# Windows 7, Earthlink Dial-up



## PinkBat (Jul 15, 2006)

I bought a new laptop and now have Windows 7. Now my existing Earthlink dial-up always connects and runs at 24 kbps where with the old comp and Vista it ran at around 40.

I contacted Earthlink twice and tried their solution attempts....lol...no luck.

Is there a known problem between windows 7 and Earthlink dial-up...or any dial-up? 

Would switching to a different dial up provider help?

I had to purchase a separate dial up modem and installed it onto the new computer....the old one had a modem in it.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

More likely the culprit is the modem, not Windows 7. I would look for driver updates for the modem before doing anything else. Also, see of Earthlink has an alternate access number for your area, since it may be contracted through a different network carrier.

Changing providers probably won't help. ISPs don't normally maintain their own modem racks any longer. They contract them through network providers that you probably never heard of. What that means is that all ISPs use the same modem racks, even if the phone number looks different.


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## PinkBat (Jul 15, 2006)

There aren't any other access numbers and there aren't any newer drivers.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

PinkBat said:


> There aren't any other access numbers and there aren't any newer drivers.


What kind of modem chipset do you have? Hopefully not a pctel.


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## PinkBat (Jul 15, 2006)

LOL...I don't even know what that is.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

PinkBat said:


> LOL...I don't even know what that is.


What did you look for when you looked for a driver update?


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## PinkBat (Jul 15, 2006)

I looked at modem properties and found the driver update button unclickable...got the version number and went to the manufacturers website to check for updates. I contacted them and asked for help and am supposed to hear from them within 72 hours.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

PinkBat said:


> I looked at modem properties and found the driver update button unclickable...got the version number and went to the manufacturers website to check for updates. I contacted them and asked for help and am supposed to hear from them within 72 hours.


The reason that modem driver updates are important is that modern Win-modems are not self-contained devices. They use a lot of other system resources (processor & mainboard) to function. That being the case, some modems don't work well with certain processors and mainboards because there can be hardware conflicts. The result is exactly what you're seeing. Modem manufacturers sometimes come up with driver updates that resolve those conflicts.

The ultimate cure for your problem might be to get a different brand of modem.


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## PinkBat (Jul 15, 2006)

Thank you for your help, Nevada. I didn't know that. The modem box said it will work with Windows 7, so that's all I knew to go by.

This is the only ISP available to me. The phone company says I live to far out for their high speed internet.

The only other thing for me to look into would be something like a Verizon Aircard, but I'm sure as soon as I sign up for one there will be all sorts of downfalls that I didn't know about beforehand....that's my luck with computers and internet.

I'm about to give up and use the comps at the library.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

PinkBat said:


> Thank you for your help, Nevada. I didn't know that. The modem box said it will work with Windows 7, so that's all I knew to go by.
> 
> This is the only ISP available to me. The phone company says I live to far out for their high speed internet.
> 
> ...


I'm still confident that we can double your speed. Since you used to get around 40K with your existing phone line, we should be able to get it again. Can you take the modem back and get another brand? That may do it.


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## PinkBat (Jul 15, 2006)

I got a canned answer from the modem people. Basically just an explanation about phone line static and ISP problems....lol. Their modem is perfect, I guess. 

They apparently didn't even read the problem details I provided....one being that my phone line and ISP worked fine until I got the new modem.

Is there a brand that you'd recommend? Mine is a Zoom.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

PinkBat said:


> I got a canned answer from the modem people. Basically just an explanation about phone line static and ISP problems....lol. Their modem is perfect, I guess.
> 
> They apparently didn't even read the problem details I provided....one being that my phone line and ISP worked fine until I got the new modem.
> 
> Is there a brand that you'd recommend? Mine is a Zoom.


Yes, I recommend any modem with a Agere chipset, or any genuine "hardware" modem. If you can't find either, just get a different brand. Chances are that it will work.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

PinkBat said:


> I got a canned answer from the modem people. Basically just an explanation about phone line static and ISP problems....lol. Their modem is perfect, I guess.
> 
> They apparently didn't even read the problem details I provided....one being that my phone line and ISP worked fine until I got the new modem.
> 
> Is there a brand that you'd recommend? Mine is a Zoom.


ZOOM ````` arrrrg
I tried that once and had so much trouble with it. ( USB Modem Right? ) never again would I ever recommend that brand to anybody
Even gave it away to a friend that Never Got the bugger to work on their [email protected]! Dropping the internet never did get back up to 50 kbs, that I had with a built in modem. aaarrrgggg.
Finally we both bit the bullet and got DSL. 
They ended up throwing the dern thing in the garbage.~!


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