July 10

Motorola is reporting better than expected earnings. Motorola closed its modem manufacturing facility in Huntsville, Alabama after a deal to sell the modem division fell through.

Michael Haas noticed that Lucent now has generic V.90 upgrades.

I've updated the V.90 Upgrade FAQ with init strings to selectively disable K56flex and/or V.90 on Lucent chipset modems.

Global Village has new software for Macintosh users for its K56flex and x2 Teleport modems. (Thanks, Dana Baggett.)

I get quite a bit of mail from readers trying to get Dial-Up Networking to report the true connect speed. In most cases, the fix is simple: install the correct .inf file for your modem and select it in your Dial-Up Networking connection icon. Occasionally, though, that doesn't work, and I often suspect a problem with the .inf file. Here's how Rob Durkin fixed his problem with a Thunderlink modem:

I recently stumbled upon a fix for my modem "connection speed display" problem. Whenever I connected with my Thunderlink v.90 56K modem (http://www.thundermax.com/) above 33.6, it would show the DTE speed, not the DCE speed. So, I searched high and low for a fix, and came up with this solution. Everyone suggested I try a new .inf file, and as one was not available (same on my install floppy as on Web site), I had to change mine.

Everywhere in the .inf file where it said "x2", I changed it to "V90", like my USR Sportster .inf file. This did the trick, and now whenever I connect above 33.6, my true connect speed is displayed. This fix will be handy for those out there that update their modem to v.90, but the. inf file they are using is stale.

So, here is an example of the change. Before the change,

HKR,Responses,"<cr><lf>CONNECT
52000/x2/NONE<cr><lf>",1,2,0,20,CB,00,00,00,00,00,00

After the change,

HKR,Responses,"<cr><lf>CONNECT

52000/V90/NONE<cr><lf>",1,2,0,20,CB,00,00,00,00,00,00

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June 8

Diamond Multimedia has new beta V.90 firmware at beta.supra.com. As always, be wary of beta software. (Thanks, Raysham Singh.)

SaberNet has instructions to help Windows 95/98 users upgrade to V.90.

Several readers discovered that Wisecom would email them V.90 upgrades, even though the upgrades weren't available on the company's web site.

Some readers haven't been able to access the Acer Open V.90 upgrades because of changes on Acer Open's FTP server. Until Acer fixes their links, here's how to get the upgrades:

1. Go to http://www.aopen-usa.com/tech/addon/modem.htm.

2. Click on the V.90 upgrade link for your particular Acer Open modem.

3. Look at the URL at the top of your browser window. Locate the string AOpen/.

4. Remove the AOpen/ part of the URL and go to the new URL. The FTP links will now work.

Shane Archer writes:

Modem users in the UK who are unsure of their Modem Make/Manufacturer may want to visit the BABT site. As long as you have the BABT approval no. (******) six figures., you should be able to locate the Manufacturer of the Modem.

If the number isn't listed, then there is a telephone number available on the site. I could not find a FCC ref. but have managed to find my Modem Manufacturer by using the BABT approval No.!!!

BABT site address is: http://www.babt.co.uk/public/index.htm

Note: the site requires free registration to use the search service. I've added these instructions to the "Who made my modem?" page.

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June 6

For the third straight time, PC Magazine has named 56K.COM as one of the Top 100 Web Sites on the Internet. The awards are given quarterly.

3Com posted new Courier files (dated July 1, 1998) with a new .inf file and documentation, but the firmware version has not changed.

Lucent has generic LT Win Modem 4.28 firmware updates, and LT Win PCI Modem 2.28 firmware upgrades.

Bruce Tadd alerted us to Digitan V.90 upgrades.

Ron Wallwork found Modular Technology V.90 upgrades for the UK.

Multiwave has V.90 upgrades for most of their modem line.

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