A modem-eating computer?

[vkaryl]

Is it possible? I was having a ton of connect problems anyway, then lightning fried both modems attached to my desktop. So I ordered a reasonably expensive USR internal, and am still planning to get another linux-compatible external eventually from jeffd's list of "these work".

So for the first week after I installed the new modem, I was getting connected at 28.8 all the time. For me, this is like heaven. Now all of a sudden the last couple of days, it's only connecting at 24.0 again. I think I might take all the boards out and move them around.... but is it likely that this 3 year old box is just trashing them wholesale all of a sudden? Admittedly the lightning wasn't the machine's fault....

[MatthewHSE]

I wouldn't know the answer to your question for sure, but I can say that in my dialup days, my connection speed varied significantly from time to time. The funny thing is that it did seem to go in stages, like you mentioned - 28.8 this week, 20 next week, etc., except we were on a 56k connection that could vary down to 46 at times. To me, that indicates something other than the computer or the modem.

However, if lightning nailed the previous modem, I'd say it's highly possible that someting else in the computer was at least moderately fried as well. Could that be causing degraded performance after a few days of modem use? I wouldn't know, but I wouldn't be surprised.

Our house was struck by lightning once; talk about scary! Our TV and digital clocks were all acting very strange for quite some time afterwards.

Wish I could be of more definite help.

[vkaryl]

Thanks.... I did consider that something else in there could be fried - it wasn't on, but maybe that wouldn't matter.... I just hate to start replacing stuff without a clue! I dunno.... maybe I'll just plan on a new mainboard in the next few months....

[vkaryl]

Minor update:

Never had time to check anything else out. Never moved the boards around.

All of a sudden the last few days, the SLOWEST it's connecting is 26.4. *sigh*

I HATE GREMLINS.