IOLS Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions concerning V.90

Below are the most common questions concerning V.90.
Check here frequently to see if any new solutions arise.

1. What kind of performance can you expect with V.90?

2. How do I upgrade my modem to V.90?

3. What is the basic requirement that is needed to upgrade to V.90 standard?

4. How do I update my K56-Flex or X2 modem to run V.90?

5. Will I be able to connect to IOLS at V.90 speed?

6. Will upgrading to V.90 make my X2 modem K56-Flex-compatible or make my K56-flex modem X2-compatible?

7. If I upgraded my K56-Flex to V.90, will i still be able to connect to K56-Flex modems at 56K speeds?

8. I upgraded my modem to V.90 or I bought a modem that is V.90 compatible, but it does not connect at V.90?

9. My V.90 modem will not connect at all with IOLS.

10. The computer you dialed is not answering...

11. I am getting disconnected from the server after a few minutes?
    

What kind of performance can you expect with V.90?

With a reasonably good phone line and if you live within 3 1/2 miles from your central office (local phone company building), you should get connect speeds between 40K and 53K. Some lines have impairments on them, like digital pads or robbed bit signaling (RBS), which decreases the highest achievable speeds. However, if you are getting pretty good V34 connections, you should be able to significantly benefit from a V90 modem.

How do I upgrade my modem to V.90?

Please contact the manufacturer of either your PC, Mac or modem and ask for an update or upgrade.  In most case it's as simple as a download.  For a list of manufacturers or vendors please click here.

What is the basic requirement that is needed to upgrade to V.90 standard?

1. Flash upgradeable firmware. Please check with your hardware vendor.
2. Most vendors have promised to deliver software upgrades for V.90Flex.

How do I update my K56-Flex or X2 modem to run V.90?

For most modems, simply download the flash utility software and upgrade. Other modems may vary. You may have to confirm if your modem vendor has a V.90 upgrade for your modem.

Will I be able to connect to IOLS at V.90 speed?

If you've connected to IOLS using K56Flex, you should be able to connect to V.90 speed once you upgrade your modem to V.90.

Will upgrading to V.90 make my X2 modem K56-Flex compatible or make my K56-flex modem X2-compatible?

No. V.90, K56 and X2 are 3 distinct protocols.

If I upgraded my K56-Flex to V.90, will I still be able to connect to K56-Flex modems at 56K speeds?

It depends on the EPROM in the model as sufficient memory space to hold codes for both modulation (K56 and V.90).Please check with your model vendor.

I upgraded my modem to V.90 or I bought a modem that is V.90 compatible, but it does not connect at V.90?

When people run into this problem, they usually assume that either their modem doesn't work, or our modems don't work. Neither is necessarily true. When your modem first attempts to connect with us, (this is when you hear the initial tones), our servers then determine your baud rate. Under ideal circumstances (meaning that the modem has a clean connection with us), your V.90 modem will connect with us between 40K and 53K. If you're getting speeds under 40K then you may want to consider the integrity of your phone line (Read FAQ, "What kind of performance can you expect with V.90?"). If you're more than 4 miles away from your local provider, you may not be getting the integrity our servers need to establish anything over 40K. In this case, contact your local provider and ask them to test your lines and how they function with a data connection. Another possible solution is to download the latest firmware that the manufacturer distributes via the manufacturer's home page. These simple installs should increase your speeds.

My V.90 modem will not connect at all with IOLS

Find the error message you received below. Then follow the steps given to solve the problem.

Error 629

This generally means that you are not entering a user name or password that is understood by our servers.

All Platforms: re-type the user name and password in the script or the Connect to screen in Windows. This will reset the script and most of the time fixes the 629 problem.

You may be cancelled from the ISP or the password or user name has changed. Call tech support for more information.

The computer you dialed is not answering...

• Always retry your connection when you first get this error. In most cases your modem simply does not connect right the first time.

• There might be busy signals - To find out, manually dial the local number to see if you hear a busy signal or related. If not, retry your call.

• There may be a problem with connection integrity. If our server cannot define your modem, it will disconnect you. This may be caused by your line integrity, or common V.90 issues. If so, a temporary solution that we find useful is to use two commas at the end of the local number. This will connect you at a lower speed, but at the same time, gain the integrity needed to stay online.

• In rare cases, we found that it might be handy to re-install your TCP/IP protocol if you are using Windows. Browse our tech support pages to see how this is done.

I am getting disconnected from the server after a few minutes?

The only permanent solution that we've found was to upgrade your Dial-Up Networking to version 1.2. This has been proven to prevent disconnects.  Please go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and perform all critical updates recommended by the online utility provided by Microsoft.

We Would Like To Hear Your Input

Here's How...

Email Tech Support and include the following inside your message...

• State the most common problem with your modem.

• What kind of modem is it (type/model)?

• Your computer's operating system

• The dialup number you are calling.

• Your phone number

• When did you download and upgrade your modem to V.90   (If you did not buy it as V.90)

• Identify yourself as an IOLS client and supply your IOLS username