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Tim19PA

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Which type of modem is faster?

I was planning on buying a new modem and I was wondering what type of modem is faster: internal-PCI, external-parallel or external-USB?
Thanks
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sorgie
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According to what computer you have and what your intentions are as far as what you do on line, If your just a regular internet surfer that occasionly download stuff I would suggest you stay with a internal PCI. A name brand type will install pretty easily, be relible and inexpensive. External parallel work fine but you are still using a port that is not as fast as PCI bus, USB I"m not sure about speed they are really new.
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Otta

It really does not matter.

A modem can theoretically deliver up to 234000 bits/second,
while each of ISA, PCI, and USB can easily transmit/receive this small amount of data.

I don't ever remember seeing an "external-parallel-modem" ?!
Like Otta stated all will transmit data faster then the modem will reciece it (or send) but that is not the point, what you need to consider is the ease of hookup.
Internal is installed and if working OK then it out of sight and out of mind, this is fine
External serial port is always sitting there in the way BUT you can easily move this to another computer, can look at the lights to troubleshoot it if nessary, can turn it off when or if you want to, (this is my prefered modem)
USB is the same as external serial but can be hooked and unhooked under power with no hard, and machine will find after installed without reboot.

the internal is usally the cheapest, external serial is more expensive, the USB external is usally the most expensive (and hardest to find I bet)
If money is not a problem then go with the USB external modem!

OK so I like the external modems, he did ask for opinions
I would say PCI v.90 modems are the fastest. As ISA modems run off 16-bit ISA slots but PCI modems run off 32-bit PCI slots. there goes one difference. PCI modems allow datas to be transferred faster than ISA modems. As for the difference between external and internal modems, like rayt333 said, is that you can move external modems easier than internal ones.
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gaggio

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> PCI modems allow data to be transferred faster than ISA modems.

Interesting theory, but given that either modem could be "talking" to the *SAME* modem at the "other" end of the dial-up connection, it won't make a practical difference.

Certainly, a PCI card is faster than an ISA card.  But, since the "bottle-neck" is between the modem-to-modem connection, even an ISA modem can transmit data to the ISA "bus" as fast as it can receive the data.

Compare it to driving a Ferrari or a Skoda during "rush-hour" traffic.
Certainly, the Ferrari is capable of going faster, but, since the road is so congested, that difference makes no difference to the speed of your driving.