Whats the best modem for speed?

[reversing_drive 0]

I will shortly be getting unlimited hours and unlimited downloads:D, (currently stuck with 150hrs ;( ).

 

So then i will be online pretty much all-day-everyday, and i think i may have to get a better modem, currently i have a Lucent LT Winmodem 33k.

 

Though with my current ISP i can only connect @ 28,000bps i have another one which allows we to connect @ 32,600bps.

So what modem would be worth getting, i only use modems for data, i never use it for voice(i have a telephone) or FAX (i have a Fax machine).

 

Yeah i am looking for speed & durability (I have allready burnt out one modem on this W2k box US Robotics 56k), what is preferable 'internal' or 'external'?

 

Cheers.

[kgeissler 0]

Cable Modem.

 

If not that, I have always like US Robotics (now 3com).

[SHS 0]

As long is it real hardware and not some softmodem like min are today, but that also depend on where you live and how far you are to the main telec box and the phone line it self.

External or better no not thoses USB modem there software driving need to say.

Try Zoom I had very good lucky with them beside the modem you have is software modem.

[FrogMaster 0]

Please, never use internal modems!

They suck CPU resources and are POS.

USR 56k external is a good modem (for me, I had only good experiences with them, now I am on ADSL )

Yeah, stay with an external one, that's it

[BladeRunner 0]

If you can still source them and don't mind spending a fair bit of money:

The 3Com Courier series modem's are great.

They are a lot more expansive than standard V90/V92 modems, but that's because you get better performance out of them!

I don't have one, I borrowed one from work for a couple of nights and was so impressed - No dropped connections, better connection speed, better download rates etc.

[GTwannabe 0]

I've got a Zoom 2920 PCI hardware modem. Works quite nicely ~$70

 

I should also point out that of the dozen or so modems I've had in various computers, every non-Zoom modem has been fried by lightning strikes. My 14.4, 33.6, and 2 v.90 Zoom modems all still work to this day.

[reversing_drive 0]

Thanks for all the feedback guys

 

Looks like Zoom is a likely candidate, i'll check it out, (Got any good links on reviews, info ect.. on Zoom?)

 

So what exactley is the difference between a harware and software modem? My current Lucent LT win modem is a physical peice of hardware in one of my PCI slots, does it have anything to do with how packets are handeled (Software ctrl vs. Hardware ctrl?) or configuration of the modem?

 

Quote:

I've got a Zoom 2920 PCI hardware modem. Works quite nicely ~

I guess that is US$, right;)

 

Cheers,

[bobbinbrisco 0]

DON'T USE INTERNAL MODEMS!!

 

They will cause conflicts with other internal devices and are hard to tell whether they are working or not.

 

Go for external modems. It is HIGHLY recommneded that you do. They perform better as well and easier to set-up.

 

I am currently using a 56K 3com U.S. Robotics connecting @ 49.2Kbps

[GTwannabe 0]

Only the Winmodems (which almost all PCI modems are) will give you grief. A hardware PCI modem works quite nicely.

[Micky 0]

Good Modem i've used is the Diamond SupraExpress 56e Pro, really good modem connects at 50.6kbps, Plus it's not all down to your modem, could be isp, changing isp, phone line etc..

 

But the best i've seen are ones that use Rockwell chips or Rockwell modems which are very rare thesedays.

[pbuckne 0]

I noticed that you seemed to have gotten the response you needed, but I would like to throw in my towel for a USR ISA modem. It may not be supported under XP, but ISA internal hardware modems are DA BOMB. I have connected all day long at close to 50k, and never under 40... Not a cable or DSL connection, but not bad either...

[Brian Frank 0]

It's been a long time since I've used a dial-up connection (LPB and proud of it:D), but creative's modem blaster USB connected higher than what I'd had before--a POS Rockwell. Also, one PC I worked on had a very fast 56k fax modem by Zoom.

It also depends on the neighborhood you're in. The Zoom modem was in a newer part of town then where I live, but the creative connected at 45000-49xxx k almost all the time.