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MODEMS AND MODEMS What are the differences between the different types of modem, besides the price?
(Review by MS)

One of the components that almost everyone has to rely on is a modem to connect to the outside world. Modems are also among the components most vulnerable because they communicate with the outside via phone lines that are prone to proliferate lightning-caused voltage spikes. Else, a car hitting a telephone pole, can induce similarly detrimental voltage fluctuations. Moreover, just static charges can cause the demise of a modem whilst, most other modern PC components are relatively resilient with regards to those. In most cases, there will be no physically visible damage, further, the modem will show up in the control panel of Windows as functioning properly. If the Windows diagnostics are run, the modem will continue to show functionality, however, any attempt to dial out will be terminated with the message:

no dial tone

and a retry will show the next error message:

Port already open

Been there, done that at least 3 times more often than all other computer parts taken together that I have destroyed in my career.

As harmless as this sounds, the last message is the unmistakable verdict that one of the modem’s transistor-based internal switches has been fried, causing a closed circuitry to one of the little transformer coils and, before long, the modem’s own power supply will burn out. There is no chance to repair anything like this and the only solution is to take out the defective device and start looking for a replacement.

The offers are overwhelming, almost any office supply chain carries modems nowadays, some are expensive, some are cheaper, and some are really cheap. There are external modems, internal ones and even special modems for Windows. Then there are so-called Audio-Modem-Riser cards that combine sound and modem on the same card for a budget price.

What are the differences between the different types of modem, besides the price? Is there anything to look out for or is it just that technology has advanced to the point where the cheapest solution is as good as the most expensive. To make a long story short, there are differences and these differences can turn a PC into a nightmare.

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