Stuck without a cable modem? Learn how to optimise your 56K modem for a quick, reliable connection to the Internet.
If you live in an area of the country where neither DSL nor cable modems are available, you're still relying on your trusty 56K modem to connect to the Net. While 56K modems are a lot faster than their 33.6K predecessors, they really don't allow you to connect at 56K. That's because FCC regulations limit the 56K modems to a maximum connection speed of 53Kbps. And if your connection goes through more than one analog switch, which is very likely, your 56K modem will only get a connection speed of somewhere between 45Kbps and 50Kbps.
However, the connection speed between your modem and your ISP only represents one half of the picture. The other half represents the connection speed between your modem and your computer. In this article, I'll show you how to tweak a few settings that will optimise that connection. As I do, I'll pass along some additional Wizardly tips that will help you get the most out of your connection to the Net.
| Contents | ||
| Understanding the COM port | ||
| Tweaking the COM port | ||
| Investigating flow control | ||
| Examining the FIFO buffers | ||
| Guidelines for adjusting the Receive and Transmit Buffers | ||
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