External Modem Recomendation 3987

That is exactly when "high end performance" *is* an issue!

You've just described, above, the fact that your line is not "perfect".

You're on some kind of cable carrier. It doesn't necessarily cause low data rates, but one particular network topology will do exactly what you described. The telco is not selling you an inferior voice line, has not guaranteed you a great data line, and isn't technically wrong to have an atbreastude... but it sure as Hell isn't good customer relations (generally it isn't very good engineering either) to snub their nose at people that way.

(If you aren't aware, the Dilbert cartoons were originally based on the telephone industry. Dilbert, Walley, and the Pointy Haired Boss are all very typical of how telephone companies have *always* been! Obviously Dilbert is still alive and well in many telco's.)

I looked at both the past month of items that sold, to get an idea of what they were selling for, and did a search on what is being offered now. Most of them were going for $15-20 dollars, and there was just a pile of them available. (As I noted before, even if you get cheated twice before you find a good one, it would still be a bargain!)

Aside from the modem... if you'd like some discussion of possible ways to "improve" your telco, that might be productive too! How many lines to you have to your home? Have you ever managed to talk to anyone other than a clerk or manager at the telco (a tech or an engineer)?? How far from the telco are you, as far as cable goes? And most important, does *anyone* in your area actually get better data rates?

The significance of all the above is that there are commonly several different network topologies available (but sometimes not). Yours appears to be on cable carrier that is configured for a "universal" interface (meaning it goes back down to analog and is hooked to a real telephone line on the telephone switch). That's bad. But if they also happen to have a few direct cable pairs (not great, but maybe better) or if they've added more lines and some of them are provisioned with an "integrated" interface (fully digital right into a digital interface, instead of analog, on the switch), you may be able to either sweet talk them into putting your line onto the better equipment (or trick them if they are recalcitrant).

However, I lived for many years with a line just like yours; it was not possible to make it better, and if it had been they would have gladly given me the best line available. There is no guarantee. (I worked for a long distance company that was owned by the same parent company as owned the telco. I knew all of their tech's and engineers, and often helped them with any number of things. They tried everything I ever asked them to... but in the end, a 4 mile cable run just won't get it.)

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