[plug] modems (was Re: [plug] Gut modem für Linux? [those blinkinglights again])

[Len Bird]

The number of drop-outs which I have experienced since installing the v 90 Acer
have been no higher than thos which I had with a 33,3 K Modem. I accept that you
will not get 56k transfer rate, in practice the actual results are about 46 k
doubtless  due to the constraints of  telephone lines, after all these were
designed many years ago and were intended for analogue speach purposes in the
100-2000 hertz band. The v 90 just pushes the limits as far as it can, and I do not
know of anyone who can get anything much better than the 46-47 K rate that I get
with mine. The points raised elsewhere are quite relevant, and the plug pack
supplied with the Acer is about twice the size (and rating) of most of the other
Modems I have seen.  As a general rule you only get what you are prepared to pay
for, but then how come M$ get away with it?

Bret Busby wrote:

> Len Bird wrote:
> >
> > All right, but to get to the point of the original posting, Internal Modems
> > have a bad reputation mostly because if they are left "On-line" during a
> > thundertsorm or similar the Computer itself is put at risk. I bought an Acer
> > v 90 External Modem recently for $100 if I remember rightly and to date it
> > has performed flawlessly. I think that cost was a consideration with the
> > party concerned, and so far the responses listed have not addressed this.  So
> > far the Acer has performed as well as the spec.claims it will,
> >
> > I have had a few unscheduled disconnections, but cannot attribute this to the
> > Modem. bear in mind it takes two to tango, and Iinet are not blameless in
> > this area. perhaps they have shares in Telstra. I hope this helps.
> > Incidentally whether you use an internal or external modem it is safe
> > practice to physically disconnect the telephone line when not using the
> > modem.
> >
>
> How often does the modem drop out?
>
> I understood that the V90 modems were more than the telephone lines
> could handle; that anything above 33600 resulted in frequent dropouts,
> due to line quality.
>
> I have thought about upgrading from 33600, to 56000, but the concern of
> call dropouts caused by the extra speed, has stopped me.
>
> We are on an old ARE exchange, if that has any influence.
>
> I have a brother in Auckland, who has ADSL, but, from what I have seen
> about it discussed, the pricing, in Australia, makes it too expensive,
> for use by the common man, and, makes 56K modems a much more attractive
> option, if the connections are reliable. It appears that it is one of
> those things that will probably only get to Perth, when the technology
> is outdated, anyway.
>
> --
>
> Bret Busby
>
> ......................................