🚀 go-pugleaf

David Taylor <dtaylor@st.nepean.uws.edu.au> wrote in article
<01bbea3b$dbd28e80$19829a89@dtaylor.st.nepean.uws.edu.au>...
> Hello,
> 	I have been shopping for a new modem. I'm really looking hard at the
Hayes
> Total Gaming Solution modem. It comes with a Hayes ACCURA 33.6Kbps modem
> with DSVD, voice, fax, mailboxes and etc. If anyone knows if this is a
good
> or bad type of modem and if I should or shouldn't go with it, or you you
> just plain have an opnion, please reply by E-Mail.
> 			Thanks A Head of Time,
> 			Gary

What's the best modem? That depends on your needs.

A UNIX Programmer who uses his modem for a permanent link 24 hours a day,
seven days a week has different needs to someone who just wants to get
their email every few days.

Hayes modems are industry standard but my experience with Hayes has been
bad (no experience with the current models, though). Reliability is
exceptional, but they are very sensitive to line noise if you have an older
phone exchange and hence are prone to dropping out. 

I paid $450 for my Hayes Accura 28.8 some time ago (and it was a real
bargain at the time) but constantly experienced drop outs on my line. Dial
up sessions were lasting no more that 2 or 3 minutes unless I dialed in at
around midnight, when the exchange is not busy and therefore quiet. The
same computer and modem from the house of a friend connected to a digital
exchange meant that my connection lasted for around 6 hours continuous,
meaning that the problem certainly was not my PC or modem set up.

I replaced the Hayes with a $170 cheapie (an X-Link 336 external) and have
not had a single drop out in a couple of weeks, irrespective of what time
of the day I dial in. 

As for the cheapie modems: all have their supporters and detractors. Ask
Edge what they think of the KTX modem. Ask a Dynalink dealer what they
think of Dynalink. Ask me what I think of X-Link.

Generally, stick to the bigger brands like US Robotics, Netcomm, Banksia
(and a few others) if you can justify the expense. At the other end, if you
buy a cheapie, you can be in for trouble - but you can also be very lucky.

For reference, the company I work for used to sell Dynalink, but we had far
too many problems. We have now switched to X-Link and we literally sell
them by the carton. So far, a VERY small failure rate (only one or two
individual modems). As I said, I own one, and I am rapt.

As for the KTX - never sold one, no experience with them. Therefore I do
not care to comment.

Good luck with your search for a modem.

-- 
Murray Shields
murray@mu.com.au
http://www.musys.mpx.com.au