External/internal modems

This isnt so much of a security related topic. I ordered an external modem today and I was wondering what some of the advantages and disadvantages of using one are. I need it to connect my linux OS to the net. Thanx. Peace.

I think that internals use more resoruces than externals

lekt0r, it IS security related ;)

One of the advantages of an external modem is that you can keep an eye on the LEDs, thus preventing malicious websites (there's no need to go into detail here, is there?) to disconnect your modem and reconnect it to an obscure foreign number...

I don't even know of any disadvantages... unlesss if it's a winmodem...

Which would be more preferable, an internal or external modem?

Internal modems are known as Winmodems. They use more software than hardware to connect. This is all fine and dandy when you're playing around with Winblows Operating Systems but once you decide to get serious and install Linux you'll find that your modem doesn't work.


There are a few patches around to try and rectify this problem but as Im only a Linux newbie it seems rather complicated. It's much simplier to just buy an external modem. Not only to you get the benefit of being able to run it under both Linux and the inferior Windoze but you get all those pretty little lights flashing on your desktop. Those pretty little lights can come in handy if want to tell if your modems "hanging" or if you've been disconnected etc..


So always stick with an external.......

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Internal modems are known as Winmodems.

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Sorry, that's not completely true. What determines whether it is a winmodem or not depends on whether it uses hardware or software to do the digital to analog conversions. Winmodems rely on software to do this. non-winmodems have a hardware DAC on board. I have an internal modem (pci Callwaiting modem made by ActionTec). It is NOT a winmodem.
Hope this clears some of the misconceptions up.

Happy Hacking

I've made a test using internal and external modem (same speed 56k). The result, external modem more faster than internal modem. I don't know why. But I prefer using external one because I can watch all the incoming and outgoing bytes by LED blinking.

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Originally posted by gaxprels


Sorry, that's not completely true. What determines whether it is a winmodem or not depends on whether it uses hardware or software to do the digital to analog conversions.
Happy Hacking

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I stand corrected. I just assumed that all internals were Winmodems. I have only ever dealt with Conexant internal modems and all of these types of have been Winmodems.

I'm using a Zoom 56K and I can usually connect at 50-53K every time. We have another computer that had a US robotics 56K external and most of the time mine connected faster. I don't think that it bothers it too much if its internal or external.

Internals also take up a slot in the computer that could be used for something else. It just depends onwhat your perference is.

All you need to know to make most lame winmodems work in linux

http://www.linmodems.org/

[email protected]

I heard years ago when I was in high school that internal modems were faster than external because it took external longer to transfer data to the computer from the modem, but I personally have no experience with external so I don't know.

I heard years ago when I was in high school that internal modems were faster than external because it took external longer to transfer data to the computer from the modem, but I personally have no experience with external so I don't know.

That wasn't true. Bytes receive and send are travel at a speed of light. Thus, what make internal and external modem different in speed is internal modem really depend on computer resource to work while external work independent without using any computer resources. It just receive data, demodulate it from analog to digital and send it to computer. Curently I'm using US Robotics 56k Message Modem. I really impress with it performance.

I have used all internal modems and they have worked fine on my systems. (Yes, running WinCrap, as they Linux groupies call it.) :D

But having external modems do have their advantages, such as seeing when data is being transferred and such. So I guess the question is, do you want everything in the box of the comp or not? :)

External modems when outdated also make handy cup holders and door stops. 70 % of internal modems are winmodems now.

Though some of the new USB modems are also winmodems.

Beware of the winmodem.