🚀 go-pugleaf

In the news article <32b042fa.1698061@news.dial.pipex.com> dated 12 Dec
1996, it was said by paulw@dial.pipex.com (Paul Westwell) that ...

> Reading Computer Shopper I noticed they stated that they could not run
> both of their USR Robotics modems (Courier and sportster 33,600V) at
> 33,600 due to USR not including the correct drivers.

Having assisted in that modem test I can confirm that there were no
modem direvers for the USR modems included in the packages and that we had
to download the drivers from their BBS.  

However your staement that the modems would not connect at 33,600bps is
incorrect. It was only stated the the modems initially had to be installed
as generic 28,800bps modems and then the correct drivers obtained. It was
also commented that this was not the way in which we would like to see
modems supplied.

> Is this true ? I thought that the modems out of the box are usually
> default at auto everything and as such would try to negotiate the
> highest connection speed the other end and telephone line would allow.

It is not true that a modem will not run at it's highest speed due to a
lack of drivers and you are correct in your comment that modems are
generally shipped to automatically connect at the highest connection
speeds in the given conditions.  

> I cannot see what difference running the standard 28,800 .inf would
> make unless the initialisation string forced the modem to 28,800.

There are slight performance benefits to be found when using the correct
drivers for your modem but the windows 95 drivers will not 'force' the
modem to a lesser speed. The Generic drivers are simply place holders and
contain just enough information to get the modem going.  

> Is what they said true ?

All the comments made about the USR modems in Issue 106 of Computer
Shopper are true. The comments made in the original message that this is a
reply to, however, contains misinformation.  

Yours, Matthew Thompson.

-- 
Matthew Thompson - The Un-Official UK X-Files Fan Club
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