Dial Up Modems.

Can dial up modems degrade?
I have been using my U.S.Robotics 56K Faxmodem for years now and sometimes it seems to hang and not perform well in spite of having all current updates and correct drivers.
In fact tonight I got fed up with it , disconnected the thing and shoved it in the freezer for half an hour! After this it worked like a charm until it got warm and then went back to normal.
If it is worn out can anyone suggest the best external 56K going these days?
Thanks in Advance,
Harry.

 

i can't imagine it wearing out or anything so fast..., but as with all electronics, it will get old and ween off. there's one thing, though, and that's to just not fuss over it anymore; not worth the effort to make it work again no matter the problem.

unfortunately, i don't know any scottish stores, period. nor do i know any scottish price units... so i'll just say this: you can get a cheap external modem for 20EUR in the US, and a US robotics external one for about 40EUR in the US.

 

Thanks for quick reply, Strogg, methinks a replacement is best idea too.

So the kids don`t want shoes anyway!

 

Well, its quite likley that over the years little surges and brown outs from the exchange (happen a lot in rural places, and in some towns with older equiptment, good old BT!!) the components will degrade, perhaps causing it to hang.

Get a new one, they're pretty cheap.

Oh and Scottland uses the good old pound sterling just like england and wales.

 

Thanks to everyone for their advice.
I definitely think that it is time I bought a new modem , as it is going to be a very long time before BT gets round to putting broadband in rural areas!

Regards,
Harry.