UPGRADING REPAIRING PCs

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Chapter 6—Serial Ports and Modems
Table 6.10 Upgrade Options to V.90
Original Modem Firmware in
Model Modem Upgrade Method
x2 or K56flex Flash-upgradable Check manufacturer’s Web site for
download to upgrade firmware.
x2 or K56flex Not upgradable Check manufacturer’s Web site for
details about a physical modem
swap; might cost money.
V.34bis or earlier Any A firmware download or physical
modem swap will be involved; will
cost money.
Hayes, Practical Any Contact Modem Express at
Peripherals, and 612-553-2075 or on the Web at
Cardinal Technologies www.hayes.com for upgrades and
(all defunct) drivers (costs and availability will vary
by brand and model).
Hayes-brand modems produced after
June 11, 1999 are products of Zoom
Telephonics, and are supported by
Zoom’s Hayes division. Check
www.hayesmicro.com for details.
Upgrading from x2 or K56flex to V.90 with Flash
Upgrades
The flash upgrades to V.90 work like a BIOS upgrade for a PC: You
download the appropriate software from the modem vendor, run
the flash software, wait a few minutes, and your modem is ready to
dial in to V.90-based ISPs at top speeds. One major problem is what
happens inside the modem to the existing firmware:
• X2 Modems to V.90—x2 and V.90 firmware can coexist in
modem.
• K56flex to V.90—Most K56flex modems don’t have room
for both sets of firmware, so the V.90 firmware replaces the
K56flex. The lack of a fallback standard has caused problems
for some users of V.90 modems that were upgraded from
K56flex models. Table 6.11 will help you find a solution if
your V.90 connections aren’t reliable.
Table 6.11 Troubleshooting the V.90 (ex-K56flex) Modems
Problem Solution Method
Can’t get Download and If you’re having problems making the
reliable install the latest connection, dial in with your modem
connection firmware revisions on a 33.6Kbps line, or pretend that
with V.90. from the vendor’s your modem is an older model by
Web site, even installing it as a 33.6Kbps model from
if you have a
brand new modem.
the same vendor.