We use digital PRI (dial-up) lines. Our access routers are the best and they support all protocols available. You should be connecting as fast as your Modem and local phone lines permit. If you are having speed and or disconnect problems, it is probably caused by something on the list below. This list contains hints & suggestions on simple things that YOU can do to increase your Modems performance.

Possible problems & Fixes
Wires connected by being twisted together. (Should be soldered or on a TIGHT screw terminal )
Worn lines from the back of the Modem to the wall. (They should be new and/or not flexed around too much)
Outside terminals dirty, wet, corroded or worn.
Beware of long extensions between the computer and the wall outlet. (6ft max)
Extension wires chewed on or played with by pets. (or walked on by anyone, even a little bit)
Two extensions linked together with a plastic connector.
Defective or older  Fax's or phone's connected to the "phone" connector of the Modem.
The line to the wall connected to the "phone" port of the Modem and not the "line" port.

Other possibilities.

If your phone rings, right after a disconnect, you have "Call Waiting" It must be disabled in your dialer setup if you want to keep from being disconnected by incoming calls

IRQ users may sometimes be disconnected by other IRQ users using illegal software to "slam or bump" you offline. They seldom brag about this as it is illegal. These users should be reported to IRC or IRQ hosts and have their privileges suspended.

If your computer is experiencing "reset" problems while you are not online, the same problem will disconnect you while you are online. Have your comp checked by an A+ Certified technician.

Disconnects can also be caused by Fax software, some email clients, ping daemons and NNTP emulators.

Large files sent through or attached to email (Larger than 500k) can sometimes cause time-outs and possible disconnects. FTP files larger than 500K whenever possible.

Subscribing to large mailing lists can cause your email client to time out and possibly disconnect you if you are using a slow modem. Set your email client to maximum time out.

Make sure the phone cord from the back of your computer to the jack is as short as possible. Cords over 10-12 foot can lose a lot of speed due to resistance in the tiny wires.

Other possible problems:

If you are using an LT. Win modem, set all 3 compressions off. Call support for instructions. These LT Win Modems can perform at very high speeds if set up properly, but will disappoint you if they are not.

Improper setup, even with the correct driver installed.

Interrupt conflicts with other devices. (even if the modem appears to function properly)

Loose modems in the mother board. (The screw should be tight and seated well)

Dirty edge connections on the Modem board. (They can be cleaned by using a pencil eraser) Both sides.

Environment problems. High humidity and temperature can degrade performance and reduce component life).

Some ISA slots on the mother board are better than others. (Try a different slot )

Some Modems are affected by CPU speed and memory config.

Spontaneous disconnects are sometimes caused by your browser's or your dialers time-out setting. We do NOT time you out on our end unless you are idle for 20 minutes.

Note: With some modems the Win 95 drivers actually work better than the factory drivers. Some Modem makes and models simply perform better than others. We even see differences with the same modem on the same line with different brand computers.

NOTE: A 56k flex modem is doing very very well if it is connecting at 44K. 42k is also considered very good. Speeds above that are seldom achieved except under lab conditions and are very very rare unless you live next to the Telco's Central Office. 56K FAQ's

We have all V90 protocols  in our system.
Last resort....have the phone company check your lines. There may be a charge for this if they find no problems , so be sure to check everything else first. If you ever hear "noise" while talking on your phone line then you have a dirty line that will never work properly with any modem. Call the phone company.

 
Last Note: Cheap modems are cheap for a reason. We always recommend that you purchase a name brand modem. The slight extra cost is usually well worth it. Name Brands are of a much higher quality and come with better factory support and upgradeability.(And quality control in their manufacture)

We are not perfect and sometimes have problems too. These problems do not last very long as we act on them quickly. Before you suspect a problem in your computer or modem, please check our system status page to see if the problem is on our end before you start poking around with your settings.

Thanks for reading our suggestions. We hope they help you get the best possible performance from your account. Please let us know if we can help you in any way.