ADSL modems

[welshboy]

Hello everybody.....
Before I begin, my sys specs

AMD Athlon 1.2Ghz
256Mb RAM
Abit KT7A MB
Win 98SE

For about two years now I have been surfing the net from home on my good ol fashioned 56k modem. A recent visit to a friend in Sheffield (England for all you foreigners!) gave me the chance to experience first hand the joys of broadband web access.

Now that British Telecom have reduced the wholesasle price of ADSL it is now not much more expensive for me to use a 'wires only' ISP than it is for me to carry on paying £16 a month to AOL (the swines put the price up £1 last month!).

I am a little unsure as to what type of modem to get which is why I am throwing this subject open to the net.

I know that with dialup modems there are 'hardware' and 'software' versions but is this the same for ADSL modems.
I have two choices - PCI or USB. I don't want a USB modem if possible because I already have 2 USB devices that I want permanantly connected to my machine and I am not prepared to fork out for a USB hub.
Put simply are there any significant diferences between USB and PCI modems??

Oh and before I forget, here's a quickie about WinXP
I have been having some problems with my USB devices recently and was wondering if upgrading from W98 to XP would cure the probs (which just adds to my reluctance to get a USB ADSL modem)



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I Love Heavy Music

[kfh]

Hi welshboy,
I've just gone over to Adsl from Btopenworld.
But I'm afraid it's a usb modem, Freeserve also use the same modem.
kfh.
http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif


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Sequitur Patrem Non Passibus Aequis

[welshboy]

kfh - what version of windows are you using and have you had any troouble with USB devices?

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I Love Heavy Music

[Jiggy]

hi welshboy, im on one of two last dich trys to get ADSL, the first is im trying another ISP, and the other a new line from good old BT.
try here (http://www.adslguide.org.uk) mite help.

forgive me, im young. Jiggy

[This message has been edited by Jiggy (edited 05-02-2002).]

[welshboy]

thanks jiggy, I've already had alook at that site and unfortunately it does not have any info on PCI ADSL modems. They are reviewing some but they have not posted the results yet.....

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I Love Heavy Music

[sea69]

hi,

I'm not sure but in the US we generally have the one that the ISP provides and sometimes there is a choice between usb and using a NIC/ or a pci modem.

here (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=PCI+ADSL+modems) is an entire page of them.

as for winXP- I'm kinda biased on that subject. Being a DIEHARD win98se guy, I am truely in love with winXP. I dual installed/booted win98/winXP out of initial skepticism, I have not booted into win98se in months.


http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif

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sea1_69@hotmail.com

homepage (http://www.seanweb1.homestead.com/index.html)

[This message has been edited by sea69 (edited 05-02-2002).]

[welshboy]

I do have the option of purchasing my modem from the ISP I eventually sign up with but the bum thing about it is that they are all USB modems and its usually an alcatel modem that BT have said is OK.

I've got nothing against alcatel but I want to buy my own modem.....it's cheaper for a start! Most of the ISP's that offer modems with their 'wires only' services are charging upwards of £80 for the modem. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif I've been looking around and I can get a PCI ADSL modem for less than £50 from dabs.com.........pretty good eh? http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

Which still leaves the unanswered question - are USB ADSL modems better than PCI ADSL modems??

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I Love Heavy Music

[iisbob]

USB & PCI modem's both use the same BUS to deliver data to your PC, USB is actually a serial port standard, the PCI bus is an expansion of the old Serial bus standard.

The major difference between the two is the interface-with USB you only have to plug it in, make sure your system has the correct drivers, then configure your account. With PCI you'll have to open the case, install a NIC ( make sure you have the correct drivers ) then connect modem/NIC by ethernet cable ( cat5e normally ) then configure your account. Speed wise they'll be the same.

The only caveat i have against USB modem's is that if you don't have the correct driver, you'll endure an unending headache of connection problems. Positive side tho, is that for the average user they are a lot easier to install ( and one less hardware piece for tech support to trouble shoot )and sometimes are cheaper.

With the introduction of the new USB 2.0 standards, this should also mean a new wave of 2.0 modems' and unlike the telecomm service ; which is regulated to a specific speed, broadband isn't-so with the new 2.0 equipment you will see a speed increase in dwnlds/uplds as the newer USB 2.0 BUS will be able to handle much more data. So this is a positive side to USB, however it only applies to the new 2.0 standard-not to the current 1.1 standard. So if you buy a 1.1 compliant modem now, upgrade your system to a 2.0 capable motherboard, you won't see any significant speed increase, as 1.1s max thruput is around 1.5 MB's per sec , whereas 2.0 is suposed to around 60 MB's per sec! This is with 2.0 enabled equipment however!

Short of it is, go with the one you feel fits your needs.




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iisbob

Computer-Show me the Enterprise; no bloody A, no bloody B, and no bloody C-just the original...Mr Scott { from a STNG episode }

[kfh]

Hi welshboy,
My OS is XP Pro, no problems with usb.
But I must say the package I've got is 10 times faster than 56K. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
kfh.

PS: Dont forget you'll need filters with that modem, if they dont come supplied there £12 each.


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Sequitur Patrem Non Passibus Aequis

[This message has been edited by kfh (edited 05-04-2002).]

[welshboy]

This is more like it - good news on a BAD day http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif
I know I shouldnt include this but hey "it's good to talk"

1. Bust my 3 iron this morning (hit a shot and wrapped it round a tree)
ended up having my worst round this year......

2. My computer is playing silly buggers and I can't trace the problem....I think I've got it sorted but that remains to be seen.....

I think I'll be going with a PCI modem - I'm happy doing that kinda thing and my desk is cluttered enough without a modem taking up more space....

As for the micro filters - If I sign up with Pipex they will sell them to me for a tenner each and they pay the setup fee's!

I've got some queeries about XP that I better explain in a new topic.....thanks for the help people http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

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I Love Heavy Music