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GWI's Network
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- What kind of hardware does GWI use?
GWI's dialup servers are the Livingston Portmaster series 3. They are using Lucent chipset modems. They are running the latest full release of the ComOS, 3.8.2c2.
- What 56k Languages does GWI support?
Our modems support both the v.90 and K56flex languages. We highly recommend that you use the v.90 language as it is much more reliable and usually faster.
- What brands of Modems does GWI recommend?
We have found that US Robotics (not USR Winmodems) and modems using the Lucent chipset seem to connect to us the most reliably and fastest. They often require adjustment through an init string, but overall they perform very well.
- What if I get a busy signal?
GWI has a strict "no busy" policy. We have more that enough modems to accommodate our users, and keep a close eye out on them to make sure we will always have enough. If you ever experience a busy signal, please contact our Technical Support department immediately.
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Connection Problems
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- How come it takes me several tries to get connected?
There are several possible reasons for this. If you have a 56k modem, it is usually one of three things: 'noisy' phone lines, an overly aggressive modem, or an outdated version of the 56k language in the modem. All of these things can be helped. Answers are under the heading "What can I do to fix these problems?"
- How can I tell how fast I'm connected at?
It depends on what Dialer software you are using to get connected. Most dialer programs list your initial connection speed somewhere. Windows 95 or 98 usually has a Connection Status Icon in the SysTray (by the clock) that looks like two computer screens. Double-clicking this icon will bring up the information. For details about your dialer, see our Software Use section.
Keep in mind that this value is the initial, or starting connection speed. The speed you are connected at can change while you are connected.
- What do those numbers mean anyway?
The connection speed of a modem is measured in bits per second. This is a somewhat strange measurement because most things are now measured in K, or KiloBytes, or in MB, or Megabytes. The relationship of a bit to a byte is 1:8. The relationship of a kbit to a KByte is also 1:8. The relationship of a KByte to a MegaByte is 1:1024.
What does this mean to you?
Well, a 56k modem has a theoretical maximum of 56 kilobits/second. Which means a maximum download speed of 7 KiloBytes/second. However, most 56k modems usually connect in the range of 40-45 kilobits/second, netting 4.88-5.49 KiloBytes/second. Those ratings are for pre-compressed files (most programs, sounds and images on the web). They can go higher for uncompressed data like text web pages or large text documents.
- I've got a 56k modem, how come it isn't connecting at 56k?
56k modems require very good signal quality. The manufacturers of these modems recommend that you be no more then 3-4 miles away from the local telephone company's switching station. Also, your phone connection to us cannot go through any Digital to Analog conversions (this includes dialing out from a line that is part of a PBX). If either of these things are true, it is very unlikely that you will be able to get a sustainable 56k connection. If they aren't true, the it could be one of three things: 'noisy' phone lines, an overly aggressive modem, or an outdated version of the 56k language in the modem. See the section "What can I do to fix these problems?" on this page.
The other thing to remember is that a 56k connection is any connection using a 56k language. These connections will usually range from 36-50 kbits/second. It is nearly impossible to get true 56k connections except in laboratory conditions.
- I'm connecting at 56K speeds, but it seems slower now than it did when I had an older modem!
Even if your 56k modem reports good, high connection speeds, it may be so busy trying to maintain that connection that it can't use it. It ends up causing pauses in the data flow when the modem has to stop to keep the connection going. While it is always a good thing to check the phone line and modem software version, in most cases like this, the modem settings need to be adjusted. Usually the solution is to slow down the modem so that it isn't busy adjusting the connection speed every few seconds. This is accomplished through the use of a modem initialization string, a short line of modem programming that changes the modem's own settings. See the section marked "Adjust your modem settings so that it connects more reliably" on this page for how to setup an initialization string.
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Disconnection Problems
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- I keep getting disconnected from the Internet, why is this happening?
- If you have Call-Waiting, make sure it is disabled when you are dialed into the Internet. When a call comes in, the beeping noise you normally hear can disconnect you from the Internet, though it is not guaranteed to. If you are a Bell Atlantic customer, dial *70, (that's Star, Seven, Zero, Comma) in front of your local access number to disable Call-Waiting for the duration of that call. See the Software Use section of the website for instructions on how to do this.
- Make sure that your computer doesn't have an idle timeout set in its dialer software. An idle timeout will disconnect your computer when the connection isn't used for a little while. See the Software Use section of the website for instructions on how to do this.
- Your modem may be experiencing some form of interference. Check your phone lines, and consider slowing the modem down with an initialization string. Try the tips listed under "What can I do to fix these problems?".
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What can I do to fix these problems?
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- Check your phone line setup and quality.
- Make sure you have a good quality phone cord running directly from the modem to the wall. Any device between the modem and the wall jack can cause massive interference that is capable of preventing good quality connections. As a test, try swapping the phone cord out for a new cord. Make sure that the cord is not longer than it needs to be, and that it is not tangled up with any other types of cabling such as power or cable TV lines. This phone cord should run directly from the wall jack to the modem.
- As a test, try unplugging everything but the modem from that phone line (including all extensions elsewhere in the house). This is especially important for older phones that have physical bells in them as they draw huge amounts of power. Leave everything unplugged for about 10 minutes before starting the test as sometimes the network can take a few minutes to recharge itself.
- If you have old phone wiring in your house, you may need to run a new phone line directly from the main junction box to your computer. This insures that any problems with your home's wiring are no longer effecting your connection. A quicker test than running new wiring would be to move your computer to a different house with newer wiring and try from there. If you have two phone lines in your house, try connecting the computer to the other line.
- If you notice any quality issues while talking over the same line your computer uses, you should contact your phone company and have them come to your house for a line test.
NOTE: Be aware that the phone company cannot test your line over the phone while you are talking to them. They can only test for problems by coming to your house and using test equipment. They will often try to tell you over the phone that your lines are working fine. This is not possible. The phone company also does not guarantee any connection speed over 14,400 because their primary concern is voice calls and faxing, not data calls. To get them to check the line, you may need to tell them you are having voice or fax quality problems.
Also be aware that if the problem is related to a piece of equipment in your house, they may charge you for the visit. Please discuss this with the phone company to find out if any charges may be involved before scheduling a visit. GWI cannot be held responsible for any charges by the phone company for line testing.
- Make sure your modem is running the latest version of its driver software and firmware.
The languages that 56k modems have been using have been updated several times over the past year. The v.90 language was technically 'finished' in August of 1998. However, most modem manufacturers have written upgraded software and firmware for their modems since then. If you have had your 56k modem for more than a couple months, you should visit the website of your modem manufacturer and check for any updates. Our Technical Support Team can help you with this if you need assistance, please contact them.
- Adjust your modem settings so that it connects more reliably.
After checking the above, it may be necessary to adjust the modem's speed. Many 56k modems are far too aggressive in negotiating a connection speed. They will connect much faster than the phone lines are capable of, and then experience problems getting connected, pausing, or disconnections because of this. The solution is to slow down the modem so that it connects at a rate that the phone lines can support. There are a few steps involved in doing this.
- Determine Modem Brand and type. This will be used to determine what codes can be used to control this modem.
- Keep a record of connection speeds. Keep track of how fast your modem usually connects. This will be used to set a maximum speed that is slightly lower than the average speed.
- Build an initialization string for your modem that will limit its maximum speed to a little bit lower than what you have been connecting at. Usually this involves selecting a speed that is at least 2 speed bands less that your average connection speed. If your connection speeds are in the mid 30,000s, then you are probably best off disabling 56k in the modem, and connecting at 33.6, which is a much more reliable language at slower speeds.
- Try a few test connections. If you still notice performance problems, have problems getting connected on the first try, or random disconnections, build a new init string that limits your modem a little bit more.
- If everything seems fine, trying raising the maximum speed setting. We have seen several 56k modems that try to connect so high that they fail, and drop all the way down to 26400 bits/second. By limiting their maximum speed to 36000, and then working up, we got some of these modems connected as high as 44000 reliably. Give it a try, all it will take is a little time, and the benefits could be great.
Note: An initialization string only works as long as the quality of the lines stays the same, or improves. If your lines are worse in bad weather conditions, or during certain times of the day, you may need to create a string that limits the modem for those times. Otherwise, you will have to keep switching around what initialization string that you use.
Please realize that this is a common problem with many brands and models of 56k modems. If you have followed the above steps, or just don't want to without assistance, please contact our Technical Support Team and we will be happy to help you through this problem.
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