56K modem downloading at broadband speed..why?

[hadnmaiden_fbi]

This may seem like a strange question, but maybe someone might have a
thought. I connect to the Internet via a Dial-Up connection with a
standard 56K modem. 99% of the time I download at typical download
speeds you would expect with a modem. However, once in a while, I can
download at broadband speeds...around 200K/sec. This has nothing to do
with resumed downloads either. This happens with new downloads,
downloaded directly from my browser (IE6). The other day I downloaded
a 5MB file in under a minute on a 56K modem. When it happens, I
download all my updates while it lasts. Even web pages load instantly.
Unfortunately, it always reverts back to normal speeds after a while.

Any thoughts?

 

[Cats Whiskers]

This may seem like a strange question, but maybe someone might have a
thought. I connect to the Internet via a Dial-Up connection with a
standard 56K modem. 99% of the time I download at typical download
speeds you would expect with a modem. However, once in a while, I can
download at broadband speeds...around 200K/sec. This has nothing to do
with resumed downloads either. This happens with new downloads,
downloaded directly from my browser (IE6). The other day I downloaded
a 5MB file in under a minute on a 56K modem. When it happens, I
download all my updates while it lasts. Even web pages load instantly.
Unfortunately, it always reverts back to normal speeds after a while.

Any thoughts?

My thought is that what you describe is impossible using a 56K dial-up
modem. A 5Mb file would take several minutes using a 512K broadband
connection. Isn't 200K/sec equal to 12000KB a minute, which is about 12Mb?

 

[LuDean Marvin]

Have you tried opening any of those files? I too have "downloaded"
entire files in the tens of megabytes in mere moments, but when
opened, they turned out to be corrupted stubs.

| This may seem like a strange question, but maybe someone might have
a
| thought. I connect to the Internet via a Dial-Up connection with a
| standard 56K modem. 99% of the time I download at typical download
| speeds you would expect with a modem. However, once in a while, I
can
| download at broadband speeds...around 200K/sec. This has nothing to
do
| with resumed downloads either. This happens with new downloads,
| downloaded directly from my browser (IE6). The other day I
downloaded
| a 5MB file in under a minute on a 56K modem. When it happens, I
| download all my updates while it lasts. Even web pages load
instantly.
| Unfortunately, it always reverts back to normal speeds after a
while.
|
| Any thoughts?
|

 

[Cymbal Man Freq.]

I was downloading at 13Kb/sec with dial-up on Net-Zero today; but after a few
minutes it was back down to legal speed of 5.0Kb/sec. I believe free NetZero is
responsible for the extra speed with their insistant advertising
downloads...when they are done, I get normal speed again. Some dialup ISP plans
compress images so pages load up to 5X faster, and blurrier.

 

[hadnmaiden_fbi]

Yes, I have opened the large downloads...and they are fine. I've got
many years experience with computers and even run a computer repair
business. But this has me baffled. It doesn't seem possible...but it
*does happen*. Like I said, even going to different websites is super
fast. (new websites...not cached websites BTW). It makes me wonder if
dial-up users are intentionally 'throttled down' to prevent going over
the supposed 'legal limit'. Some days I can hit 50K...some days 200K
download speeds...and I don't mean kilobit...I mean kilobyte. It's as
fast as my T1 line I use at work.

 

[Bob I]

It may be compression. The actual rate tops out at 53.3 kb/s, anything
you see above that is the decompressed data stream.

 

[hadnmaiden_fbi]

I'm not using compression...

It may be compression. The actual rate tops out at 53.3 kb/s, anything
you see above that is the decompressed data stream.

 

[Bob I]

The modem side of the system does. Simple explanation on the technology
at the link below
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modem

 

[hadnmaiden_fbi]

Yes..the modem side does. I was referring to image compression, such
as what NetZero, etc. offers. I don't use anything like that.

Even so, modem-side compression hitting T1 speeds? I think the longest
period of time I have enjoyed the high speed on dialup has been a half
hour or so. It just doesn't make any sense how or why it's possible.
But, it does happen occasionally.

 

[Pop`]

Yes..the modem side does. I was referring to image compression, such
as what NetZero, etc. offers. I don't use anything like that.

Even so, modem-side compression hitting T1 speeds? I think the
longest period of time I have enjoyed the high speed on dialup has
been a half hour or so. It just doesn't make any sense how or why
it's possible. But, it does happen occasionally.

You're being duped somehow: it's impossible to do that with a 56k modem.
Not only that, but it's against federal regulations to transmit greater than
53.3k analog signals, which are the ONLY thing a 56k modem can read.
YOu're either a lying troll, or someone is playing tricks on you.

A modem design engineer

 

[PaulM]

Are you in LA LA land??? No way!

 

[hadnmaiden_fbi]

You'd think a "modem design engineer" would have a logical theory on
why this happens. But I guess it's easier to act childish and call
people trolls.

To sum it up...no the earth isn't flat..and no, it's not impossible for
a modem to exceed it's 'supposed' maximuim specs. I'd just like to
know what's going on. Hence the reason I asked.

 

[Bob I]

Only way to see the kind of speed you refer to is to view the "modem -
PC" connection, and you may see 230,000 bit per second. Altho there is
some 460 kbps UARTS now. But a half hour of that is a bit confusing
unless no content is being passed. At 230kbps you would have to maintain
a 75% hardware compression ratio and with any kind of image files, it
just isn't going to happen. Text only yes, but that would be a LOT of
text.

 

[Opinicus]

This may seem like a strange question, but maybe someone might have a
thought. I connect to the Internet via a Dial-Up connection with a
standard 56K modem. 99% of the time I download at typical download
speeds you would expect with a modem. However, once in a while, I can
download at broadband speeds...around 200K/sec. This has nothing to do
with resumed downloads either. This happens with new downloads,
downloaded directly from my browser (IE6). The other day I downloaded
a 5MB file in under a minute on a 56K modem. When it happens, I
download all my updates while it lasts. Even web pages load instantly.
Unfortunately, it always reverts back to normal speeds after a while.
Any thoughts?

As someone else pointed out, it's the modem doing data compression. I have a
screenshot of Dumeter showing a download speed of "1.10 mbps" from the days
when I was still on a dial-up connection with a 56K modem.

 

[Pop`]

You'd think a "modem design engineer" would have a logical theory on
why this happens. But I guess it's easier to act childish and call
people trolls.

To sum it up...no the earth isn't flat..and no, it's not impossible
for a modem to exceed it's 'supposed' maximuim specs. I'd just like
to know what's going on. Hence the reason I asked.

It certainly is. First of all it would be illegal under Title 47 Part 68;
you can look that up on your own. Any analog digital signal in excess of
54k modem speed is not allowed in any civilized country in the world,
including all of the EU.
In addition, to maintain line balance and longitudinal balance in
particular, the design will limit it.
Time is finite and the designs simply make it impossible to do what is
claimed: Otherwise UL/CSA/MTU's/EU/ITT/JATE et al markings and approvals
would never be possible, and compliance testing could never be accomplished
successfully and thus the product could never be marketed.
Therefore I respectfully submit that, as presented, the OP Is lying or
trying to create additional comms for his own pleasure, which you have
bitten on, BTW.
IFF there is an iota of truth to any of it, he's simply seeing the first
decompression of the first few bytes held in his buffers, which would fall
to 56k limitations in a second or so as soon as the buffers catch up. But
the OP said that's not the case.

Your problem with brainpower, not mine.

 

[hadnmaiden_fbi]

Nevermind Folks...sorry I asked. Obviously 'Bob' has a complex. I'm
not trying to bait anyone. I simply wanted some opinions. I realize
it isn't your typical question...hence the reason I originally posted
it...as I described...as a 'strange question'. I simply thought there
might be some intelligent conversation. This phenomenon of high speed
downloading does indeed happen...not often, but it does happen.

To those who weren't rash and maintained an adult conversation, I thank
you.

 

[hadnmaiden_fbi]

Nevermind Folks...sorry I asked. Obviously 'Pop' has a complex. I'm
not trying to bait anyone. I simply wanted some opinions. I realize
it isn't your typical question...hence the reason I originally posted
it...as I described...as a 'strange question'. I simply thought there
might be some intelligent conversation. This phenomenon of high speed
downloading does indeed happen...not often, but it does happen.

To those who weren't rash and maintained an adult conversation, I thank

you.

 

[Chrome Boy]

Yahoo.com and BTYahoo.co.uk include free a program
(called onspeed in the UK)
It gives broadband speeds on a dial-up connection.
I've been using it for a long time now.

 

[Bob I]

It's basically a content reduction scheme, with some data compression
thrown it. It doesn't actually change the speed of your connection.

 

[Pop`]

Yahoo.com and BTYahoo.co.uk include free a program
(called onspeed in the UK)
It gives broadband speeds on a dial-up connection.
I've been using it for a long time now.

So such apps claim, and in some cases they can speed up a download by "up
tp" 5 times, but ... the connection speed does not change. Degradation of
data occurs, it has to, because bits and bytes are actually thrown away in
the process. They also seldom give a real thruput improvement of more than
a few % on anything but a straight text transfer.
Back when I had dialup, I experimented with one for a couple of months;
then tossed it in the bit bin. For some others there might be a usable
benefit; ymmv applies for sure as most of the improvements are just
advertising hype.
What they do not and can not do is give broadband speeds on a dialup
connection; that's just not possible to do.

Pop`