External Modem Recomendation 3985

I think you've missed a couple of significant points. One is that not all modems are created equal. The inequality can be in any or even many of several different areas. "Just about any external modem will work" is only true for certain values of "work"!

The lightening problem applies to the Sporster model. I don't know that it applies to the Courier model. (Even without that, I wouldn't recommend a USR Sporster anyway!)

You'll necessarily have to compile support for a USB modem if your distribution doesn't provide it. I've only used one USB modem, and while it worked just fine, nothing made it stand out from the rest either.

Regardless of all other factors, the significant point is that the USR Courier is just about the best v.90 modem ever made, and you can get them on eBay for less that $20 each. The fact that it is an "old" modem just isn't significant. When one typically had to pay $200+ to get one, it made sense to think about whether that kind of quality was worth the extra money or not. But today you can have the best for peanuts, and therefore it makes no sense to buy anything else.

USR Courier modems have two qualities that are extraordinarily important. One is the superb diagnostics. One reason I have a USR Courier is because it was actually a great tool for testing long distance trunks! If you don't get the best connections in the world, it will tell you *why*. (Granted you may need to ask someone to interpret what it says, but it does provide the data.)

But most important, the Courier will provide more solid, higher throughput, connections over impaired lines better than any other v.90 modem. (It happens that a SupraFAX 288 modem with a v.34+ upgrade is the only modem I know of that equals the Courier in performance on seriously impaired lines. Of course, the Supra modem won't do v.90 and doesn't have the great diagnostics either.)

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