The best 56k modem?

MikeybobMikeybob Middle o' Farmer Land
edited January 2005 in Science & Tech
I don't have DSL yet, not much I can do about it ... no until BT install it :/ ... until then I want to get the most out of my 56k ... unfortunately my 56k is, well it's not too bad but I'm looking at something external which I hear is faster.

Does anyone know of any REALLY good 56k modems internal or external? Especially for gaming :) that's the main prioroty :P.

Comments

  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited January 2004
    A US Robotics hardware-based modem would be good.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    Zoom model 3049C is workhorse external, but the USRs are better if you get an external Courier V.Everything or a Performance Pro internal or serial port external (NOT USB, the COM port type) Performance Pro.

    For a cheaper modem, the one I sell (and you can get it at Staples if they have it back in stock for less than I could SHIP it to you for) is a Zoom internal model 3025-- it has a surprisingly good Agere chipset on it, and a decent hardware DSP. It ran about $40.00 at Staples last I looked and outperformed everything internal I tried except a USR Performance Pro that ran me over a hundred bucks US right from USR. The Performance Pro had a gamer mode. SKIP the USB external Performance Pro, and get an internal hardware based Performance Pro if you can still find one.

    Overall, surprisingly, the Zoom External outperforms the USR Performance Pro internal for general use, but I do not game so have not game tested it-- for file transfers it is better, though. Both Zooms are v.92, v.44 or better compression PCI Fax\Data modems, they both can also do voice message recording and act as if they are software-supported answering machines. Note the C suffix, this is a Connexant chipset with a hardware controller and mode arbitration in hardware (firmware driven), the internal does most of this stuff in some pretty decent drivers instead. BOTH have better surge suppression than the USR. The external is about $80-85.00 US at retail.

    You might note that over the years I have used 20-30 modem models and 8 chipset brands. Before Lucent Technology went downhill over 8 years ago, they had some of the best chipsets in the business, and the Agere-based Zoom is comparable to a Lucent Tech hardware driven modem or a USR mid to low grade modem. USR higher end modems really ROCK(!), but the Zoom external is comparable to a full hardware driven external COM port Sportster USR.

    Both the internals and the Zoom external need you to install the software first, the settings are based on a resource hunt done before the modem is stuck in. Stick the USR or Zoom CD in first, it will TELL you how to proceed, step by stepo, and leave CD in drive and do what it says but do not let the computer BOOT from CD. This install is one where you want the HD to be first in boot order or accept a slow startup after the box has been shut down and modem installed and then the computer is started from cold boot again.

    If you do not stick the CD in first, shut down when the installer tells you to, then install modem, then get the box back up and running and let the installer finish, you get a mess. Modem will work about like a squirrel that is running around looking for the place he last buried a nut(IF it works at all)-- and that was meant to be a realistic jokey fableish way of saying do this or else....

    John.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited January 2004
    Intel's modems are also hardware based. They're dirt cheap (<$20) 56k v.92, and I have yet to have a problem with any of the ones I've installed.
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    I have a bunch of internals in boxes. The Zooms are the fastest. I bet a good USR external would be better, but I hate spending over $100 on a modem.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    Geeky1 wrote:
    Intel's modems are also hardware based. They're dirt cheap (<$20) 56k v.92, and I have yet to have a problem with any of the ones I've installed.

    Have you looked at the chipset on them(the ICs themselves), physically???? Love to know what chipset is on a decent Intel modem. For that price they are not fully hardware driven, they are software driver driven modems, but Agere does make some software modem chipsets also.

    The one gawdawfulist chipset I have ever seen is a PC-Tel ANYTHING (any model chip from PC-Tel) chipset.... They do not know how to retrain live, they reverse-sync as opposed to the better modems(and a chip that does thatwill be slowly seeking low to high rates while the other ned is seeking high to low, and meet LOW rates on average),and basicly are econo-junk. They are about as good as NE2000 NICs are to networking-- and if you have tried an Intel Netowrk card or chip after a NE2000 NIC was in the box, you will be amazed at how stable the Intel or 3COM card is. Night vs.day, NE2000 and PC-Tel internal modems night, Intel or 3COM NICs and Zoom or USR hardware based internal or external modems daytime performance wise....

    John.
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    IIRC there's a gaming 56k modem (oxymoron? ;D) from USR that has some latency settings for games but most cost over $100.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    Virtues of Evil wrote:
    IIRC there's a gaming 56k modem (oxymoron? ;D) from USR that has some latency settings for games but most cost over $100.

    Yes, the Performance Pro, some of the Sportster externals also (NON-USB), and the Couriers-- Couriers can run $300-500.00. The Performance Pro I got was Sportster class, and liked hooking to other Sportsters, or Couriers, best. It got along with Zooms.

    The only modem I got to install right in a Packard Bell a friend owned to replace the PC-Tel thing in it, was a Performance Pro PCI internal hardware based modem. The Packard Bell actually did TWICE the avrage throughput with the USR in it.

    John.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited January 2004
    Ageek, I don't know what the chipset is offhand, no. I think it's a 3com or something, but I don't remember for sure. It does say in big bold letters on the box "hardware solution" or something to that effect, though.
  • Unkn0wnGamerUnkn0wnGamer
    edited January 2005
    My first post. I just wanted to post here saying you dont need to spend a lot on a modem I used to have a Conexant win modem and on cstrike I got like 250-400 pings... Untill I found out that my modem was software and not hardware so I bought myself a hardware modem and I get like 100-200 pings now. All I paid for this modem was $11.98 And its an INTEL modem @_@
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited January 2005
    :wtf: This thread's nearly a year old. :shakehead
  • EMTEMT Seattle, WA Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    Haha, oh well, welcome to the site!

    Yeah, those cheap hardware Intel modems are the way to go. I think mine had an issue where it fizzled trying to upload (it would go at 10 k/s and then disconnect). Otherwise it was great.
Sign In or Register to comment.