USB Modems

Why are USB Modems generally considered to be naff?
I realise you can only connect one PC, but if that's all you want to do will
they still provide the same speed?
I wouldn't have thought the USB would be a bottleneck for a 512k connection.
I realise it won't have a firewall, but can live with that by using software
firewall.
Are there any other problems related to USB Modems?

All things considered I will probably change to an ADSL router one day, but
surely for a first-timer to BB the USB modem is ok?

On 19 May 2004, Nigel uttered the following:

> All things considered I will probably change to an ADSL router one day, but
> surely for a first-timer to BB the USB modem is ok?

USB modems can throw up problems - driver conflicts, slowdowns etc. 90%
of the time they're fine for single Windows machines.

--
Using a stunt person is like going on vacation and asking someone else to
make love to your wife while you're gone. -- Harrison Ford

1. there power requirements, not all motherboards provide enough power for
them. Some need 500ma to work when most motherboard USB ports delivery a
maximum of 400ma, some are worse and need 700ma

2. added cpu load to the host pc.

3. disconnect / reconnecting issues
- have a ICS network via one and you cant disconnect until the lan is
closed.
- if loosing a connection or loosing sync to the exchange, sometimes only
method to reconnect is rebooting the Host PC

4. drivers usually buggy

On Wed, 19 May 2004 12:55:25 +0100, in uk.telecom.broadband "Nigel"
<(E-Mail Removed)> strung together this:

>Why are USB Modems generally considered to be naff?

Because they generally cause more problems than they're worth.

>I realise you can only connect one PC, but if that's all you want to do will
>they still provide the same speed?

Technically, yes. Depending on your system spec though a USB device
such as a bus powered modem can drain your system resources and slow
down your whole machine, but not the net connection. It will seem like
the speed is slower because of your machine, this is only a worst case
scenario, but I wouldn't use one.

>I wouldn't have thought the USB would be a bottleneck for a 512k connection.

It's not, see above.

>I realise it won't have a firewall, but can live with that by using software
>firewall.
For a single user machine, that'll do. If you were setting up access
to two or more machines a router with a decent built in firewall would
be far better.

>Are there any other problems related to USB Modems?

Other than that they slow down your machine, and in quite a few cases
make them stop altogether, no.
>
>All things considered I will probably change to an ADSL router one day, but
>surely for a first-timer to BB the USB modem is ok?
>
If it works, for a single user, then yes. But even then an ethernet
modem\router is far better.
--

SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

>Are there any other problems related to USB Modems?
>

I have just changed from USB to a router (Belkin) and ADSL Modem
(D-Link) because the USB connection was forever breaking. Very
frustrating when downloading large files.

I am no technician so can only go off what others say (it is something
to do with the USB connection being dependant upon the PC and
therefore is not absolutely stable - thus there are breaks in
communication even if the actual signal on the ADSL line is constant).

I am pleased to say that my new set-up is rock solid and I am able to
attach 4 PC's to run at the same time on Broadband, if desired.

The only complications I had were with the Belkin Wizard which
repeatedly reported that it had been unable to do 100% configuration.I
kept putting in the information and eventually I checked at the ftp
site and found I was actually connected.

KM