LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Daryl Pilkington <u3232@home.dialix.com>
  To  : linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au <linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au>
  Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2002 20:02:37 +1000 (EST)

Re: is there a FAQ on the BEST MODEM

Hi Peter,
Internal modems are neat & tidy, but unless you understand IRQs, I/O
addresses etc, you will have problems configuring them.

Another thing to keep in mind is the modem is the weak-link in the
lightning chain.
In the event your telephone line gets hit by lightning, it will
probably take-out your modem. Now if you are using an internal modem,
it will probably take-out your computer too :)

Without exception, (& I know what I'm doing), I've never had a "plug it
in & it goes" experience with internal modems, hell, I've got one in my
SmoothWall firewall now, that I can't seem to get to work, & its a
Supra-Express, which is good one.

I've always been able to get them to work, but only with much fiddling.
Now the above problem is not a lack of good design on the modem.

The Lucent ***VENUS***CHIPSET*** internal modems are a real modems that
have a COM port, albeit with a PCI IRQ & I/O address.
Any other Lucent modem is a WinModem & whilst there is some support for
Linux, get a life & an external modem :)

As Nathan mentioned, internal or external, the real difference between
modems is in their ability to work on poor quality phone lines &
compatability with what they will dial-in to.

You can get a reasonable external modem for about AUS $85, fine if you
have good quality phone lines. If you live in the country or are in an
old suburb where the phone line wiring is old, perhaps keep your hair,
& by the Swann. 


On Sat, 27 Apr 2002 19:17:47 +0930, Nathan Millhouse wrote:
>
SNIP
>
>The SwannSmart modem in my opinion performs excellently on all line
>conditions and because it is external works with all versions of Linux.
>If you really want to get an internal and still want a SwannSmart II
>be careful which one you choose as there is one based on a Conexent
>chipset
>and one based on a Lucent chipset. I'm not really sure but I assume the
>Lucent
>may be a winmodem which will not work with Linux.
>

Regards,

Daryl  Pilkington 

//// The PC-Therapist, Business Computing Integration
O<O  AUSTRALIA
\_/
<O>  OS/2 Warp, Redhat Linux, DB2
     IBM Certified Systems Expert

        email: darylp@pc-therapist.com.au
          Mob: 0425-251-300

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