed test utilities. Shareware for Windows.

Armstrong Zoom Cable Internet Service - Provides a high-speed cable modem Internet connection to customers in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio.

Motorola Broadband Store - Cable modem and infinite possibilities of high speed cable Internet access.

Intel shows off high-speed videophone - Intel is showing off new videophone software for computers with cable modems or other high-speed Internet connection techniques at the Western Cable Show in Anaheim, California. [News.com]

ADSL and Cable Modem Makers Call Truce - Every acronym was on show at the ComNet show last week - and the future of high-speed households may look like coaxial. [Wired News]

Cafe Internet - Oregon Cybercafe, 8 computers on high-speed cable modem with food, coffee and espresso, printing, scanning and laptop friendly.

Intel codeveloping high-speed modem - Alcatel announced today that it will be demonstrating a new asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) modem, developed in conjunction with chipmaking giant Intel, next week at Comdex. [News.com]

Double-line phone modem ships - Boca Research (BOCI) announced shipment of its double-line phone modem, which offers faster Internet connection speeds by integrating two modems into one unit that plugs into separate phone lines. [News.com]

Lawsuits Charge Modem Makers with Fraud - Manufacturers and sellers of 56-Kbps modems are accused of false advertising because most ISPs can't deliver information at such a high speed. [Wired News]

Lucent pushing DSL technologies - At the Networld+Interop trade show today in Las Vegas, Lucent unveiled new products for accessing networks with high-speed DSL (digital subscriber line) technology, including new modem chipsets. [News.com]

Accelerate 2002 - Speeds up the internet browser's performance and optimizes settings instantly. Speed increases up to 200% on modem connections. [Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000]

Hayes demos $300 DSL modem - At the ComNet trade show this week, Hayes (HAYZ) joined the parade of vendors showing off DSL (digital subscriber line) products for high-speed Internet and data access. [News.com]

The week's news: DSL coming of age - High-speed Net access seemed to draw much closer at Comdex, as PC leaders Compaq and Dell both announced plans to include DSL (digital subscriber line) modems in consumer desktops. Telecom giants signed on, announcing service will begin as soon as year's end. [News.com]

Consensus on DSL standards - A preliminary standard for digital subscriber line modems has been set, paving the way for faster modems that can offer high-speed Internet access over regular phone lines. [News.com]

Rockwell chipsets near 4 million - Rockwell has shipped nearly 4 million chipsets used in high-speed modems after three months of production, the company announced. [News.com]

Robin Walker's Cable Modem Pages - Features extensive troubleshooting tips, a simple speed test and DOCSIS diagnostics. Covers both NTL and Blueyonder services.

V.90 Modem Standard - ITU V.90 Features includes technical articles, speed charts, v.90 FAQ.

Cable modem use growing - Like the mouse that roared, high-speed Net access via cable systems finally is making itself heard in a cutthroat market. [News.com]

Comcast Corporation - Develops, manages and operates cable communications systems offering regular cable service, direct to home satellite television and high-speed cable modem service.

The week's news: Cable modems seize the day - Excitement over cable modem technology--especially TV set-top boxes and high-speed Net access--crested as announcements poured out of the Western Show. High-tech companies ranging from Scientific Atlanta (SA) and General Instrument (GI) to Microsoft see great promise in cable modems, which are far speedier than the conventional dial-up variety. [News.com]

Intel Weeds Pixels and Makes the Web Scream - With its new compression technology, Intel can speed up modem downloads, and may even get Unix-dominated ISPs to make room for Wintel servers. [Wired News]

Intel codeveloping high-speed modem - Alcatel announced today that it will be demonstrating a new asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) modem, developed in conjunction with chipmaking giant Intel, next week at Comdex. [News.com]

Fast modem sales look promising - Sales of high-speed 56-kbps modems should be better than ever for vendors this holiday season because rebates and price reductions have lowered the cost of new modems to as little as $79, according to a report from Associated Research Services (ARS). [News.com]

@Home Pushes @Work with TCG Deal - Upgrade delays have stalled the company's plans to push its high-speed cable-modem service to homes. Now it's trying its luck in companies. [Wired News]

Dell PCs to offer ADSL modems - US West Communications, Dell Computer, and Cisco Systems will introduce personal computers with high-speed digital modems that work over traditional copper telephone wires. [News.com]

High-speed cable modems take hold - A new study suggests that, though far from a mainstream means to connect homes to the Net, use of high-speed cable modems is beginning to take hold in North America. [News.com]

Martin, Thomas - Network engineer, Denver Colorado, System administrator, digital photography, ultimate disclaimer, check your modem speed.

Multi-Tech Modems - Multi-Tech partners with industry leaders and invests in leading-edge technology to provide the fastest modem speeds possible.

Rockwell sued over 56-kbps modem technology - Standards for high-speed 56-kbps modem technology may be further delayed as companies become enmeshed in a new legal battle over who invented the technology. [News.com]

TI focuses on faster modems - Texas Instruments said it is developing chipsets for speedy modems which will provide connection speeds that dwarf the fastest transmissions available today, as the company broadens its digital signal processor business. [News.com]

LMDS Microwaves Your Internet Connection - An obscure technology sends data and voice through the radio spectrum at about 20 times modem speed. And it's coming with the stroke of a pen. [Wired News]

Intel partners on cable modem development - Intel (INTC) announced today it will work with @Home Network (ATHM) to develop new cable modems in an effort to encourage the availability of high-speed Internet access. [News.com]

DSL to make its mark in 2000 - Use of cable modems will continue to dominate digital subscriber line (DSL) in the near future, but two new studies show the high-speed data-over-copper technology may get increased play after 2000. [News.com]

CGS Communication - ISP providing high speed Internet connection through cable modem.

High-speed modem within reach - High-speed Internet access technology ADSL has been slow to reach consumers. But a new, low-priced modem timed to hit the market shortly before telecommunication companies begin providing support for the technology may accelerate ADSL's arrival. [News.com]

Alcatel, Hayes in high-speed modem pact - Alcatel Alsthom (ALA), the European telecom equipment group, said today it is teaming up with U.S. modem maker Hayes Microcomputer in a deal to develop high-speed Internet access equipment. [News.com]

L.A. to enjoy cable Net - MediaOne launched high-speed Net access via cable today in the Los Angeles area, while a study predicted that cable modems will win the lion's share of the residential access market. [News.com]

More support for 56-kbps modems - Bay Networks (BAY) will give users of dial-up access a speed boost by adding support for U.S. Robotics' x2 56-kbps modem technology to its enterprise remote access server. [News.com]

US West speeds up Net - After hitting some roadblocks, the Baby Bells finally are starting to roll out higher-speed Net access over copper wires, dubbed DSL, hoping to compete with cable modem providers. [News.com]

New chip allows versatile modems - Santa Clara, California-based Virata says it has developed a single chip that offers high-speed digital subscriber line and 56-kbps modem functionality combined with networking capabilities. [News.com]

ISDN products still an option - At Comdex next month, cable and high-speed digital subscriber line modems are expected to rank among the convention's hottest communications products, but Teles aims to remind people that ISDN is still alive and kicking by introducing a new low-cost ISDN "modem." [News.com]

@Home ramps up retail strategy - High-speed Internet service provider @Home Network is teaming up with retail vendors such as CompUSA to ramp up the rollout of cable modem service in select areas, the companies said today. [News.com]

Fast modem does double duty - Rockwell announced a new chipset that combines high-speed DSL (digital subscriber line) and dial-up modem capabilities while enabling dual usage, the first product to result from a recent partnership with DSL equipment maker PairGain Technologies. [News.com]

Cable's long road ahead - Where do you want to go today? In its latest gamble, Microsoft spent $212.5 million for an investment in cable Net access provider Road Runner, and the software giant also is in talks with Telstra about a cable joint venture. But the nascent cable modem business faces competition from DSL and other high-speed Net access technologies. [News.com]

Graychip - Developers of high speed CMOS signal processing chips for telecom markets. Products include all-digital downconverters, upconverters, digital filters, and high speed QAM modem chip sets.

Cable modem customers complain - You can't please all the people all the time. Just ask some customers of @Home (ATHM) and Time Warner's (TWX) Road Runner, two leaders in the race to offer high-speed Net access via cable modems. [News.com]

Hybrid modems developed - U.S. Robotics (USRX) and Texas Instruments (TXN) will announce a partnership Tuesday to deliver "hybrid" modems supporting both 56-kbps and ADSL high-speed technologies. [News.com]

Fast modem technology tested - Alcatel, Analog Devices, and Texas Instruments will begin testing their high-speed digital subscriber line products for compatibility so that customers won't have to worry about what technology to buy. [News.com]

Cable Modems Boom - The demand for the high-speed modems outpaces DSL installations 14 to 1, but "arms' merchant" Broadcom is covering all the bases. [Wired News]

High Speed Access Corp. - Provider of high speed Internet access via cable modem.

Linux drivers for COSA/SRP synchronous serial boards - The COSA and SRP are synchronous serial boards. This means they can be used to connect any synchronous serial device (such as a high-speed base-band modem) to your PC with Linux. Base-band modems are usually used over leased lines and can have throughput from 64kbps to several megabits per second.

Cable Bahamas Ltd. - Cable television company offering high speed cable modems for internet access.

New modem will speed up Internet access - [CNN.com]

The Bridge - Internet Service Provider serving northern Minnesota (Bemidji and the Arrowhead) with 56K dial-up and ultra high speed cable modem service. Free email, newsgroups, and web space for members.

Team Engineers - A company manufacturing a range of stand-alone and rack version modems upto 56K bps speed.

BlazeNet Maine - High speed broadband cable modem internet service.

Keeling Inc. ISP - Internet Server Provider serving all of Fountain County and parts of Vermillion, Warren, Parke and Montgomery Counties. Providing dial in connections at speeds up to 56Kbps. Currently have 99, 33.6 analog modems and 48, 56K V.90 modems on-line and adding more as needed.

Davidson Cable TV - Information on high speed internet access, cable TV, and modem services.

Adelphia NetAccess - An ISP and networking company, with high speed cable modem internet access and web site design services.

Comcast Corporation - Develops, manages and operates cable communications systems offering regular cable service, direct to home satellite television and high-speed cable modem service.

Mid-Hudson Online Internet Services - Full-service internet access provider, offering high speed cable modem service, personal dial-up accounts, business accounts and domain hosting.

Island Internet Services - Offering a full range of access to the Internet, from 56K modem or ISDN access, through to high speed serial connections.

Double-line modems speed access - [CNN.com]

Zeta Internet - City based ISP with access ranging from modem dialup shell accounts to high speed PAPL / HDSL permanent links.

Rants and Raves - Readers on patents ... modem speed. [Wired News]

Fight not over for 3Com - The fight over a standard for its high-speed modems may have been resolved, but 3Com (COMS) has yet to remedy many other problems that plague the company. [News.com]

Lightning Net Speeds Coming This Christmas - The technology that Microsoft, Intel, and Compaq will use to create a de facto standard for high-speed modem connections comes from a little-known Massachusetts-based company, Aware, Inc. [Wired News]

Delivering wireless access - Modem maker Hybrid Networks today teamed with start-up Warp Drive Networks in an ambitious plan to offer high-speed Net access over low-power television frequencies by October 1. [News.com]

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