- The 8500 Inspiron modem was the standard device for Windows XP Service Pack 1. The concurrent service pack releases from Microsoft (Service Pack 2 and Service Pack 3) updated the modem drivers to continue to communicate with the telephony part of the Windows software. Windows Vista contained the latest drivers automatically for the 8500 modem.
- The 8500 modem inside of the Inspiron supports two telephony standards. The V.90 standard allows the 8500 modem to operate in two generic modes, which are X2 and 56k Flex mode. The V.90 standard is the fastest mode for analog transmission. The V.92 standard reduces the handshake time (time allotted for the modem to connect to an outer network). This modem also has a priority feature for data packets moving across a given transmission path. The high-end 8500 laptops are manufactured with V.92 technology.
- Port speed is the highest speed that an internal modem can operate at without losing data transmission information. The Inspiron 8500 has a maximum port speed of 115,000 which is measured by baud speed. The V.90 standard operates efficiently at a 57k baud speed, while the V.92 standard is effective at 115k baud speed. The baud speeds for the 8500 modem are set in the "Modem" properties in the Windows Control Panel.
- The modem for the 8500 is configured at the factory level, which means that when you buy the laptop, the modem is already set up. If you are using dial-up services, you must connect the dial-up profile to the modem profile in the Windows Control Panel. The Control Panel has a modem "wizard" to guide you in establishing a connection through the modem.
- A modem can stop working at anytime. The Inspiron 8500 has a recovery routine which includes the reloading of modem drivers or loading these drivers to the last incremental backup. Check the modem profile using the Control Panel to see if a modem is listed in the profile. If not, you have the option of reinstalling the modem driver. If you are using the Windows XP system, you must ensure that the latest version of XP is concurrent with the latest modem properties. The technical guide for the Dell 8500 modem is located at the Dell Support web site.
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