What is the best 56k modem?

[BChico]

I think i want an external since they are supposedly faster...But which one to get, all suggestions are welcome and appreciated! OH YEAH 56k Dial-Up. I am thinking SupraExpress 56E V.90 K56Flex External PC (XPR56EPC-XL1S), what do you guys think?

 

[ultravox]

usr sportster...

 

[AlphaIVT]

how about a cable modem?

 

[Russ]

The best external modem would be the Cisco 675.

Russ, NCNE

 

[guyver01]

ok.. forgive my ignorance.. but... how can you have a "faster" 56k modem... doesn't the 56k mean that's the limit....

it's like saying "i want a something higher than infinity" ... infinity by definition means infinity!! so.. 56k by definition means 56k!!

 

[Yzzim]

guyver01 - all modems are not created equal, and some do get higher/faster benchmarks. Plus it depends on your ISP. I know the local ISP here doesn't work well with Motorola chips, but works great with all Lucent chips.

 

[goldboyd]

courier

 

[BChico]

Broadband isnt available in my area, the choice is between USR externam and SupraExpress External, what the verdict?

 

[Fingers]

I would just go with the cheapest, but i hear external modems are better in general.

 

[paruhd0x]

You probably would have gotten a better response if you posted this in the General Hardware forum...

 

[shadowfaX]

hrm... what about the USR gaming modem? I've been tempted to buy that for awhile.

 

[Fingers]

didn't 3com make a gaming modem. I have heard gaming modems are good as well but for many not worth the extra cost.

 

[jacobnero6918]

I have a cheap WinModem and I download at full speed 5 to 7K. I think it has alot to do with line conditions and how new the copper wire is. I have a phone dedicated just for my computer so no phones or answering machines are on it.

 

[S0me1X]

I agree that phone line conditions have a lot to do with your dial-up performance. For example, no matter what modem/ISP I use from my home, I always get a few "dead seconds" every couple of minutes. "Dead seconds" means no data is sent/received.

 

[Rendus]

If you want THE BEST, the US Robotics/3Com Courier V.Everything is the way to go. But at at least $200, I doubt that's what you had in mind.

Pretty much any modem should work, just don't go with a WinModem.

 

[DABANSHEE]

No!!!!!!!

Find out what sort of modem you ISP uses. If your ISP uses uses a USR/3COM X2/V90 modem then you're best off getting a USR X2/V90 modem; if your ISP uses a Rockwell 56KFlex/V90 modem then you're best of getting a Rockwell 56KFlex/V90 modem.

This is because the underlying X2 or KFlex technology seems to come through the V90 standard. That's why 3Com/USR modems always seem to benchmark well in the US, as most US ISPs use X2/V90 modems. However here in Oz they have a very poor reputation & always benchmark on the low side whenever magazines run tests, as virtually all ISPs in Oz use Rockwell KFlex/V90 modems. Hence generic Rockwell modems always benchmark at the top on tests in Oz.

If you do go for the Rockwell, I'd recommend a ACF ISA jumper modem (much better than HCF 'host controller' PCI winmodems). Since I replaced my Lucent PCI modem with a Rockwell ACF ISA Jumper modem, my modem connections went from a maximum of 47kbps to a minimum of 52kbps.

When you get your modem, check its PCB for its FCC ID number, then you can log onto the FCC website & enter the number in to find the actuall manufacturer & model number of your modem (many generic Rockwell modems are not actually sold under the same brand name or model number that they are made as). Then you can logon to the manufacturer's website & find out the correct 'Init String' for the modem, as optimised init strings will often help your modem perform better than general 'off the rack' Init Strings.