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Can
I Use Multilink?
Yes,
provided the following conditions are met:
- You
are running Windows 98
- You
have two modems hooked up to your computer
- You
have two phone lines.
Multilink
is included in Windows 98 and will allow you to connect
at double the maximum speed you are capable of normally
connecting at. This is done by bonding two modem connections
together.
Using Multilink also means you retain the luxury of being
able to place calls while online -- it will allow you to
disconnect one line to make a phone call, and then resume
the connection on that line when you are finished.
That's:
- Double
the connect speed.
- The
ability to place calls while online.
- No
extra cost if you already have the required components.
What
Can I Expect From Multilink?
While
56K modems are advertised as being able to connect at 56,000
bps, the FCC has passed regulations on telephone lines to
prevent crosstalk and interference on the lines. As a result
you can connect at a maximum of 53,333 bps. (54,000 bps
has been achieved under prime conditions -- but it is EXTREMELY
rare.) Most people with 56K modems connect somewhere in
the 40-50k range.
This means that with two 56K modems, you can conceivably
connect at 106,000 bps, if both modems were capable of connecting
at 53,000 bps. If both modems regularly connected at 45,000
bps, you would have a combined speed of 90,000 bps. Whatever
you normally connect at, you can expect double with Multilink,
provided that both modems connect at the same speed.
Configure
your Windows 98 PC to use Multilink
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