56K Modems

This FAQ provides a brief overview of the history of 56K modem technology and information about connecting to HunTel.net with a 56K modem.

There are three standards that have been implemented to support 56K modem speeds. One is called K56Flex, the second is called x2, and the third is called v.90. These three standards ARE NOT compatible. A K56Flex modem will not connect to a x2 modem which will not connect to a v.90 modem. The history of the 56K standard began with just K56Flex and x2. The two standards were developed by two different groups who were competing to try to capture the high speed dial-up modem market. It was only after the two standards were out that the decision was made to develop a third standard which would become the technology all modem manufacturers would support. (As you can see, "standard" is a term which is used very loosely in the computer industry.) The new standard was dubbed v.90 and became widely available in the late spring of 1998.

Originally, 56K modems supported either K56Flex or x2.  After the v.90 standard was proposed most modem manufacturers promised to provide a free upgrade from their proprietary standard (K56Flex or x2) to v.90 when the new standard was finalized.  56K modems purchased today come with v.90 only.  If you have an older 56K modem that doesn't support v.90 you should check with your modem's manufacturer about your options for upgrading to v.90.

There are currently three manufacturers of 56K modem chipsets:  3Com/USRobotics, Lucent Technologies, and Rockwell Semiconductor (now known as "Conexant") .  These chipsets are the "main brain" behind the functioning of 56K modems.  All 56K modem manufacturers license their technology from one of the above three OEM's so regardless of the multitude of 56K modems on the market it boils down to one of three choices for the base technology.  Individual manufacturers may use higher quality manufacturing processes or bundle useful software with their product so it is worth looking around.  Generally we have found that you get what you pay for.

Because of the complexity of the protocol and the fact that there are three different chipsets, users of 56K modems may experience problems connecting to their service provider.  This happens most frequently when the provider uses "brand A" modems and the user has "brand B".  The three manufacturers frequently release updates to their drivers in an attempt to address connectivity or performance issues with modems of the other brands.  If you experience frequent disconnects or have problems making your initial connection is it recommended that you download and install the latest drivers for your modem.  Links can be found at the end of this document to assist you in locating newer drivers for your modem.  You can also contact the modem or computer manufacturer directly for assistance.

HunTel.net supports x2 and v.90 connections from all our POPs using TotalControl Hubs from CommWorks, a 3Com company.

So what kind of connect speed should you expect if you invest in a 56K modem?   NOBODY should expect to connect at a speed of 56K. For starter's, if you've already purchased a 56K modem there's a little disclaimer you should have found in your documentation about the FCC limiting the speed to 53K. This limitation has something to do with an FCC regulation limiting the power output of modems to help eliminate cross-talk on the phone lines.  Some modems will report connection speeds of 115,000 baud but these reports are erroneous and due to bugs in the modem drivers.  115,000 is the port connection speed, that is the speed of the connection between YOUR computer and YOUR modem. (See http://808hi.com/56k/x2-inf1.htm)

There is also an issue with phone lines.  There are some phone lines that simply will not support the 56K standard. The success of this high-speed transmission depends on the conversion of signals on your phone line from analog to digital data. The more often this conversion happens on your phone line the lower your chances of a successful 56K connection.  Finally, as with any modem connection, the line quality figures into the equation too.  Certainly all phone companies do their best to provide high-quality lines but even the slightest loss in signal quality can affect your modem's connection speed.  Even under the best of conditions you may not even get more than 45K.

To connect to HunTel.net with a 56K modem we recommend the following steps...

1. Make sure your modem supports either x2 or v.90.  We find that v.90 connections provide higher throughput.  Modems running K56Flex do not provide reliable connections to our hardware.  If you have a K56Flex modem we recommend you contact your modem manufacturer for information about an upgrade to v.90.  If you're considering purchasing a 56K modem we've found that, in general, you get what you pay for.  Our favorite brand is US Robotics.  We discourage any brand or model that uses the phrase "WinModem" and "HCF".  These modems tend the be the brunt of jokes in modem support forums.  They are cursed by support departments world-wide.  Good information about HCF modems can be found at http://808hi.com/56k/rockhcf.htm.

2. Regardless of when you acquired your system we recommend downloading and installing the newest drivers for your modem.  You can download these drivers from the modem manufacturers web site or, if your modem came installed in your computer, you can usually download the drivers from the computer manufacturer's web site.  Even though your system may be new, the drivers installed for the modem may be several months old.   Older drivers can connect to HunTel.net but don't provide the reliability needed for an enjoyable Internet experience.  Once connected you can check the appropriate web site for updated drivers.  BE SURE TO GET THE NEWEST DRIVERS BEFORE CONNECTING TO HUNTEL.NET!

3. If you are trying to connect to HunTel.net so you can download updated drivers but you can't get a good connection, we recommend inserting three commas (",,,") at the end of the phone number in your dial-up settings.  This will make your modem to pause for 6 seconds before attempting to sync up with our modems.  The 6 second delay will cause our modems to skip the v.90 handshake (that is to say the 56k connection) and try a v.34 handshake (a 33.6k connection).  Once the new drivers are downloaded be sure to remove the commas or the 56k handshake will continue to be skipped!

Check the links below for assistance in finding drivers for your particular modem.   These links are not maintained by HunTel.net and therefore we cannot guarantee their accuracy or applicability to your situation.

1. First of all, it helps if you know your modem's manufacturer.  If you're not sure this link from 56K Modem Central could be handy.
   http://www.56k.com/trouble/noname.shtml

2. Now you need to find the driver.  Check out http://www.56k.com/links/Modem_Manufacturers or visit http://www.driverguide.com.

3. Follow the instructions provided by the modem manufacturer for upgrading your modem.

We also recommend going to your favorite search engine and entering a search on "56K modems".

Other Services
Telephone | Long Distance Telephone | CableVision  | High Speed Internet
Careers                          Local Telephone Directory