recommend a 56K Modem

[fragusmaximus]

I could use your help in picking a good (but cheap) 56K modem for my new Windows XP system. I can't afford a cable modem yet. However, I want to upgrade in the future. Hence the reason for a cheap modem. Does anyone out there know anything about brands and what to look for in a modem? I'm planning to use it for surfing and gaming (of course). Thanks.

 

[crisscross]

I use a Lanbit 56k Winmodem and it's working quite well. Picked it up for $10. It's a data, fax, voice modem

 

[music]

I recommend this one.
Free After Rebate.

edit: starts 11/17, probably will sell out 11/17.

 

[Viper GTS]

Short of something from Hot Deals, there are tons of Lucent winmodems out there that are quite good & amazingly cheap.

More info

Viper GTS

 

[woodie1]

I just bought a Blitzz TelePipe Model I303 V.92 PCI modem. It is outstanding. Has an Agere/Lucent chip and with the updated firmware from their site I get unreal bandwidth for dial-up. I paid a little extra ($11.00) but is was well worth it.

 

[DonaldC]

Any of the Lucent/Agere chipset modems will work fine. Sometimes the included firmware is not the latest but a google search should get you up to date.

 

[thorin]

USR OEM models 2976/2977 PCI Hardware Modem(s).

Thorin

 

[RanDum72]

Supramax series PCI modems by Diamond/Sonic Blue. Its a windows modem but I've read tests somewhere that says there was no difference between the performance of this modem and hardware modems in terms of throughput and CPU utilization. It also copes very well with 'dirty' phonelines.

 

[formulav8]

Cheapest you can find.

 

[Texun]

I used to be a USRobotics hardware nut but with the faster cpu's now it has been my experience that a good software modem is not only dirt cheap but serves the need well without sucking the cpu down in the mud. I have use a couple of $40 Actiontek modems from Circuit City in friends computers and they have worked great. Connect at 46000 in most cases with ancient phone lines. YMMV.

I have cable now, but if I needed a dial up modem tomorrow I would head back to CC or get one off of Pricewatch.

 

[ultimatebob]

If you're going to pick up a WinModem, the Lucent/Agere chipset WinModems are the best.

 

[Buk]

It really depends on your circumstances. I live in the boonies and never connect over 14.4. Over the past several years, I've tried a dozen different modems and three isps with no improvement (just too far and too much junk between me and the isps). Recently, I bought a NIB USR Courier External off eBay for ~$28 shipped and, although I still connect at 14.4, I can tell a noticeable difference in the time it takes a webpage to load. I know the connection renegotiates but the throughput with this modem is much better than with any other that I have tried. Prior to this, the best performance I had was with a Compaq Netelligent ISA modem. My P4B266-c doesn't have ISA slots so I have been using a BestData 56K USB that did nearly as well. Modems are cheap and you may have to try several before you settle on one you like. Good luck in your quest....................

 

[StattlichPassat]

USR Performance Pro 56k int. modems rock. One of the best ones for XP.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Let's cut to the chase, what you want in a modem is SPEED, so this Broadxent V.92 from Creative Labs has the features that you are looking for. Forget about 'This is cheapest','Tthis is my favorite', etc., you want somthing that works fast and transfers information quickly, and this one does.

My Daughters computer hooks up usually at 50.6, but rarely below 49.8, and ocassionaly at 52.4 in St Louis, My Son's computer in Arizona hooks up at a solid 48.0 - but has gone on as high as 53.4. My system in Ft Worth comes on at 52.4 or 53.6. Remember - the fastest that they are even capable of hooking-up is 95% of the rating = 53.8K.

They have the V.44 video compression to handle image transfer, and the capability to work with 'Call Waiting", for $ 19, that's not bad, a lot better than most.





Hey guys - this IS a Dial-up modem !

 

[Booster]

recommend a 56K Modem

I'm still on dialup, and I have to say that as for Winmodems you'll not find better than the ones with PCTel chipsets. They aren't absolutely the cheapest, but their worth it, IMO. Of course, it's not fully hardware, but you said you wanted a cheaper alternative... The CPU utilization is 0%, stability etc is quite good.

 

[shr]

I guess this is obious but if you plan to use any other OS than windows (linux, BSD...) Do NOT get a winmodem, also winmodems are Softmodems, meaning your CPU will do the actual work and DSP/Hardware modems are only a buck or two more, I have an Intel Chipset Hardware V.92 modem and its significantly than my old v.90 connecting at 42k even though I now live in the middle of nowhere and can only ever get about 24k/36k, I also oly paid $15 bucks for it.

 

[woodie1]

You want cheap: Office Max has a free winmodem after $10 rebate in my area. YMMV


BestData 56k V92 PCI Win free after mail in rebate.

 

[BillGates]

Originally posted by: Booster

recommend a 56K Modem

I'm still on dialup, and I have to say that as for Winmodems you'll not find better than the ones with PCTel chipsets. They aren't absolutely the cheapest, but their worth it, IMO. Of course, it's not fully hardware, but you said you wanted a cheaper alternative... The CPU utilization is 0%, stability etc is quite good.

I bet if you worked at an ISP your views on modems running PCTel chipsets would be quite a bit different...

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
Let's cut to the chase, what you want in a modem is SPEED, so this Broadxent V.92 from Creative Labs has the features that you are looking for. Forget about 'This is cheapest','Tthis is my favorite', etc., you want somthing that works fast and transfers information quickly, and this one does.

My Daughters computer hooks up usually at 50.6, but rarely below 49.8, and ocassionaly at 52.4 in St Louis, My Son's computer in Arizona hooks up at a solid 48.0 - but has gone on as high as 53.4. My system in Ft Worth comes on at 52.4 or 53.6. Remember - the fastest that they are even capable of hooking-up is 95% of the rating = 53.8K.

They have the V.44 video compression to handle image transfer, and the capability to work with 'Call Waiting", for $ 19, that's not bad, a lot better than most.

I just bought one - $30 (it was an emergency) at a B&M store for my desktop (when Dell kept my notebook for an EXTRA week last week and didn't even bother to service it - they did steal my battery, however). Works really fast especially in connecting (heck, I even tried it with AOL - I did mention it was an EMERGENCY?).

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: BillGates

Originally posted by: Booster

recommend a 56K Modem

I'm still on dialup, and I have to say that as for Winmodems you'll not find better than the ones with PCTel chipsets. They aren't absolutely the cheapest, but their worth it, IMO. Of course, it's not fully hardware, but you said you wanted a cheaper alternative... The CPU utilization is 0%, stability etc is quite good.

I bet if you worked at an ISP your views on modems running PCTel chipsets would be quite a bit different...

Very true. I've found that both PCTel and Conexant WinModems are a nightmare to support. The Lucent WinModems are easy to support, though, because just 1 set of drivers will "upgrade" almost ANY Lucent WinModem to V.92. Even if the modem is a 5 year old ISA piece of crap, and it can STILL be upgraded with the new drivers.

 

[wizdum]

Naaa -- you don't want a winmodem. If you're gonna mess around with Linux at all they have to make a seperate driver for winmodems. I would recommend a v.92(make sure 92 not 90) / v.44 compression. This will get you 10-20 less ping in gaming servers.

 

[andrey]

Originally posted by: Booster

recommend a 56K Modem

I'm still on dialup, and I have to say that as for Winmodems you'll not find better than the ones with PCTel chipsets. They aren't absolutely the cheapest, but their worth it, IMO. Of course, it's not fully hardware, but you said you wanted a cheaper alternative... The CPU utilization is 0%, stability etc is quite good.

Whatever you do, please, please do not get PCTel modem. That's the most horrible modem out there. Well, that and you probably can add Conextant HCF to "do not get this modem" list.

 

[woodie1]

AFAIK there are still Linux drivers for the Agere/Lucent chipsets. In fact, one of my Lucent modems came with firmware for Red Hat 6.1, 6.2, and 7.0