Pros: Offers reliability, no more headaches, and undaunted performance.
Cons: Considerably more pricey than your average generic modem, but is definitely worth the cost.
The Bottom Line: If you're searching for a good modem, or for a substitute to what you already have, please consider a 3Com. It will probably be the best decision you can make.
_fate_'s Full Review: 3Com U.S. Robotics Faxmodem 56K Analog Modem (0056...
Review: 3Com 56K Faxmodem Internal
Back when I still routinely used my old 333 mHZ computer, things were a lot more difficult for me. At that time, I believed that I could save myself some money by investing in cheap generic brands instead of the big name brands for my computer components. Since then, I have learned quite a lesson when it comes to purchasing computer parts. From what I have seen, it is usually wiser to put in the extra cash to buy the brand name hardware because they will normally save you the headaches of detection by Windows, or installation with Linux, etc. I used to own several generic modems, and they have caused me nothing but trouble.
My tale of despair:
My first modem was one that came with my PC when I purchased it, and it was probably just about the cheapest modem you could possibly get. I noticed that my connection speeds were rather low compared to my neighbors, and I know that the lines within my house were not the cause since I had the house rewired with shielded monster cables. Whenever I was downloading more than one thing simultaneously, I noticed that my first download would receive all of the speed, while the second download would nearly stop, and pause from time to time. The sum of both downloads usually did not add up to the normal download speed of that modem either.
One thing I love to do while on the Internet is to chat using AOL Instant Messenger. All of my friends use it, and inevitably I use it too. My cheap modem would sign me off instantly when I began to download something, and I would sign back on as soon as I finished. After a while, this became rather frustrating, so I got myself a new modem. This time, the modem cost me about $20. Still generic, but better than the one I had. This time, the modem would connect me at about 42000 bps and my downloads would equalize if I was downloading more than one item. However, all was not well. The modem was a complete headache to install. For some reason, the modem was almost impossible to have detected by Windows 98. I would reboot the computer incessantly, removing and plugging the card back in after powering down. Usually after 10-20 tries, the card would finally show up. Then came the horror of the actual driver installation. The driver was conveniently included in a CD. For some reason, the CD must have been created defectively, and the CD-rom drive would have the worst time reading it. After about 3 or 4 tries reading the CD, the drive would be destroyed. I have no idea how, but for some reason, the CD took me through several drives. It was a while before I figured that it was the CD that was causing my CD-rom drives not to function. I finally got wise and pulled a second hard drive from another computer, installed it into mine, and copied the drivers onto the second drive. This was still too much for me. I purchased yet another modem, and this time I was fed up with the cheap stuff. I treated myself to the 3Com 56K Faxmodem.
The modem:
I plugged in the modem, and powered up my computer. The card was detected instantly. Windows even had drivers included since it is one of the most popular names in modems. I updated the driver with the drivers included in the package. I was ready to go within 2 minutes. I setup my dial-up-networking to suit my preferences and launched my connection. I was connected at 52000 bps, quite a visible improvement from my other modems. Downloading multiple files were absolutely no problem. I noticed that my maximum download speed changed dramatically as well. While I was previously downloading at around 5kb/sec maximum, I was able to hit an astonishing 9kb/sec while downloading off a fast server. The modem caused no conflicts IRQ wise, and was just about as solid as a rock. I was able to play many of my favorite computer games with minimal lag. I was able to stay connected to the same ISP for several days at a time, whereas my cheap modems would get me kicked off every couple of hours. This modem offered me a solid and problem free connection with quick speeds and great reliability. The performance increase in itself as well as the headaches no longer experienced are very well worth the $80 I put into this modem. It was actually $99 with a 20-dollar mail-in rebate. This modem can be found nearly everywhere because of its popularity.
Conclusion:
If you can't tell already, I certainly suggest you purchase this modem, if not other 3Com modems. I am no longer on dial-up, but my friend reports that his external 33.6K modem gives him the performance that others receive from a 56K and I certainly believe it.
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