slow modem - help?

[percy]

Sorry for the (poss) numpty questions I keep posting here.

I am having probs with my modem, it is an Optronix OP-180 56k, but will only run at 28k on my PC. The PC is running Win Me and has 256k ram and 800mhz celeron processor.
I have installed the correct drivers over and again, but there must be something I'm missing.
My laptop runs fine at about 45kbps on the same line, so it must be something wrong with my settings on the PC. I have run a Win update, but still no joy.
Can anyone offer any simple solution?

I did think of installing XP, but a lot of my stuff is incompatible.

Thanks in advance

[arcturus]

Don't get too hung up on the connection speed that the modem reports to windows. The speed you see displayed is the negotiated speed at the instant of connection. Modern 56k V92 modems constantly renegotiate the speed with the modem at the other end, but this is never reported to windows. I know of several cases where an 'apparent' connection speed of 28k actually runs quicker in real life than an 'apparent' connection speed of 45k.

The only real way to test your speed is with a speed test such as the one here

[percy]

But it really is painfully slow...
Just ran that test and here are the results...

Your line speed:
29.5 Kbps
3.6 K bytes/sec

Is this as slow as it seems?

[arcturus]

Ok, it does seem a bit slow.

It could just be a bad modem or lead.

You can get a new modem for around a tenner, so it might just be worth changing it and see what happens.

I know this sounds odd but some ISP's modems can be a bit fussy about the modems they talk to. Tiscali, for example say their modems talk best to modems with Rockwell chipsets in.

I know it shouldn't make any difference, but it does appear to in some cases.

[percy]

Thanks for the advice
I'll try a different modem then