Modem Page

Most likely you're using a modem to view this page right now.  The modem is what hosts the communication between your computer and the computers you are connecting to over the Internet.  If you're on a network, then you're using a network card (ethernet card most likely).  A modem uses your phone line to transfer data to and from the other computers. 

What To Look For:

• Look for modems that support either the K56 Flex protocol OR the 56K protocol AND are upgradable to the V.90 standard.  Better yet, get a modem that already supports the V.90 standard (and doesn't need to be upgraded).  I'll quickly define all these terms.  K56Flex and 56K are two different formats for transferring data over a modem at high speeds.  They were competing, but now the two companies have come to an agreement on a standard format, called V.90.  Not all modems are upgradable or freely upgradable to this standard. 
  In general, you may want to get a modem that supports K56 Flex as it will work better if you don't have clear phone lines.  My 56K modem won't connect at high speeds because my phone line is not very good.  Of course, make sure it supports V.90 on top of that. 
  You could just get a slower 33.6 modem, but the price gap is so small that it's not really worth it. 
• Internal modems are usually a little harder to configure than external modems, so you may want to consider that.  Of course, external modems take up more space, etc. 
• If you want it to be able to carry voice or speakerphone, look for one with those capabilities as well. 
• I would also advise avoiding most small name companies, since many of them will be low quality and unreliable (I know from experience). 

Recommendations:

• 6/16/00 Update - With all the movement towards Cable and ADSL, dial up modems are about to become a thing of the past.  Thus, don't expect to see too many new products.  Recommendations below still apply for those unable to get a faster connection type. 
• In my opinion, the best modems are 3Com/US Robotics' Sportster modems, but  they are somewhat expensive.  Again, make sure the one you are getting is a V.90 capable modem. 
  3/1/00 Update- The 3Com/USR FaxModem Pro External remains my best pick for modems.  This one has always had good connection speeds for me and can be used as serial or USB.  USB actually works faster for me too.  One negative to be aware of though - 3Com has not released drivers for this to work in USB mode with Windows 98 SE or Windows 2000 (serial can be used though).
• You could also consider some of the cheaper K56 Flex modems, but I don't have any recommendations, except one called ThunderLink that worked fine for me, but they're hard to find. 
• Another good buy is Diamond MultiMedia's SupraMax 56K modem that supports voice and uses the PCI interface (which I consider a plus since ISA will not be around much longer).  It's a cheap modem and is good quality. It is a WinModem however, which means it will only work in Windows.  It also requires a lot of CPU time to use.  I only recommend it for budget machines.