Modems which one?

andy555 · Apr 9, 2000

I need to get a modem for a desktop PC. I'm thinking of an external 56k v9.0 (maybe USB) Has anyone got any thoughts/experiences with regards to internal vs external & reliability/support of modems in general. I was reading on the net that I should buy a name brand as support is generally much better. Thanks in advance. Andy555

PeteAppleton · Apr 17, 2000

Just my two cents, all opinions are purely that. 1.  Avoid HCF chipset / winmodems etc like the plague. 2.  I've had several problems with USR Sporster's, in particular the modem crashing. 3.  The Multitech externals we're using seem OK and quite solid. 4.  I have no knowledge or experience of USB modems. As with all things, YMMV, so take this with a pinch of salt

  Good luck!  You may wish to browse around vendors web sites before buying to see what level of support they offer...

Cooter · Apr 24, 2000

3Comm 5605 Ext Voice modem works fine for me.  It can do USB or serial on Win9x flawlessly, and does serial on NT4 and Win2K just as well.  It **should** do USB on Win2K but so far will not. USR Courier family has performed for me over the years, so I will probably continue using it where voice is not required. Would like to echo PeteAppleton. WinModems and other software modems should be avoided if possable.  They are cheap to manufacture and sell so the market is flooded, but they are flakey.  Stay away. bye ... jrc

clivo · Jun 18, 2000

Most internal modems are HSP (Host Signal Processing).This means your CPU does most of the work and it also tends to hog the L2 cache. Some will not work without L2 cache, like Celeron 333. But they are cheap. All internal modems are susceptible to voltage surge (on the telephone line) and are highly allergic to lightning. External modems are mostly "hardware modems" and will not hog resources. They are a bit more tolerant of voltage surges. They cost more. USR Couriers are bulletproof. Clive <a href=mailto:clive@digitalsky.co.za>clive@digitalsky.co.za</a> <a href= > </a> I assemble and sell these things.

ladin · Jun 24, 2000

TigerDirect.com has some Boca external USB modems for 30 bucks. They are definitely hardware modems and I have an ISA internal Boca and it is flawless as well so im sure this one would be a good choice. I'm pretty sure they use the Rockwell chipset which is alright and should work in win2k with the rockwell drivers because that is what im using since my 98 drivers wont work in win2k.

aklein · Jul 25, 2000

>clivo wrote: >Most internal modems are HSP (Host Signal Processing). MOST modems, internal or external, are NOT Winmodems. >All internal modems are susceptible to voltage surge (on the telephone line) and are highly allergic to lightning. ALL modems are highly susceptible to voltage surge and lightning.  In fact, a direct lightning strike on your phone line can take out your modem, computer and house power wiring, if not your entire house. >External modems are mostly "hardware modems" and will not >hog resources. They are a bit more tolerant of voltage >surges. They cost more. They cost more because you're paying for a cabinet, a power supply and TTL-to-RS-232 voltage conversion and a D connector.  But they aren't subjected to the heat inside the computer, so they tend to last much longer, making them cheaper in the long run.  But they're just as "intolerant" of voltage surges, since they use EXACTLY the same curcuitry to connect to the phone line as the same manufacturer's internal modem of the same type. >USR Couriers are bulletproof. NO hardware, whether computer peripherals or cars, is "bulletproof".  (If you know of anyone offering an infinite guarantee against wearout on ANY hardware, I'll buy one.) I have a nice Curier external that was sitting on a phone line that suffered a direct lightning strike (yes, the line disappeared).  Since I had the modem heavily protected, the case survived almost intact.  Wish I could have said the same thing about the PC board. >I assemble and sell these things Remind me to never buy any hardware from you.

clivo · Aug 10, 2000

Whooee Aklein winmodems and HSP modems are not the same thing: 1. Modems made with the PC-Tel 56k chipset are some of the cheapest currently on the market. It is an HSP chipset which stands for Host Signal Processing. Put simply, HSP is a software-based technology that employs a portion of the unused instruction cycles (MIPs) in a host computer's CPU chip's to perform signal processing and other functions that are normally handled by a separate Digital Signal Processing (DSP) or controller chip. these modems can actually use 50% or more of the CPU's processing power when dealing with low end Pentiums. These modems are most commonly found in E-Machines. Brands that use these chipsets, amongst others, are: E-Machines, BTC(Behavior Tech Computer), Multiwave Innovation, Zoltrix, E-Tech, Lectron Co. Ltd., Silicon Multimedia, Host Modems. There are also other brands that are HSP but that do not use the PC-Tel chipset, the most obvious of which is the Motorola SM56. 2. Winmodems  use a software driver and your computers CPU to do most of work that a modem usually does on it own. However, they do not use as much processing power as an HSP (Host Signal Processing) chipset. Here is a partial list of manufacturer websites who make modems with the Lucent 56k chipset: (There are of course other chipsets that are also Winmodems.) Lucent, Acer, Actiontec, Apex Data (Smart Modular), Auxlinx, Aztech, Compaq, CNetUSA, Cybermax, Dell, Digitan, Encore, Fujitsu, Gateway, Genica, Harmony USA, Hawking Tech, Hewlett Packard, Hitachi, IBM(Aptiva's), Jaton, Inteva, Lectron, Lightspeed Tech., Livingston, Maxtech, Multitech, Multiwave Innovation, Packard Bell, Paradise, Phoebe Micro, Quantex, Sony, Toshiba, Viking Components, Winbook, Wisecom (Now CIS Industries), Zoom: 3. Modems made with the HSF(Soft56) chipset are the cheaper end winmodems. The HSF(Soft56) chipset is Rockwell/Conexant's version of the HSP (Host Signal Processing) chipset, meaning that the modem has not DSP (Digital Signal Processor) and instead uses the computer's processor for most of it's needs. Here is a partial list of manufacturer websites who make modems with a Rockwell/Conexant chipset: Aceex, Acer, Acer Nextus, Acer Open (AOpen), Amjet/J-mark, Amquest/KDS, Askey, Aus. Linx, Aztech, Boca Research, Compaq, Creative Labs/Digicom, DCS, DiamondMM/Supra, Dynalink, E-Tech, Harmony USA, Hawking Tech, Hewlett Packard, IBM , Modular Technology, Multiwave Innovation, Phoebe Micro, Protac, Sony, Taicom, TiMedia, Trust, US Sertek, WebExcel, Zoltrix, Zoom. My comments ons susceptability to voltage surges on the telephone line (as opposed to a direct strike, in which case you dont have to be a NASA scientist to realise that it's goodbye modem and much else) are based on the frequency with which I replace them. Also, decent external modems incorporate voltage supressors, usually in the form of a gas diode which routess the spike back to earth, via the power supply. This is clearly not an option with an internal modem. Lastly, all dealers love customers who know better, because they always come back for more.... Clive <a href=mailto:clive@digitalsky.co.za>clive@digitalsky.co.za</a> <a href= > </a> I assemble and sell these things.

jsauce · Sep 2, 2000

Of all the modems I have used over the years I have found that the best Modem I have ever used is the USR/3Com External Courier V. Everything. While this modem is pretty expensive, costing me $285, I've used it for 3 years now with no problems. This is the only modem I use now and will use it probably until it is no longer made, and probably even after that. The cost for this modem is well worth it.

gads12 · Sep 9, 2000

I Prefer to use Zoom modems they perform very well and are reliable and there not quite as expensive as USR modems, but work just as well.
[sig] Glenn <a href=mailto: glenns@wtco.net> glenns@wtco.net</a> <a href=

http://www.wtco.net/homepages/glenns>

Glenn & Jims Bass Fishing Site</a> [/sig]

jsauce · Sep 13, 2000

I disagree. I used several Zoom modems in the past and none of them could even come close to competing to the USR modems. USR modems are quite expensive, but their costs are well worth the performance you get. Personally all Zoom modems I've used were terrible. [sig]John D. Saucier <a href=mailto:jsauce@netadvances.com>jsauce@netadvances.com</a> jsauce@diablo2.com 
Use The second email if the first doesn't work.[/sig]

Comtech · Sep 26, 2000

FYI, USR is no longer making modems, and support will dry up rather quickly.
The best modem ever built (IMHO) is the Diamond Supra Express external serial, not the USB, although the internal Supra Express is also good, it's only available in ISA format.
You should read

http://www.pcmech.com/article.htm?modemsa

and this

http://www.pcmech.com/article.htm?great1

and you'll find out why I choose that modem.
BTW, I wrote both of those articles.
Thanks. [sig]Jim <a href=mailto:reboot@pcmech.com>reboot@pcmech.com</a> <a href=

http://members.cnx.net/reboot/>Jim

& Sue's Free Files</a> Current moderator at

http://www.56k.com

Staff contributor/moderator at

http://www.pcmech.com

Windows 9x/ME instructor. 
Jim's Modems:

http://members.cnx.net/reboot/modems/

[/sig]

daveymoody · Dec 20, 2002

ive recently upgraded to windows 2000 and my modem wont work, ive reinstalled the drivers but no luck it tells me in device manager that it is working but when i connect to the internet i get a message saying cannont detect modem.

any ideas please

Dave

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Modems which one?

andy555

Technical User

PeteAppleton

IS-IT--Management

Cooter

Programmer

clivo

Vendor

ladin

ISP

aklein

Programmer

clivo

Vendor

jsauce

MIS

gads12

MIS

jsauce

MIS

Comtech

Instructor

daveymoody

Technical User

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