modems in linux

[dovyman]

Well the main reason I use Win98 instead of Linux, (although I do have linux on my computer along with windows) is the internet... I live in a small town, and broadband internet isn't readily available.  So  I am stuck wit dialup.  Unfortunately like no modems work with linux, because they are cheap and use the processor to do a lot of the work, and  don't provide linux drivers to support this.  I am also 14 years old, aka, i don't have a whole lot of spare cash, and theres no way im spending $100 on a modem.  I looked around and there seem to be a lot of modems out there (external, i was told those would work with the regular linux modem drivers) but i don't know what to buy, I don't want a piece of crap.  Does anyone recommend any specific modems? Preferably less that $60?  And don't say go to linmodems.com, because I have been there, and it wasn't much help, except to educate me on the problem.

[Centurian]

Hey,

Go to Ebay and find an External USR 56K modem. You can probably find a good used one for $10 to $20 US dollars plus shipping.

[kinky]

winmodems (windows modems) are made for windows... now microsoft has used its mighty power to make you keep using windows...

there are many modems that work fine in linux

i was looking at http://www.mypccity.com/ and they sell a 3com they say works in linux for $42

http://www.mwave.com/ has a Smartlink modem that is Linux compatible for $38...

both are PCI internal modems

[Calum]

a winmodem seems to me to be half a modem, with the other half of the modem being emulated by a program (closed source, windows only). My sister got one of these, as she was owed a modem off an ex boyfriend who nicked her old modem, and he gave her a "software modem". She says it was shite even in windows, and she promptly bought a similar modem from the same company, but made sure it was a "hardware modem", so it runs independently of the OS, whatever it is, and only needs drivers. Apparently, the manufacturers' drivers don't really provide optimum performance in windows, whereas Linux autodetected it on install.

The main problem here is that a casual user, trying out a free UNIX for the first time, might assume that the winmodem not working problem is a unix problem rather than the fact that they have just been stiffed by somebody that wanted to seel them only half a modem...

[Mojo]

Oh such misconception about modems!

Loads of modems work with linux - when you come across a 'software'/'winmodem'/'Controllerless' modem it just means you have to put in a little bit of effort to get it working (downloading new drivers).

'Winmodem' + linux driver = 'LINMODEM'

You can get linmodem drivers for MOST of the winmodems available (e.g. Intel/Ambient HaM, PCTel, Lucent...) My cheap Intel MDHaM563x 56k v92 modem (

[Calum]

it was bound to happen, but as i say, proprietary closed source software is just an attempt at making, in this instance a modem, unusable outside windows.
Even if you can use a software modem with an nonwindows OS, as you say, it's not as easy as it would usually be, and you say there is sometimes (often?) a loss in performance.
I think i would rather have a real modem, but for those people who are not up for poking around in their own software, and there are a lot (and most use windows so won't ever have the problem), they will think this difficulty/loss in performance is a UNIX thing, and it isn't. it's a successful attempt by M$ to make other OSs look bad.

[Centurian]

Hey,

 

quote:Originally posted by Mojo:
Oh such misconception about modems!

Loads of modems work with linux - when you come across a 'software'/'winmodem'/'Controllerless' modem it just means you have to put in a little bit of effort to get it working (downloading new drivers).

'Winmodem' + linux driver = 'LINMODEM'

You can get linmodem drivers for MOST of the winmodems available (e.g. Intel/Ambient HaM, PCTel, Lucent...) My cheap Intel MDHaM563x 56k v92 modem (

[badkarma]

And software modems aren't necessarily better then hardware modems (on the contrary, with the fast pc's of today its a cinch to do the de- and modulating (pun intended   ) with software)

With some creative modem driver writing one could, in theory, vastly expand on the features as seen in hardware modems also (use a microphone to emulate a normal phone, make your own answering machine, the possibilities are endless)

[Master of Reality]

does anyone know where i could find drivers for redhat for a 3COM Homeconnect external USB modem?

the modem very recently became obsolete, and i cant get any drivers for it fomr their website.
my ISP gave me the modem when the hooked up the cable several months ago.
....Or i can find out what type my ISP is now providing and ask them for one. except i would like it to be USB, and the one their now offering (i dont think) is.

[Centurian]

Hey,

 

quote:Originally posted by Druaga:
does anyone know where i could find drivers for redhat for a 3COM Homeconnect external USB modem?

the modem very recently became obsolete, and i cant get any drivers for it fomr their website.
my ISP gave me the modem when the hooked up the cable several months ago.
....Or i can find out what type my ISP is now providing and ask them for one. except i would like it to be USB, and the one their now offering (i dont think) is.

Try
Google link

[Mojo]

The term 'winmodem' came from the first (to my knowledge) software modem - the 'Lucent WinModem'.

*duh*

[Centurian]

Hey,

 

quote:Originally posted by Mojo:
The term 'winmodem' came from the first (to my knowledge) software modem - the 'Lucent WinModem'.

*duh*

Back in the days of bbs's I had a rockwell 14,400bps software modem. It was built specifically for dos. It came with its own dos terminal program. As long as you used that terminal it was a screaming fast 14,400bps modem.
However if you used any other dos terminal such as Qmodem it worked as a regular 9600bps modem.

Under windows it worked as a 9600 modem (actually would usually connect at 4800 or 7200 under windows). It was definitely not a winmodem.

[Mojo]

I stand corrected.

[Master of Reality]

i had a modem for my commodore 64, cant remember how fast or if i actually ever used it. i also jsut happen to have a burnt out 9600, and a 14.4k modem that can run at 9600 for windows.