What Is the Speed of Dial Up?
Before the widespread popularity of high-speed Internet, the majority of households connected to the Internet using modems and dial-up networks. This enabled computers to communicate using existing phone lines. However, connection speed using this method is limited by several factors.
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Maximum Speed
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Under the best conditions, the maximum speed possible on standard dial-up modems is 56 kbits/s, or kilobits per second. This speed is limited by several factors, including FCC regulations.
Overhead
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Dial-up connections do not have a direct link to the Internet, but instead must pass through several locations along the telephone network. Because of this, "overhead" can reduce connection speed. If other connections along the chain are busy, the available connection speed is reduced.
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Line Conditions
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Many phone lines were designed for voice use, but not data. As a result, the physical condition of the phone line is a major factor in dial-up connection speed. Old and degraded wiring can cause loss of signal, which causes connections to slow.
Modem Quality
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The quality of the modem used to connect to the Internet is an important consideration in connection speed. Early modems could not handle large amounts of data transfer. While capabilities increased over the years, many users still use poor quality modems to connect, which limits dial-up speed.
Modem Latency
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Even on modern 56 kbits/s modems, phone lines cause a delay, or latency, in information transfer. This causes noticeable lag when using fast-paced applications such as online games. This latency is one of the main reasons that alternative direct-connect methods have been developed.
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