The truth about Winmodems.

The short (and blunt) truth is: Winmodems are garbage. If your comuter has one, dump it, then go out and buy a real modem.

The long answer is this: Winmodems are cheap "imitation modems" designed to the lowest possible cost by reducing their component count at the expense of quality. By removing the computing power typically found in a "real modem" and depending instead upon robbing computing power from its host PC, winmodem manufacturers are able to market their low-priced and barely functional products to computer manufacturers looking to maximize their profits on low-end computers.

Generally speaking, if your PC came with a winmodem, you got robbed. We hope your winmodem cost you absolutely nothing, because that's exactly what it's worth. Any manufacturer who expects a customer to be satisfied with a $1000.00 computer containing a $7.00 "modem" is incredibly naive, unforgivably despicable, or mind-numbingly stupid.

I won't waste time trying to instruct you in ways to make your winmodem work, other than to tell you that if you're using a very powerful PC (say, with at least a 400 MHz CPU and 128 Megs of memory) by downloading the latest drivers from your computer manufacturer's web site, you just might get it to work. But don't count on that. If you're using a lower-powered PC, forget it. Here's why:

Since Hayes Microcomputing invented and marketed the first consumer modems in the 1980's, modems have always contained their own "intelligence" for connecting to other modems and transferring data between them. The internal components doing these jobs are typically given labels such as "data pumps" and "clocks", and all "normal" modems, regardless of speed capability, can "stand alone", doing all the work necessary without relying upon the PC to which they are connected. Using that "native intelligence", they merely accept data from and return data to the host PC, without relying upon any computing power from the host PC itself. This is by far the most efficient and practical way for a modem to operate - it's stood the test of time.

Unfortunately, a few years ago, as it became apparent that newer higher-powered PCs often "coast" for periods of time while using considerably less than their maximum computing power, sales and marketing types at modem manufacturing companies got the bright idea that perhaps they might be able to simply "take the guts out" of their modems, and rely instead upon the PC to which it is connected and certain functions of the Windows operating system to do most of the work. In that way, they could sell their modem for next to nothing because it contains next to nothing. Voila! Winmodem!

Alas, while on very powerful PCs with little else to do, a winmodem will work (sorta kinda, after a fashion), the fundamental notion is deeply flawed. Because data transmission between modems is highly time-sensitive, asking a PC to manage what would otherwise be done by an external hardware device robs that PC of serious resources needed to keep its own communications software operating (not to mention any other applications or processes which may also be running in the "background"). Typically, either that PC becomes so "preoccupied" with the housekeeping minutiae of the modem that it cannot find time to do its own normal functions (such as updating its display screen), or because it simply must do it's own housekeeping first, it's forced to ignore the modem for brief moments. This typically results in dropped connections or painfully slow data transmission (as evidenced by very slow web site page display and taking forever to download a file).

In other words, asking a PC to "impersonate" a modem is about as ridiculous as asking it to become a microwave oven. Both can probably be done, but in either case you'll find the results disappointing.

So ... to summarize:

1. Winmodems are a really bad idea. If you have one, get rid of it - pronto. If you are buying a new computer make sure it doesn't have one.

2. Visit any computer store (or on-line computer equipment vendor) and get yourself any normal, nationally-advertised modem (such as those made by 3Com, US Robotics, Zoom, or Boca).

3. Preferably, buy an external modem (one in its own box which sits beside your PC). An external modem has little "lights" which allow you to watch what's going on, thus making it vastly easier to deal with any data transmission problems you may encounter. With an internal modem, you're "flying blind".

4. Studiously avoid any "white box" modems lacking an easily recognizable brand name, and especially any lacking the manufacturer's name, address, customer-support phone number, and web site address - most such modems are cheap imports little better than winmodems.

5. In modems as with all else in life, you get what you pay for. A "bargain" modem is usually junk.

If you're running Windows (or any other contemporary graphically-oriented operating system), you should be able to easily "uninstall" your winmodem, and your new modem should be easy to install by following the instructions which accompany it.

2 Fords Network Remote Access Servers and modems will successfully communicate with all known nationally-advertised standard modems (and sometimes, even with winmodems - imagine that!). Thousands of successful subscriber dial-up sessions every day confirm this fact. So if you encounter difficulty with your new modem, contact its manufacturer for assistance.

While the help guides here on-line offer just about all we know about modems in a "generic" sense, we cannot begin to trouble-shoot any specific hardware device or software package. The techs at 2 Fords Network will do all they can to help you with any modem problems you have, but sometimes only its manufacturer or publisher will have the real answers.

Good luck with your new modem ... and bye-bye winmodem!