Ok. I've just discovered that my internal modem is what you call a winmodem it uses software rather than hardware to work.

What I want to know is are all external modems hardware and are there any external modems that a newbie should stay away from?

The vast majority of external modems are not winmodems but some are. The majority of internal modems are winmodems but many aren't. As far as specifics, it would be too many too enumerate. US Robotics is famous for winmodems, but makes some hardware modems; Lucent is a huge winmodem name. It's very much model to model, though. Look for a modem and either find a dealer you trust or find out the product and do a web search - if it comes up clean, buy it. Picking the right ISP seems to be as much a trick as picking the right modem, though. *grumble*

Nope.

I have a external 28.8 winmodem lying around here somewhere. basically, its the same winmodem wrapped up in nice plastic - still makes software do all the work.
; )

First of all, ask yourself if you need a external modem. They are usually more expensive, but also usually have more bells and whistles. I have a internal US Robotics that I'm using right now - and I'm very pleased.

So I can still have an internal modem, if I can find a hardware version Good I would prefer that.

It sounds to me like it's going to be hard work trying to find a hardware modem, especially an internal one. I don't suppose you know of any Linux websites that list compatible modems?

You can have an internal software one, as long as someone's made some linux drivers for it
Example, http://www.mbsi.ca/cnxtlindrv/ releases drivers for my Conexant modems.

yea, www.linmodems.org

you can generally find linux drivers for
motorola, conexant, lucent and pctel winmodems.
you could buy one of each of those for a about the
price of a single full hardware modem. the lucent
winmodems may be the easiest to setup, and
have more hardware based functions on them then
the other winmodems. the hardware based ones
are much easier to setup though. I miss isa slots.

http://www.idir.net/~gromitkc/winmodem.html

is linked to on that page, and has direct access
to the drivers.

I have a US robotics on my isa slot.
the motherboard is for a P3.
; )

......I am using internal PCI Zoom v92 3025 (Win)modems with the Connexant Linux driver from www.linmodems.org with RedHat 8 and SuSe 8.1 and both work a treat!

I have also used the same driver with SuSe and the most horrible internal £15 ($20) modem made by nobody I have ever heard of and it also worked!

Who needs Window$ to use Winmodems!!!!

This would be a decent deal for a linmodem
in the US.

56K LUCENT


$8.49/ea
$7.99/3+


56K V.92/90 Internal Fax Modem Lucent Chipset PCI

To take it back to what constitutes a software modem and what constitutes a "real" modem,...

A real modem has a Digital Signal Processor built into the device. A software modem does not have a DSP. A DSP is basically a data pump. Software modems rely on the CPU to shuttle the data back and forth.

Most Externals are true modems (external serials that is, not nec. the truth for USB modems), but a few are not. Most internals are cheap "winmodems". Some are not.