well, it turns out my extremely slow (19,200 to 24,000kbs) connect speeds are due to...the PHONE COMPANY'S SLEAZY LANDLINE!!!

we are less than 2 blocks from the phone company's switching office and the signal is THAT bad!

worse...the verizon tech that showed up to check our line told us that they only guarantee 14,400 on a voice line!

our option? install a "data only line" guaranteed to run 56k, at an extra monthy fee (not yet determined).

this is kind of strange, since our other 4 lines all are running at 115,200!

thanks for all the modem advice on the other post (satcong...great info!). i even ran a new, heavy gauge feed wire from the junction box to the computer, yesterday.

all that tweaking to no avail! looks like we pay da man.