Question:
I have a 28.8 Kbps modem. Why do I always connect at 2400 baud? How can I realize the full potential of my modem?
Answer:
The 28.8 modem is fully capable of communicating at 28.8 Kbps. Remember that the bottleneck in a communications scenario is always the slowest device. In other words, if doesn’t matter if you have a V.34 (another name for the 28.8 Kbps standard) — if the other guy is talking 2400 baud, your modem is going to slow down and talk 2400 baud as well!
You might want to check the port speed on your PC. Use the “mode” command in DOS or open the control panel and access the “ports” icon inside Windows. The typical port speed on a 16550 UART serial device should be set to 9600 baud. When using a high-speed modem such as V.34, the hardware will select the highest possible speed after considering the line conditions and the device at the other end.
If you continue to experience 2400 baud connects, try contacting your service provider and gather more information about their modems. Sometimes they have different telephone numbers for different speeds; for instance, a 9600 baud pool, a 14,400 baud pool, etc.
