External drivers req'd for SpeedTouch 330 on WinXP SP1?

I've ordered Virgin.net Broadband, and the recommended Thomson
(=Alcatel?) SpeedTouch 330 USB ADSL modem. Do I absolutely need to
install the accompanying CD, or will Windows (XP Pro SP1) recognize
and be able to use it on its own? I'd rather not install any more
software on my already quite slow system!

Thanks,

Michael Pavey

PS A search for past posts only revealed ones quite old, referring to
pre-SP1 XP.

Michael Pavey wrote:

> I've ordered Virgin.net Broadband, and the recommended Thomson
> (=Alcatel?) SpeedTouch 330 USB ADSL modem. Do I absolutely need to
> install the accompanying CD, or will Windows (XP Pro SP1) recognize
> and be able to use it on its own? I'd rather not install any more
> software on my already quite slow system!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Michael Pavey
>
> PS A search for past posts only revealed ones quite old, referring to
> pre-SP1 XP.

IIRC WinXP will install pppoE drivers for the Speedtouch, so you're
better off with the latest drivers you can find for pppoA. Hang on a
minute, didn't BT upgrade the network to function with pppoE?

On Mon, 03 Nov 2003 05:51:47 -0800, Michael Pavey wrote:

> Do I absolutely need to install the
> accompanying CD, or will Windows (XP Pro SP1) recognize and be able to
> use it on its own?

XP is likely going to install its own drivers from the XP CD to your
computer anyway, so you might as well install the proper Alcatel drivers
instead, and get better performance etc.

> I'd rather not install any more software on my already quite slow
> system!

If that is what you have been doing all along, no wonder your system is
quite slow.

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