Date: Thu, 07 Sep 1995 08:04:27 +0200 From: "Christophe Fiorio, LIRMM 67-41-85-78" <fiorio@lirmm.fr> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: modem (results) Message-ID: <199509070604.IAA04496@lirmm.lirmm.fr>
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Some time ago I asked a question about what 28.8K external fax modem
use for a PPP connection with FreeBSD. Her are a resume of the
responses I receive :
The most used (no doubt, many more responses as the others) is :
USRobotics 28.8 sportster
behind we have :
USR Courier
Microcom DeskPorte FAST 28.8kbps
I was suprised to not receive any response about the suprafaxmodem. I
forward you a post found in comp.dcom.modems about it. What do you
think. Really nobody use it ?
Subject: SupraFaxModem 28.8 Best all-around modem - comp.dcom.modems #58578
In article <DEGsCK.5y3@midway.uchicago.edu>, dkakanov@midway.uchicago.edu (Dana Akanova) writes:
|> I am sure that I will get a lot of opposite answers to this post, but
|> I must say that after trying out several modems, I have come to the
|> conclusion that the Supra is the best all-around modem. The things
|> that I was looking for were the following:
|>
|> 1. Connect Display (LCD or LED-as in Supra) showing current connect
|> speed and protocol
|> 2. Caller ID
|> 3. Flash ROM
|> 4. Asymmetric Rates
|> 4. Good Technical Support
|> 5. Wide User Base
|> 6. Reliable fax compatibility
|>
|>
|> The modems that I tested were:
|>
|> 1. USR Courier V.34 External with 7/5/95 rom (the latest)
|> 2. Supra 28.8 V.34 External with 1.202 rom (the latest)
|> 3. Practical Peripherals PC288LCD with the 2.62 rom (the latest)
|> 4. Microcom DeskPorte Fast V.34 External with 3.3 rom (the latest)
|>
|> As for the modems, the USR was nice, especially with the 33.6 speed
|> (which I actually got at times) but I found my self missing some kind
|> of Display on the modem and Caller ID. Sure the modem has a HS led
|> but that's for all connections >2400 bps. Now come on, nowadays only
|> anthing greater than or equal to 14.4 should be considered high speed.
|> Sure you could do an ATI6 command, but you can't do this if you are
|> using a slip/ppp connection in Win95. Win95 only reports the initial
|> receive speed, which of course could change later on and you wouldn't
|> know it. Also, I've heard on FIDOnet that the USR's with the 7/5/95
|> rom has some problems connecting with some fax machines. I am sure
|> though that this will be fixed with another flash rom version. But
|> until then, what are people supposed to do? I tried looking for old
|> flash files, but couldn't find them.
|>
|> As for the PPI modem, it's greatest asset was the hugh LCD screen.
|> However, on Compuserve, tons of people are having problems with using
|> WinFAX Pro 4.0 and other fax programs with the 2.62 bios. PPI says
|> that they will have a fix soon, but until then, people can't fax
|> reliably. Also, since the PPI modem does not have flash rom, you have
|> to contact PPI, tell them everything about your modem, wait for them
|> to send it out to you, then you have to open your modem ... I think
|> flash rom would be beneficial here even if it would raise the cost of
|> the modem. Another thing is that the PPI modems do not support
|> asymmetric rates (If there are PPI people out there, both Calvin and
|> Stan on Compuserve have confirmed this). One last thing, what's
|> going to happen to PPI/Hayes? That lifetime warranty won't do you any
|> good if the company doesn't exist anymore.
|>
|> As for the Microcom modem, I was just overall unimpressed with the
|> modem. It doesn't tell you on the LCD whether your connection is
|> V.34 (although I guess you could guess that by the connect sounds) and
|> after you're connected, how do you know what the asymmetric speeds are
|> (assuming the modem does support this feature). The at\s command only
|> shows one speed -- I assume the receive speed. Also, this modem does
|> not support Caller ID just like the USR. I guess you could get the
|> DeskPorte Fast+ and pay all that extra money for that feature if you
|> really wanted it, but no thanks. The modem is expensive enough as it
|> is.
|>
|> Which brings us to the Supra modem. It supports all those features
|> that I listed, although people here will of course note that the flash
|> rom does not change the DSP. Well, ok. Other than that, it does do
|> pretty well as a modem overall. It has the LED display which does
|> tell asymmetric rates, the protocol used, and even when there are
|> errors in transmission or receive. Also, their support here on the
|> net is good and tons of people have them (which kind of adds force to
|> getting Supra to do something if there is something wrong). The modem
|> of course has Caller ID and even has the ability to answer the phone
|> and tell if there is a fax machine on the other side (I'm not talking
|> about adaptive answer here but Silent answer). I think the only other
|> modem with this ability is the Zyxel (which I haven't tried yet, but
|> their upcoming Supreme model looks good but I expect that to cost
|> $$$--even more than a Courier. Heck the Elite 2864 already costs more
|> than the Courier). The only down side FOR ME (you of course may want
|> to add things here) are that when testing these other modems, it was
|> noticeable that they all had higher throughput rates than the Supra on
|> 28.8 connects. Things did seem to go faster. I am sure that there
|> will be many who say that this is the most important feature, and
|> that's okay. But for me, I wanted to have those other features as
|> well.
|>
|> Well, your comments are welcome. Please don't flame me as I am only
|> expressing my humble opinion. Yours will differ and that doesn't mean
|> either one of us is wrong. One last thing, I didn't try the Motorola
|> Power modem just because it doesn't have a display. The display to me
|> is very important (why? I guess I am just a visual person who likes
|> to know what speed I am connected at).
|>
|> Thanks for your attention.
|>
|> David Jenks
|>
|>
Christophe.
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@ o o @ (v o)
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Christophe Fiorio | out of Berkeley: LSD and BSD UNIX.
email: fiorio@lirmm.fr | We don't believe this to be a coincidence.
http://www.lirmm.fr/~fiorio | - Andrew Bulhak (acb@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au)
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