An excellent modem

Advantages: reliable, fast
Disadvantages: None

...My ZOOM 56K V90 Dual Modem has been the best modem I have ever had. When I purchased a new machine it came with its own PCI modem, however this soon came out and was replace with my trusty zoom when I started getting cut off from my ISP. I regularly axchieve speeds of up to 52K and with a usual connection at 49,333 bps. The modem is fitted internally and has been in service now for almost 2 years without any sign of breakdown. Trusty, reliable and fast are the best way I can describe it. With a Flash Circuit I can even upgrade it should the need arise. A great modem at a very reasonable price. Customer support is excellent too....

jonwhite 25.09.2000 (22.11.2000) · Read review
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Review of Zoom/FaxModem 56K Dualmode 2957

Perfect 56K modem

Advantages: Top speeds, ease of installation, excellent reliability
Disadvantages: Price

...I have owned this modem for 3 years now, since the launch of Freeserve. It is the only modem I have ever bought and the only modem I will ever have needed to buy, it is amazingly reliable. The manual is clear and concise and there was no hassle installing it with Windows 98. It comes with SuperVoice software to handle voice messages and faxes, which is also easy to use and effective. The package includes a bundle of free internet access trials, which would prove very useful to the first time modem buyer. I have always got the best connection speeds available over a phone line. Perhaps the only negative point about this modem was it's price, I did find it a little high....

acdc 21.09.2000 · Read review
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Review of U.S. Robotics 56K Voice Faxmodem

Internal 56K Modem from Creative

Advantages: Easy to fit, good software package included, good brand
Disadvantages: only one line in - no audio sockets or line out

...From the well known Creative (SoundBlaster) stables comes this internal V90 PCI 56K modem. Complete with cable, drivers and some usefull software - Mediaring talk, Quicklink Message Centre and Bitware fax/communications. It only has a line-in socket on the back so you cannot 'daisy-chain' your telephone from this modem. I found the card easy to fit and configure and was up and running in less than 10 minutes - just fit the moden into your case and boot-up, Windows discovered it had new hardware installed and then asked for the location of the drivers, I pointed it at the correct directory on the CD drive and that was it! It connected first and every consequent time at a minimum of 48K and once at 50.3K Good product well worth considering for home use....

l200man 22.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Creative Modem Blaster V.92 PCI

Excellent 56K External Modem

Advantages: Fast, cheap and well built
Disadvantages: Poor technical support on Creative's webpage.

...Having stuck with my 33.6K modem for far too long, I decided it was time to take the plunge and buy me a decent external 56k one. After browsing through a number of e-tailers stocks of modems, I cam accross the Creative Modem Blaster 56K which was extremely well priced. For around £50, you get a well built, quick 56k modem that does everything the box says it should. Installation was a breeze, connect to your serial port, insert CD-ROM, done. Since then, I can honestly say I've not had one problem with it, connections are fast and reliable and that's as much as anyone can ask from a modem. The unit is also flash upgradeable, so once the new V.92 standard is agreed, upgrading and getting a further speed boost should be no problem. If I had to point out a failing, it would be Creative's support with regard to this product...

FastShow 30.09.2000 · Read review
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Review of Creative Blaster Flash 56II External

Great modem

Advantages: cheap
Disadvantages:

...The World Wide Web offers businesses and families a range of resources no one could imagine only a few years ago. But to see the detailed graphics and lifelike motion built into today's most advanced sites, or to hear near-CD quality sound, computer users need the fastest downloads possible over analog phone lines. Now the V.90 U.S. Robotics? 56K Faxmodem gives users faster downloads for a more exciting, rewarding online experience. The ITU has now decided on an international 56K standard: V.90 . U.S. Robotics is the first V.90 -compliant modem brand available. So U.S. Robotics modem users can now get all the Internet they want from any service provider offering either V.90 or x2 technology. Internet service providers in more than 11,000 North American cities (and worldwide), including America Online, CompuServe, IBM Global...

helloimmike 20.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of 3Com Sportster 56K Fax Modem V90

Best Modem

Advantages: reliable
Disadvantages: None

...What an excellent modem, it is reliable and practical. I recently acquired the 3COM US Robotics 56K Modem as a gift and it is quite some present. Being an external unit it is easy to transfer it between machines, my laptop or desktop, this has saved me the necessity of buying 2 modems. The software with it is adequate to run your computer as a fax machine but is a little limited. Connection speeds vary from service provider to service provider but the 3Com seems compatible with all ISP's I have tried, previous modems have disconnected spontaniously from some ISP's, this modem however seems able to cope well with drop out or poor line gain. Neat and compact in appearance this modem requires an external power source so you'll need an available 13am socket. A good all round modem, not too costly....

jonwhite 22.11.2000 · Read review
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Review of U.S. Robotics 56K Voice Faxmodem

I miss my 56k modem

Advantages: Fast, reliable, cheap !
Disadvantages: No time left for the family

...!!! Like hell I do !!!! I signed up for the xtreme2go package currently on offer, with a £19.95+VAT signup and a "free" USB modem (Speedtouch 330 USB) The normal monthly cost is £23.44 all in, so it`s already in the "budget" end of the market, yet makes no restrictions on use. There's NO: cap on transfers p2p blocking You get: speed (I see 60.1k/sec down most of the time) binary newsgroup access I'm gutted I didn't sign up with these guys earlier, but then, I suppose the costs might have been higher, and I would have had to buy my own modem... OK, down to the nitty gritty... Ordering Pipex ADSL - very impressive - order placed without difficulty, and the modem was delivered shortly afterwards. I was due to go "live" on a Friday, but was already live on the Monday, so I had almost an extra week of surfing...

phoenixbbs 21.03.2003 · Read review
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Review of Pipex

What exactly is a modem

Advantages: reliable, fast connection
Disadvantages: quite expensive

...on the line. Try not to use too long a telephone extension cable. If you need 10 metres buy a 10 metre extension, DON'T use two 5 metre cables. Don't take as gospel, what Windows says your modem speed is. Above 52K is telling lies. Check out www.windrivers.com where they have a way for you to test your modem speed. Modem speeds are always referred to as 56K or 33.6K BUT that is kiloBITS not kiloBYTES. 56 KiloBITS = 7 kiloBYTES (approximately). Hope this is a help....

cjkace 15.04.2001 · Read review
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Review of U.S. Robotics 56K Voice Faxmodem

better connections in the UK

Advantages: easy to install, bets modem to use
Disadvantages: bit more expensive than normal modems

...I have had many months of poor connections or even lack of connections and engaged tones, that was until I bought an external 3 COM [previously US Robotics] modem. The modem was a good 20 pounds more expensive than all of the other types of model I would usually buy. Well it is the best extra money I have ever spent. I suddenly found myself conencting to all of the ISP's that I couldn't in the past. I was sure it was them, but it was my orginal modem. I even changed the old modem back to see if it was a lucky day or sometihng, but still had problems with the old modem. The 3COM modem is the best modem you can buy for a PC....

zig3d 19.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of USRobotics 56K Message Modem

Avoid Softmodems at all Costs!

Advantages: Cheap.
Disadvantages: Unpredictable and unreliable connection. Needs high specs.

...This is supposed to be a review of the Lucent Winmodem chipset, which wiggles its way into internal modems everywhere, but it is also a review of softmodems in general. Please, for your own sanity, avoid softmodems at all costs! This means any internal modem that is not specifically mentioned as a 'hardware modem'. The Lucent, Conexant, Motorola (especially Motorola), and a handful of generic modems are more useful in the garbage then they are in your PC. Why are they such crap? Simple. These modems are 'soft' because they are missing one or more of the crucial (and expensive) chips that allow the modem to function. Instead, they use software and your PCs processor to do this. This allows PC manufacturers to save a lot of money on the included modems (softmodems cost as little as £5). Great, expect the software (drivers) that...

Vistaway 12.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Lucent 56K PCI Win Modem