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  From: Daryl Tester <dt@picknowl.com.au>
  To  : Robyn Manning <robynman@dove.net.au>
  Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2000 12:50:28 +1030

Re: ADSL Enabled Exchange Areas: Updated 20/11/2000

Robyn Manning wrote:

> I have a 56k modem is that 56k bits or 56k baud?

"That depends" <insert manical laughter here>.

Technically, it's 56KBps, however that rate is negotiated over
the quality of the line (hence all the screeching you hear when
the modems connect), and if you're a typical consumer, that
rate is only negotiated one-way (from the ISP to you, as you're
more likely to consume more than you produce, data wise).  This
asymmetricalness (whew!) is again because modem standards are
trying to shove 10 pounds into a 5 pound sack.

Between the modem and your computer, that may be a different
speed yet again (people quite often run their serial ports at
57k6 or 115k2).  Note that on a serial line (unless you're
running something extremely odd), baud and BPS are the same.

The modem certainly isn't 56K baud (it is technically possible
to get such modems, but they won't run over phone lines).

> Bits / second is ok but then what is baud?

Jake got the definition spot on that I was looking for - "symbols
per second", where a symbol is comprised of 1 or more bits.


-- 
Regards,
  Daryl Tester,  Software Wrangler and Bit Herder, IOCANE Pty. Ltd.

"Who knows what men lurk in the heart of eval?"

-- 
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