USB External 56K modem, comments?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Adrian
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A

Adrian

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/Spec1/1328812.html

Anyone got any opinions about this modem? I suppose the key attraction is
that it's USB host powered, so no power supply or serial cable to worry
about.

Do USB 56K modems work just as good as a regular 56K modem with serial
cable? I've not got any experience with these.

Thanks.

~ Adrian ~
 
There was a time when I would have advised against it, but the last
few I have seen, perform as good as any internal PCI winmodem. I like the
'on hold' feature. I did not see a reference to USB 2.0 does your mainboard
support USB 2.0? It will outperform the external Serial by a great margin.
 
USB modems are not winmodems as the definition goes. If the modem is 1.1
then the 2.0 speed will not be attainable. Although it will work just fine
in 1.1.
 
Adrian said:
Do USB 56K modems work just as good as a regular 56K modem with
serial cable? I've not got any experience with these.
Click to expand...

Usually, but many are actually Winmodems because USB (even USB 1.1) is
fast enough to allow for signal processing by the computer.

USB 2.0 isn't going to help with any 56K modem because even at maximum
compression the data rate is a low slower than even USB 1.1. That
degree of compression will slow an RS-232C serial port modem because
of the 110K baud port rate, but this is rarely a problem.
 
Adrian said:
So is the modem I put in my original thread a Winmodem? Or a
controllerless modem? I tried to find information on U.S.
Robotics site but couldn't determine what it was.
Click to expand...

I had the same problem finding any detailed information at their web
site, but I don't think a signal processor has to be built into a USB
modem.

I'd either get a free (after rebate -- check www.salescircular.com for
local store offers) internal Winmodem or an RS-232C serial port
external. I've seen the latter for as little as $60 for the US
Robotics Sportster modems, and don't rule out a v.90 version if it can
be flashed to v.92 (some can't, despite being the same model -- I have
00568600 and 00568603 Sportsters, and the former has no v.92 upgrade
available for it).
 
I had the same problem finding any detailed information at their web
site, but I don't think a signal processor has to be built into a USB
modem.
Click to expand...

I think you're right. I decided to work like this, because it didn't say
something to the effect of "host-controller built in" or "powerful
controller inside" - I assumed it didn't have a controller.
I'd either get a free (after rebate -- check www.salescircular.com for
local store offers) internal Winmodem or an RS-232C serial port
external. I've seen the latter for as little as $60 for the US
Robotics Sportster modems, and don't rule out a v.90 version if it can
be flashed to v.92 (some can't, despite being the same model -- I have
00568600 and 00568603 Sportsters, and the former has no v.92 upgrade
available for it).
Click to expand...

Yes, I went with an option you mentioned, an RS-232C external one. I went
with this one:

http://tinyurl.com/4dbh

Look at the last product in the list, a V.92 external one. I was tempted by
the PCI Pro internal version, but I historically remember people having
problems with internal modems. This one should last me a while.

Thanks.

~ Adrian ~
 
jus make sure to ungplug the modem from the phone line and/or the usb port
to prevent damage to the machine and modem
 
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