ISA or PCI Modem???Opinions please

[Wombat]

Jorden,
Unless it's different in Europe, 56k is the download speed. And you don't upload any better than a 33.6 modem.
Besides, you aren't supposed to get better than 52k here anyway (FCC limit).

Also, the connection speed you were setting is the port speed, not the modem speed.

Nuno, how much online gaming were you doing? Those WinModems suck up valuable CPU time that could be increasing your frame rate

[Snake-Eyes]

Everyone here has some good points for you. If you play UT or other highlyprocessor-dependent games, forget Winmodems, they'll cause more work for the CPU, which games like that contend for. In this case, I recommend an ISA modem, an external modem, or one of the small handful of hardware PCI modem (most PCI modems are Winmodems, aka software modems, but not all- read the fine print carefully before buying one of these).

As far as the ISA vs. PCI issue goes for hardware modem speeds- modems aren't quick enough to stress either bus, so if you have a free ISA slot, I'd recommend the ISA modem, so that you still have one more PCI slot open for other things (unless you use the shared slot- which requires either a PCI card, or an ISA card, but not both at once). Also, external vs. internal is mostly a moot point now, as most newer motherboards have faster COM ports than the earlier models, so a 56K modem shouldn't have any problems with the port being too slow.

If you don't play much online (especially of games like UT which take a lot of processor cycles), Winmodems are fine for most people with today's processors. It's only when the things you do while online already use up a lot of the processor's time that these modems can be a liability. Hardware modems rarely have problems caused by a busy processor (ie. erratic/high pings because the processor is busy with something else besides processing the data flow for the phone line). Also, Winmodems are usually a bit cheaper (last I looked, around 6 months ago, up to 50% less than comparable hardware modems, but not always so much). But you should be able to find a decent external hardware modem (external is cheaper than internal usually, feature for feature) for between $100 and $150 US. In fact, stored away for emergency conditions in one of my cabinets, I have a US Robotics (now 3COM/USRobotics) data/fax 56K external. I'd be using it if I didn't do everything with my cable connection now.

Good luck with whatever you get.

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Ace

[SteveC]

Wombat's right, Jorden - 56k download, 33.6 upload...

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Cheers,
Steve

"Life is what we make of it, yet most of us just fake"

[Jorden]

Okay, had to try to say something up there. Whatever was wrong would be corrected by you guys anyway

Jord.

[oceaneer]

Thank you all for the input and advice. All things considered, I am coming down on the side of the ISA. Off I go, money in hand.


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P3650@650 on ABIT BE6 r2, 192M RAM, G400 32m DH oem, 5.52 drivers, Voodoo II in SLI, Aureal SQ2500, 30G Maxtor DMax 7200 ATA 66, 300W PS

[Nuno]

Wombat: I´m not a online gamer, actually I rarely play online. But I tried it with the winmodem and I could get around 150 ms ping in best ocasions. I really can´t do much better with the external. The connections here kinda suck, you know?

[Liquid Snake]

Nuno, my friend has a Rockwell HCF, he lags so much in CS it isn't even funny. I have a 3Com/USR Courier V.Everything. Nice modem, ISA, but it was $230! I get nice pings (hehe 117 once) and little lag.

Oceaneer, i reccomend going with an ISA modem. But what ISA modem is it? Some ISA modems can be winmodems too.

[CrazyBee]

Hmm.. personally.. since i am very IRQ conscious.. I would go with a USB or external serial modem. And, I have seen USB external modems for as little as $25 on PriceWatch.com (was several weeks ago, though).

If you already have your serial ports enabled and don't use them for anything I'd opt for the external. If you already have them disabled for IRQ reasons than go with USB.

But, then again, I am not an online gamer so what others have previously said should be taken into consideration. I dial-in through my school so my connection sucks oily donkey balls either way.

[GT98]

Just an addition couple comments here:

Avoid USB modems. In my experance they are just like Winmodems in the fact that they are totally software driven, and suck the living crap out of your CPU when they are running.

I use a Diamond SupraMax PCI modem, works pretty good and I haven't ran into any problems with it yet so far. I've seen them list on pricewatch for less then $30 bucks and it IS NOT a winmodem.

CK also check with your broadband provider who ever you go with. I'm planning on getting DSL from BellAtlantic and I have been checking to see if they cover my area yet (which they finally do) and I just noticed that the DSL modem that they give you is a USB type. I haven't seen a Cable Modem that runs on USB yet, but I can check at a local store that just got into the high speed internet business.

Scott


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Abit BH6 with a Celeron 2-566@877mhz,128mb RAM,G400 MAX,SB Live!, Optiquest V95 19in montor, Asus 40x CD-ROM, Aopen 5x DVD-ROM,HP9110i 8x4x32 CD-RW,SupraMax 56k modem, Win2000 on a WD 13 GB HDD, Win98 SE on Western Digital 30.7GB DOA....

[cjolley]

Also,
The connection speeds of 115,200, 234,000 etc are the PC to Modem connection speed.
Your Modem to Line connection speed is never over 56k.
For example, a 28.8 modem can have a port rate of 115,200bps to your PC, but only a 28,800bps connection to the outside world.
chuck

[cjolley]

Would a USB dsl (or cable) modem blow chunks or what?
How would you connect it to a hub, switch or router if you have more than one PC?
Is there a device that will convert usb to network?
chuck

[Bixler]

Guys!!!

What are we fighting after???

GO EXTERNAL!

1. You can switch it off if it locks up.

2. It CAN'T share an IRQ with something you need.

3. You KNOW it's hardware based, not a *%#&#& Winmodem.

4. You can switch it off if it locks up.. (did I say that before?)

5. It's only an extra 30 bucks...about .05 per day over the three year expected life of the unit.

6. NO CONFLICTS!@!!!!!!!!!!!

[Snake-Eyes]

Good post Bixler. Only one thing to add, since I see you guys talking about USB modems. One of my buddies had one, and it was a software-based modem (dunno how that works- unless it's simply doing Analog-to-Digital conversion on the data stream, and allowing [more like forcing] the CPU to do the rest), but he didn't like that at all, and ended up purchasing another old-fashioned (hehe) com-port based external 56K modem. As far as I know, ALL of those types (COM port jobs) are hardware based.

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Ace