Modems??

aclane

Can anyone tell me what the hell is the differance between a software and a hardware modem??

Lenny

Right, easy & quick way
a sortware modem uses your cpu(intel or amd) recourses, so it adds to the load on it, and can slow the pc down(on slowish pc's)
hardsware modems have kind of their own built in cpu, so they don't rely on the pc
software modems don't really work on linux machine either...

aclane

Thanks Lenny, makes sence. How would I tell the differance? I presume by looking for the chip??

BoB_BoT

eh generally the manufactuer will tell ya, anything that's called a winmodem is a software modem. Also basicly you can tell if the modem is hardware based because of it's size. Software modems are small while hardware modems are much bigger, like a full pci card. have a look here http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/gamingmodem/page3.asp

Carnate

Put another way "DONT" use a software modem.

pdogs

Couple of links:-
http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/gamingmodem/page3.asp (edit: sorry same link as leggo posted).
http://www.56k.com/trouble/noname.shtml

There are many generalisations about when a modem is hard or soft. Most external serial modems are hardware. Remember also that the same manufacturer can use different chipsets in what appear to be (almost) the same models.

You just need to do a bit of searching and homework on any particular modem to dig out its full details and specs.

As an aside, I have had a lousy dialup connection (to both eircom and iol, which was the worse of the two) for ages. Tried numerous tweaks, modems, drivers, OSes, checked lines, etc. But getting a software PCI V92 Creative Modem Blaster has revolutionised my connection. I can finally download at 5-6KB/sec (or 10-16MB/Hour in real download time) on telephone dialup and am a remarkably happy bunny in the absence of broadband.

Until recently I would have agreed with "don't get a software modem" but the software Modem Blaster that I now have out-performs a V92 Diamond Supra Express and an older Zoom Serial Modem by a considerable margin.

Dempsey

What features make a good modem.(eg What chipset on the harware modem is best?, which data compression type is the best. What should you be looking out for.

is V.92 in ireland yet?


pdogs seems to think that software are fairly good, but i've heard that hardware modems are better.

Those reviews are well out of date, 1999. hmmmm

pdogs

Zoom and Creative both use a Conexant chipset. Zoom, as a manufacturer, has given a lot of time to preparing for V92 and giving a lifetime warranty to their products speaks for itself.

I wonder if any of the Irish ISPs will ever bring in V92 now that broadband is coming around for many - though UTVIP, if I remember correctly, said they would be introducing it at some point.

My PCI Creative V92 warns me with a popup when there are incoming calls by detecting the call-waiting signal even though IOL/Eircom don't yet have the protocols installed to my knowledge. One can click yes to take the call, in which case the pc connection is dropped and the telephone rings, or say no and leave the caller listening to "the man from call waiting" tell them that the person they are calling knows they are waiting, etc, etc.

I'm not a gamer so I don't know if hardware modems make a significant difference in that regard. I think that with modern pcs having got so fast, etc, compared to just a few years ago that sharing a few clock cycles with the cpu probably makes little difference plus the fact that there are probably significant differences in using the most uptodate drivers for any software modems.

The only software modems that I would have serious qualms about would be CNR ones - but that's only because of a one bad experience.