On 23 Oct 98 at 22:47, pfankucj wrote:

> I will soon install an internal modem in my sister's 486DX-50 to
> provide her with internet access.  Is there any reason to not get
> a V.90, 56Kb modem?  Is the bottleneck still the modem when the
> computer is that old or is there something in the computer that
> would prevent using the 56K modem to it's fullest advantage?

  An awful lot of internal 56K modems are "WinModems"; these use
driver software to perform some of the tasks that a modem has to, and
so (a) they work only witrh Windows, and (b) they typically specify a
minimum of a Pentium 133MHz CPU, in order to be able to suck up
enough CPU cycles in the driver without cutting into foreground
application processing.
  IF you can find an internal 56K modem that doesn't work this way,
go for it.  But if the price sounds too good to be true, it probably
is....

David G

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