AuNix Dialup Troubleshooting

Why arent my speeds any where near the advertised 64k?

The difference between the advertised top speed and the ‘real life’ speed can generally be attributed to the quality of the telephone lines* in your area and how far you are from the nearest telephone exchange.

We find that generally there are two types of phone lines and speeds attributed to them:

Line TypeConnection Speed
Normal Line
56-64 K
Pair Gained Line
28-33 K

Pair gain is a technology where a copper telephone line is split in two. To allow for the provision of more than one telephone service over that line.

When installing new telephone network services in the 1980's and 1990's, Telstra took advantage of pair gain technology to increase the number of services that could be provided by a single telephone exchange.

Hints to help improve your dialup connection

Test for line quality
The best way to improve the performance of any modem is to ensure that your telephone line is free from ‘line noise’; that is, an audible, crackling static. Plug a telephone into the telephone line used by your modem and call a friend. Listen for any background static. If you hear any, report it to the Telstra Faults Line (13 2203 for Residential or 13 2999 for Small Business).

Don't Share the line
For the best modem performance, your modem should have sole use of the telephone line. Unplug any other devices (including fax and answering machines) that are plugged into the same telephone line.

Update your modem drivers and firmware
Modem manufacturers continually tweak and refine their modem software in an effort to ensure the peak performance of their products. You should ensure that you are using the latest driver software for your modem. Most manufacturers make copies of their latest software available for download on their Web sites.