D-Link DFM-562IS Modem Problems

I am having some problems connecting to the internet through my DFM-562IS modem.

When I first installed the modem, everything worked fine and I could connect to the internet at 50.6Kbps. The 2nd time I dialled-up, the connection speed dropped to 49.2Kbps. Every time I connect to the internet after that, the speed has gone to 48.0Kbps and as low as 46.6Kbps. So, I decided to check out the driver installed in Device Manager and I noticed that it was 'Generic SoftK56' modem. I updated the driver to the one on the CD (it is not digitally signed to work with Windows XP but I installed it anyway). Since then, it has been really "hit and miss" to the connection speed and it never attains 50.6Kbps anymore (always something less).

I checked on the D-Link website for the latest driver and downloaded it, however when I try to update the driver, Windows reboots for no apparent reason (and fails to finish update the driver).

So I'm stuck with the driver that came with the CD, but only now when I try to dial-up to the internet, Windows tells me that there is no dial tone (which is not true because I can hear it click and ring, only it doesn't dial the number). It is only after I try to manually redial, will it eventually connect to the internet and only at speeds lower than 50.6Kbps.

I also tried unticking the option for the modem to 'Wait for dial tone before dialing', and it sometimes helps, but is still very "hit and miss".

I know that it is not the ISP at fault because I can connect perfectly fine every single time on my old laptop at 52.0Kbps.

Can anyone shed some light on fixing this problem? I am running Windows XP Pro SP2 with all the latest patches, AMD AthlonX2 64 4400+, Gigabyte GA-K8N Ultra-9, 2GB Corsair RAM, Leadtek PX7800GT. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your reply. I'm in Australia as well. You're probably right about the modem lowering its connection speed to protect itself from cutting out, as I've read similar things on D-Links website about this.

I just don't understand why my old laptop's connection speed never fluctuates from 52.0Kbps, while this D-Link modem does.

I just wish the government would do something about the price and speed of broadband real soon so I can finally ditch dial-up for something better.

I finally got through to D-Link support and they gave me authorisation to return the modem to where I bought it from. Did that, and exchanged it for a NetComm IN5699_5 modem instead.

Now my internet works like a dream! (for dial-up that is). It connects at 52.0kbps and it doesn't drop out like the D-Link one did. All I can say is that D-Link sux coz it doesn't even properly support XP. At least NetComm has drivers that are certified to work with XP.