There are Still Modem Users Out There?
Written: Feb 13 '08
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Easy to install and use, relatively cheap ($35), and quick (for a modem!)
Cons: 16-bit interface, drivers on floppy
The Bottom Line: Relatively cheap (modem prices went back up!), fast (for a modem).
|
|
|
| nad_masters's Full Review: Hawking 56K V.90 Data/Fax PCMCIA Modem (PN612) |
A client of mine needed a PCMCIA modem to replace his built-in laptop modem. The integrated modem just doesn't seem to want to respond to any commands. He is one of the few remaining users who still uses his modem, albeit for faxing. He was also one of the cheapest guy I known! Not only did he haggled about the price of a modem (we went out to Microcenter and he saw how much I was paying for the modem and he STILL wanted it for a cheaper price than I paid for it!), he also haggled me about the price of my labor. I did get under paid for this already demeaning job, but with the economy this way, I had no choice.
The modem itself, at least, was trouble-free and installed without a hitch, getting this jerk out of my house as quickly as possible.
The Product
The box was not very attractive and as polished as other brands such as 3Com and US Robotics (the same company now), but it has price going for it. While others were in the $40-$60 range (modem prices went back up thanks to low demand), I was able to pick this baby up for $35... and it was not a special either. It was an everyday price. But Hawkings are well known for their inexpensive modem products. They are relatively cheap in price, and they are cheap in feel. This is also apparent on their routers I have used before.
Being a PCMCIA card, it's hard to feel cheap, since the entire case is metallic. So a cheap colorfully designed sticker was used on the card, and a light and hollow-feeling plastic area where the RJ-11 jack was located were present instead. At least they included two LEDs - one for "connection" and one for "activity".
Once it was shoved into a Windows XP machine, it was instantly recognized and asked for drivers. The drivers came on a floppy disk, while the manual is PDF file located on another floppy disk. This is good news about how small a footprint the driver must be. The bad news is that most laptops don't have floppy drives anymore. However, if you were purchasing a PCMCIA modem, more likely than not, the notebook you are buying it for is old enough NOT to have one included (and therefore, probably have a floppy drive).
After you point Windows to the right drive, the Windows hardware installer does everything else. The modem is instantly recognized, and is ready for use.
Running the modem diagnostic provided relief, as the modem responded admirably. HyperTerminal tests also relieved this tension, as it successfully dialed out my cell phone number (ATD1234567890 - that's not my real cell phone number, btw!) installing itself as a COM2 device.
The final test involves setting up a dial-up ISP profile, using Window's Dial-Up Networking. It successfully dialed out, connected at 52kbps (which is the best you can do with a 56k modem), and started transferring files at a lofty 5.2 KB/sec. Of course, there are a few times it was transferring at around 4.8 KB/sec, but 5.2 KB/sec were usually the norm, and the max, which the little cheap modem proves to us that it can hang with the big boys.
I am not quite sure if it was a soft modem, but with the transfer rates as high as they were, it sure didn't act like one. CPU utilizations were around 1% during downloads on a Pentium III 1 GHz CPU (his laptop is ancient). Web surfing hits around 5-15%, but that is more attributed to the browser rendering the page more-so than the modem sopping up more CPU power. I could still very well be, as it requires multiple connections and downloads.
Either way, it did not slow down the PC in any noticeable fashion, and was a great replacement for the original Dell-issued Broadcom 56k modem.
The Cons?
Being a 16-bit PCMCIA card is not a bad thing, as laptops that require a separate modem card (and not built-in) are usually the older kinds that do not have the 32-bit PC Card Cardbus standard. Plus, a modem does not require the speeds that a 32-bit bus offers.
Drivers on a floppy may not be the way to go. But then again, older laptops that need this device should already have them built-in or on a rope (detached). But every laptop SHOULD have a CD-ROM drive (well, except for real old ones such as 386es and 486es). This is not a big deal considering the targeted consumer.
The last thing to complain about (but still not a big deal) is that the modem is not using the latest v.92 protocol. However, v.92 doesn't offer too much over v.90 (maybe a slight speed increase, but offers much more in the "call waiting" department), so why cry over it?
In other words, I'm pretty much stretching the cons list. There really isn't anything to complain about at all!
Oh, his original intended use (for faxing) works just fine as well. He was using the built-in Windows Fax to fax documents as if he was trying to print it.
Features
None.
Specifications
V.90 56kbps ITU standard
V.34 33.6kbps ITU standard
Compatible with ITU and Bell Standard from 56k down to 1200
V.42/MNP 2- error control
V.42bis/MNP 5 data compression
Faxing: Class 1 and 2.0 Group III 14.4kbps send/recieve
PCMCIA 2.1 and PC Card Standard compliant
Tpe II Extended PC Card
FCC Part 15, Class B, FCC Part 68
Size: 4.527"x2.125" x 0.543"
Weight: 3 oz.
System Requirements
IBM compatible PC
Windows 95/98, Windows ME/2000, NT
56k compatible local analog phone line
V.90 56K ITU standard ISP
PCMCIA 2.1 standard
Minimum of one Type II PC Card slot
PCMCIA Release 2.1 compliant Card and Socket Service
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 35
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
nad_masters
|
 in Computer Hardware |
 - Top 100 |
|
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Reviews written: 550
Trusted by: 114 members
About Me:
If you mind is in the gutter, where are your hands?
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.