Go to Internet Tools, Connections, Click on your ISP and click settings, advanced, and uncheck any disconnect boxes. As for speed go to control panel, modems, click on modems tab hit properties and explore all settings and make sure transmit/receive buffers are set to max. Make sure it is set to connect at 57000bps. As for Intel modems, I've had 2 now for a few years and they have been great. USR is the best probably ( I have one now) and in my experiance Aopen is the worst. I have had 1 it died and just last year I got another and was unable to get the thing working at all (and I'm a A+ tech). I returned it and got my money back.