Slooowing Down

[Anders]

Hello all.

Boo to Windows 2000, I think. The throughput that I am getting from my dial-up connection seems to have taken a dive in the last few days. I cannot exactly pinpoint when it happened unfortunately. When 2K connects it reports the bandwidth as normal, which is 45.2 or 49 Kbps. My downloads used to be solidly around 5000BPS from all but the worse servers. Now they fluctuate around between 2000 and 4000BPS. Although unlikely, I suppose I should ask if anyone else has noticed slowdown on their connections?

If as I suspect, that it is my computer’s problem then does anyone have any idea what might have caused this happen? I have Windows 2k and Norton Anti Virus up to date, the latest version of Zone Alarm Pro, and Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware come back with no problems found. My OS is Windows 2000 and I have a decent external serial modem.

It is ever so frustrating. 5000BPS was bearable, but even a small drop seems to make a huge difference time wise.

Thanks, Anders.

[Moby-Dick]

Dialup speeds can be pretty variable... which ISP are you using ? Have you tried changeing ISP at all ? Dialup really likes to be around 33kbps , the 56k series are a bit of an "overclock" so to speak so the extra speed isnt always guarenteed.

try a couple of different dialups and see if it varies.

[Anders]

My ISP is currently Freeserve. Any other ISPs you would particularly recommend? I have always founds them all pretty much the same.

I still believe this is more likely to be caused by something rubbish getting installed, or perhaps a driver issue.

Thanks, Anders.

[Anders]

No one has any ISPs they would recommend/avoid?

[unrealrocks]

I'd recoment a Cable or ADSL ISP

[Enverex]

I wouldn't recommend FreeServe at all, half the time I would just end up getting engaged (don't dont the piss, I'm paying monthly, you don't give me ENGAGED!) and their support wouldn't talk to me because I wasn't 18 (so I called them a bunch of complete bastards and hung up).

Tiscali (LineOne) always worked well, and I have used my current ADSL ISP's dial up a few times (Nildram) and that was fine too.

I always get connection speeds of 45,000+ here. Normally 50,600, though it has connected at 56,000 quite a few times aswell. Though it is also down to the modem. I have found the external Diamond and 3Com ones to be the best.

[Blub2k]

Did you recently install the Windows 200 Service Pack 4 by any chance?

[Anders]

Sorry I did not see the replies until now, thanks for replying.

Blub2k I cannot be sure if I had just installed SP4, but I do not think so.

Enverex, the modem always reported the same connection speed, however when using it I found that the actual throughput was much lower. I pay monthly for “unlimted” off peak Freeserve access as well, but I have never had any problems with the line being engaged. <touch wood>

Fortunately, I have recently solved the problem. It looks like some options had been turned off some how, but not by me. I had noticed that the drop in throughput coincided with the modem no longer made the any noise when it dialled up. The options that need to be turned on again are found in the dial up connection's, properties. In the properties window, I clicked on configure (the modem). I enabled hardware flow control and modem error control. I have not been able to find these as a global setting for the actual modem though, so each dial up connection needs these options enabled. If I use another connection without these options ticked, my throughput falls back the slow level.

It is good to be getting 5000BPS again. It really does seem to make a difference.