# External or Internal Modem!



## kumarn_2004 (May 3, 2005)

I am using a Internal Modem. Somebody recommeds me  to use a External Modem to speed up the internet. Is it true? Moreover, what is the cheapest and best Modem that you recommend?


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## mail2and (May 3, 2005)

I don't think you can acclerate your net speed by using any special type of modem

a 56k extrernal modem will give you the same performance as a 56k internal modem

one advantage is while using linux. internal modems are really software-controlled and are designed for Windows. They have problems in detection in all the distros of linux.

Apart from that there is no difference


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## drvarunmehta (May 3, 2005)

Internal modem's are much cheaper than external ones. External modems may offer negligible speed advantages. Make sure you have an empty PCI slot before buying an internal modem. Cost should about Rs. 500 for a D-Link.


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## pradeep_chauhan (May 3, 2005)

I would recommend an external modem its a bit expensive but provides more safety and usability.


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## drvarunmehta (May 3, 2005)

pradeep_chauhan said:
			
		

> I would recommend an external modem its a bit expensive but provides more safety and usability.


External modems are not a bit more but a lot more expensive. But if you're using linux or have no free PCI slot, you can go for external.


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## LayZ (May 3, 2005)

Opinions may differ...but external modems do offer ever so slightly better speeds...but then there's more hassle with installation as well as turning them on and off...so i suggest that u get urself a conexant internal modem..


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## eminemence (May 4, 2005)

Internal modems may fry up the mobo in case of electrical disturbances(personal experience).
Also internal modems are more problematic to install than external.
If u want it for windows u may go for internal but if u plan to do it
for linux go for external.
Bye.
--eminemence.


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## tuxfan (May 4, 2005)

I would suggest an external one for 2 reasons.

1. They work better (at least that is my experience)
2. They work effortlessly with Linux (even Knoppix Live)

I have an external 33.6 KBPS in one machine and internal 56 KBPS in another. The 33.6 external works better!

External Dlink 56 KBPS comes for about Rs. 1550 at Lamington. Prices of internal ones vary depending on the brand.


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## godzi_85 (May 6, 2005)

hmmm external modems are better built then iinternal modem(Experience)
i have a i thnk 8-10 year old 33.6k modem.... and it still works great. whenever i use it i get constant speeds of 3.6kBps.. good nah??
also got a external 56kbps modem. again great speeds..
internal modem i always had problems...  never got reat speeds never touched about 5 KBps... i can do that with my external modem.. plus the built quality wasn`t good.  i gues i get em for free that` why!! lol


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## anurag_online (May 6, 2005)

Well this is only a pie to brain.... no difference in performance. buy internal and stick to it.


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## tuxfan (May 7, 2005)

anurag_online said:
			
		

> Well this is only a pie to brain.... no difference in performance. buy internal and stick to it.



I disagree. I have noticed differences in performance of external and internal modems.

But if you don't remain online for a longer time or don't download too much or don't use Linux then internal is ok. It just about does the job. But isn't as good as external.


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## anurag_online (May 7, 2005)

tuxfan said:
			
		

> anurag_online said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



PIE TO THE BRAIN


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## Charley (May 7, 2005)

External always better as it is less problematic. Internal is always risky.


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## FilledVoid (May 8, 2005)

I would suggest to go for an external one. The reason I went for it was the ease to configure it with Linux (getting an internal modem to work in Linux is a pain, or at least in my experience)


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## AlienTech (May 8, 2005)

I haven't noticed any speed difference between internal/external. Of course a lot of new internal modems are soft modems, so called because they use software to do the modems work instead of a dedicated modem CPU which most external modems have. Maybe that is the speed difference? I prefer to use external modems. I had my computer turned off when it started raining and soon after I heard a lightning strike close by, I turned on my machine later and it looked like the modem got fried. My network did not work and the modem made the phone go off hook all the time even with power off. So I had to get rid of the modem. If it was external only the modem would have got fried.

With 56K modems the speeds really depend on phone lien connections, the way they hook up the lines in India I am surprised it even works. Maybe if you get DSL then they will install better lines?? One of the main problems with countries like India is, the weather is very hard on infrastructure. It destroys wiring much much faster than in cooler countries or even sterile countries like US where I have never seen wiring falling apart.


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