Provided you have the correct modem driver loaded for your hardware, it is
possible with XP, your phone line connection is not clean enough to allow a
speed higher than 28.8 - modems do what is called a handshake when first
connecting (before they go silent), what they are doing is starting at their
highest transmission speed and working their way down to a speed both can
operate at without data loss. They are negotiating in other words. My
first suggestion after making sure you have the correct driver, is checking
all your phone line connections and/or telephones, within the home. The
more connections, splits, phone extensions, etc, the more chance you could
have a corroded and/or defective connection leading to a dirty phone line -
a dirty phone line means slower negotiated connection speed.
