This is what prompted me to start looking.
If you own a 56K analog modem (as most of us do by now), connect to the Internet using DUN (Dial-Up Networking) through PPP (Point to Point Protocol) in Windows 9x, subscribed to an ISP (Internet Service Provider) or Online Service (like America Online), and canNOT connect to the advertised speeds (at least 44-46K, the ideal being 53K), there are a few things you can do, to make sure you have done everything "humanly" possible to get the best results from your ISA (some newer 56Ks use a PCI or USB interface) modem card:
Make sure your modem firmware is "flashed" with the latest BIOS upgrade from your modem vendor, which MUST include the new ITU (International Telecommunications Union) V.90 PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) transfer protocol standard, no matter what proprietary 56K protocol your modem was using (3COM/US Robotics' x2 or Lucent/Rockwell's 56KFlex) when you purchased it.
Also check your modem's vendor web site frequently (or subscribe to their periodical e-mail newsletter/notification, if possible) for FAQs, troubleshooting tips, solutions, software/firmware upgrades/patches, or even free modem replacements (in case earlier models might have had hardware problems), regarding your particular modem.
I had thought the two were separate but this got me to wondering. If there is a Bios upgrade available I would like to find it and do it along with the modem drivers. So I believe I have found the proper upgrade for my modem but there seems to be some confusion (on my part) as to the proper Bios upgrade. I may be asking for trouble but I see no other way to effectively learn this stuff. Thats why the need for assistance. I found the above when browsing through some modem tweaking sites.
Once again, I thank you for the help but I am somewhat disappointed that no one else has stepped in.