[MBCook]

Once, for a short while, I was getting around 110kbps reported from my modem (obviously it was doing compression).

It couldn’t do it for binary, but it still was noticeable with HTML and email.

It didn’t last long. Whatever accidental phone line + ISP magic enabled it was quickly “fixed”.

[rasz]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Point-to-Point_Compr...

but PPP compression wouldnt explain modem reporting faster speed. Btw I never saw PPP compression enabled in the wild either.

[MBCook]

I had a nice US Robotics (or probably 3Com by that point) hardware modem, I have always assumed it was a feature in there somewhere.

Maybe it was PPP instead. It was the effective link speed, not something measured with a download tool.

This would have been ‘97 or so, so my memory is hazy.