[waynf]

I have been shopping around for dial-up modems on internet and have come upon some that are designed for connection to lap-tops via USB ports. Would these be usable on platform(or desktop) pc's. At the present time I have a modem card in my pc but needs to be replaced.

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I would replace the card rather than use a USB modem.

Are you sure the modem is bad? Have you tried uninstalling then reinstalling it or reload the driver?

[Ztruker]

I would replace the card rather than use a USB modem.

Are you sure the modem is bad? Have you tried uninstalling then reinstalling it or reload the driver?

[waynf]

I will give you a history of my modem problems. Three years ago I had installed a Trendnet® modem card which windows identified as Agere, but due to a hurricane and lightning strike my dial-up speed dropped by 50% so I assumed the modem got cooked. I couldn't find one immediately at various pc outlets, so I took one out of my older unused Windows 98SE pc which was an Intel Supramax 56i. That is the one i have been using but the performance is running at 60% of what the Trendnet was. Last year I noticed that my speed had dropped from 34.6kbps to 33 at the best of times. Today it is currently running at 33.2 kbps but it usually runs as low as 28.8 or sometimes even 26 which i find intolerable and not useable.

I have re-installed the Supramax 56i, but to no avail. Now whether the original Agere modem was damaged from the lightning strike, or if some part of the operating system which handles the modem was damaged, I dont really know. Due to the age of the current modem, I don't think I could find a driver for it, but you would be more knowledgeable with that. Hence, my search for another dial-up modem.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[waynf]

By the way, I did once re-install the Agere Trendnet modem, but never did anything in regards to the driver, but it was to no avail. The Trendnet dial-up modem(prior to the lightning strike) was giving me a speed of 46.8.

[Ztruker]

Try a new PCI modem then. Lots still available: cheap 56k pci modems