[solved] USR/3com Gaming Modem Problem

[jmitchell]

For those who dont know the gaming modem is basically your standard 3com/usr hardmodem, with some fluffy software. This thing has been rock solid forever. Now, it connects like shi+. For 2 years straight I got 50.6 connections every time. Now sometimes it dials, starts the normal screeching and then drops to the weaker toned connections.(28.8 sometimes, 42, 46, etc.) I've thoroughly checked my phone line, no problems. No noise etc. (tried a friends gateway pc I was fixing and it hooked up at 50.6 every time through the same line). Btw, winxp pro, asus p3v4x, p3733, 350atx ps. There were no significant changes to my system before this started happening, soft/hardware, and it always runs cool. Am I just in denial, and I need to throw the piece away? When it connects at 50.6 its solid all day until I disconnect... but its always a crapshoot. I've tried another pci slot, phone cord/outlet etc, there are no firware updates, etc. Anyone ever have this inconsistency, and could a reformat/reinstall fix it? I should probably go buy a 10$ 56k softmodem and get on with my life.. or maybe get some use out of that dusty speedstream adsl modem rusting away in my closet... thanks

 

[stevewm]

Its probably just the conditions on your local phone system changing. I get this all the time, one day 49.3k, a week later 26.4k. And 19.2k when it rains

 

[jmitchell]

just in case anyone ever wanted to know... I swapped it to a different pci slot, which takes a lot less windage from my intake fan, and it's consistent again (always ALWAYS either 49.2 or 50.6) I don't know which it was, the slot or the temp, but thinking back, I think the problem started when I installed the intake fan. I tested this a bit by dropping the intake fan from 3200 rpms to 1800 rpms, and connectivity was restored to about 50% of its best. So, in conclusion, the gaming modem seems to not want to run in a nice, cool, 72 degree case, but in a 90 and above degree sweathouse. Problem solved, for now...