Modem Users: All Modems are NOT alike!

[BladeRunner 0]

Unfortunately I am still a modem users.

With BT's current ADSL roll-out plans, I think I should have broadband access by around the end of 2002.

I bought a US Robotics Sporster Flash modem quite a while ago.

It was bought as a 33.6k modem and then flashed to V90.

We've never had good lines, I've had the gain turned up and the very best connection I ever had was 38.6k.

I'd lived with that, it was useable.

The power supply for my modem stopped working so I borrowed a modem from work.

3Com US Robotics 56k Faxmodem.

Nothing special about it, EPROM date is reporting 1999.

I'm yet to connect any slower than 44k with this modem.

I've managed a 51k connection.

In essence these modems should be the same, but there is a major difference between them.

People always tell you, never try and save money on memory and Hard Drives, you pay for quality.

I've now got to add modems to this list, don't suffer with an old modem thinking it's the best you can get - they are different!

[Down8 0]

I am newly reformed on this issue.

 

I wasn't going to spend $50+ on a little modem, so I picked up a CrapUSA 56k modem for $20. Nice connection - for the month it lasted. now, I'm back to my trusty 33.6 ISA 3Com WinModem [although it only connects at 28.8].

 

Of course, the overclocked 140MHz FSB might have had something to do with the 56k's demise.

 

-bZj

[Kaiser 0]

BladeRunner: Cheer up...at least you WILL eventually get high-speed access...over here in Ireland we're ALL still stuck at 56k (unless you want to pay riduculous amounts to the state phone company for ISDN). NTL's Irish operation was SUPPOSED to be rolling out cable modem access this summer but that seems to have been indefinitely postponed while they review their finances

 

But I have to agree with you...my old USR Winmodem never managed anything higher than 39.333k (once!)...more often it was anything between 26.4k & 36k. I just replaced it there with a Lucent V92 ready Hardware PCI modem and now never connect at anything LESS than 46k so definitely, the modem & DRIVERS you use do have an impact and it's worth thinking a bit longer about it before buying one.

[Son_Gohan 0]

Don't spect ADSL to magically spread across Europe with these high prices (€ 40/month + VAT + € 100 instalation + € 150 modem.

 

Spain, France, Germany, Italy... also have low ADSL coverage. Less than 5 % users have a broadband connection to the net. And Europe is not expected to have HALF of Internet connections bia broadband access till 2005.

 

Britain is more likely to join the single currency (which I feel won't happen for a LOOOOONGGG TIME) than having massive ADSL access in the future.

[BladeRunner 0]

Well, I signed up to BT's ADSL as soon as it was announced.

So I'll be getting the installation for free if and when it does eventually hit our area.

The modem at £100 isn't too bad.

As for the £40 per month - that's less than my phone bill now, so it would be a saving for me.

 

BT are lazy, they love to make money, they are a monopoly, they think of themselves before customers the list goes on, so if I get ADSL within a couple of years - it I'll be a bonus.