For the record, here those modems which are working for me:

Elsa MicroLink 56k pro
SERENUM\ELS8318
Connexant chip
The "pro" device did just exist as an external serial port device.

Lucent Technologies Soft Modem AMR (AC '97 Notebook modem)
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2486&SUBSYS_10D110CF&REV_01\3&61AAA01&0&FE

Actiontec/Connexant PCI V92 Modem (PCI card for desktop PC)
PCI\VEN_14F1&DEV_2F30&SUBSYS_205D14F1
Connexant chip HSF CX11252-41Z 0828Y1JU

Agere USB 2.0 Soft Modem
USB\VID_047E&PID_2892

I dare say you're quite right, Moe. My ZyXEL experience dates from my
use of their 1496 external data/fax modem back in the previous century.

I had first learned of its existence -- and desirability -- in this
very NG way back before I ever acquired one, and its rock-solid
reliability seemingly outdid every competitor, even such worthies as
Trailblazers, ... .

While ZyXEL did keep pace with the increasing modem speed race up
into the various flavors of 56 kB/sec devices, they certainly saw
that stand-alone modems as a business were approaching a dead-end,
and therefore diverted their focus to other things, not always
providing the same attention to detail that had been their hallmark
in their earlier modem designs.

On Mon, 05 Oct 2009, in the Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.modems, in article
op.u1c0qqulo63xbg at (no spam) acer250.gateway.2wire.net>, tlvp wrote:

I dare say you're quite right, Moe. My ZyXEL experience dates from my
use of their 1496 external data/fax modem back in the previous century.

"previous century" - that's starting to make people feel old.

I had first learned of its existence -- and desirability -- in this
very NG way back before I ever acquired one, and its rock-solid
reliability seemingly outdid every competitor, even such worthies as
Trailblazers, ... .

That "Winmodems are not Modems" webpage I'm referencing from lists two
1496s - one with LCD display, one with LEDs. There has to be more
differences than that, as they have completely different (US) FCC-ID
numbers.

While ZyXEL did keep pace with the increasing modem speed race up
into the various flavors of 56 kB/sec devices, they certainly saw
that stand-alone modems as a business were approaching a dead-end,
and therefore diverted their focus to other things, not always
providing the same attention to detail that had been their hallmark
in their earlier modem designs.

Modems haven't completely disappeared, as there are still large areas
of the world where wide-band connections are simply unavailable, or
extremely expensive. I'm about 22 miles / 35 km from down-town, and
wide band took a long time to reach out this far. But again, there
are people who don't need wide-band, which is why about half of the
new systems I was looking at two months ago had built-in modems of
some kind.

Are there any USB-based true hardware-only modems to be had?

Cheers, -- tlvp

Moe Trin <ibuprofin at (no spam) painkiller.example.tld> wrote:

"previous century" - that's starting to make people feel old. ;-)

My apologies! But even 10-year-olds -- they're not "old", are they? --

hark back to the previous century .

That "Winmodems are not Modems" webpage I'm referencing from lists
two 1496s - one with LCD display, one with LEDs. There has to be
more differences than that, as they have completely different (US)
FCC-ID numbers.

Mine was the one with the LEDs. I never knew any details about the other,
beyond its being roughly twice as unaffordable as mine.

What's putting external modems out to pasture these days is the
computer makers' refusal to incorporate "legacy ports" in new
equipment, IMO.

All netbooks I've found have neither an inbuilt modem

nor the PCMCIA slot that my trusty 3Com/Megahertz 3CXFEM656C combo
56k + ethernet requires,

And the USB-to-whatever adapter folks don't seem to make reliable
USB/RS-232

or USB/PCMCIA-slot yet -- or I've found no such, anyway.

Are there any USB-based true hardware-only modems to be had?

big snip


Are there any USB-based true hardware-only modems to be had?

Cheers, -- tlvp

here is one.....

http://www.usr.com/products/modem/modem-product.asp?sku=USR5637

On Thu, 08 Oct 2009, in the Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.modems, in article
op.u1gyulvzo63xbg at (no spam) acer250.gateway.2wire.net>, tlvp wrote:

... [much snipped] ...
Are there any USB-based true hardware-only modems to be had?

3Com/USR 0525 and 5605, Allied Data SFM560-E, SFM560-USB and FMV560-E,
Zoom Model 2985L/2986L (and OEM models 1162L/1163L), Multi-Tech L56DV,
MD1625A and MT5634ZBA-USB Askey MagicXpress MX56VX-T1 (and OEM model
V1456VQE-T1), Digicom/ModemBlaster DE5670, Actiontec USB56012 Model
UM100, Easytel (Finland) TW-5614UL+USB and NetComm (Australia)
Roadster II 56 USB and AM5050R3 models - all from around 2005, and
there are more recent ones. It's not a dead world.

Old guy

On Thu, 08 Oct 2009, in the Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.modems, in
article <op.u1gyulvzo63xbg at (no spam) acer250.gateway.2wire.net>, tlvp wrote:

Moe Trin <ibuprofin at (no spam) painkiller.example.tld> wrote:

"previous century" - that's starting to make people feel old. ;-)

My apologies! But even 10-year-olds -- they're not "old", are they?

They are to the younger kids ;-)

-- hark back to the previous century .

Recent discussion among co-workers about broadcast entertainment -
yes I do remember listening to "The Lone Ranger", "Tom Mix", and
"The Shadow" on the radio in the 1940s

(I got my first giant 7 inch
/ 178mm table-top television in 1955 seven years after the family
got our first one).

Old? Who, me???

Meanwhile, I don't quite agree that printers are all ditching their
serial or parallel interface ports for USB -- certainly none of the
workhorse printers I use and love have done any such thing.

But I quite agree with the point you were really making, that newer
printers are being produced with USB ports only (or USB and ethernet).

And some of them get sold for less than a replacement toner cart for
my other old workhorse, an HP LJ 5L.

*-* Moe Trin wrote

Recent discussion among co-workers about broadcast entertainment -
yes I do remember listening to "The Lone Ranger", "Tom Mix", and
"The Shadow" on the radio in the 1940s

That brings back memories. In addition to "The Lone Ranger" and
"The Shadow",

I also remember listening to "Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy",
"Bobby Benson", "Green Hornet", "Sky King", and "Straight Arrow".

(I got my first giant 7 inch / 178mm table-top television in 1955
seven years after the family got our first one).

My family got our first television in 1952. Before that my
brother and I used to go to our next-door neighbors' house after
school

to watch the old western movies (starring Lash LaRue and Johnny
Mack Brown, among others) on "Hoss Opry Playhouse".

Old? Who, me???

Only as old as you feel.

On Fri, 09 Oct 2009, in the Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.modems, in
article <hamqt00vpk at (no spam) enews5.newsguy.com>, Ken Whiton wrote:

*-* Moe Trin wrote

Recent discussion among co-workers about broadcast entertainment -
yes I do remember listening to "The Lone Ranger", "Tom Mix", and
"The Shadow" on the radio in the 1940s

That brings back memories. In addition to "The Lone Ranger"
and "The Shadow",

``Who knows what evil LURKS in the hearts of men...''

I also remember listening to "Jack Armstrong, the All-American
Boy", "Bobby Benson", "Green Hornet", "Sky King", and "Straight
Arrow".

"Straight Arrow" - geez, I remember digging out the cardboard
separators from a box of Nabisco Shredded Wheat because they had
indian secrets printed on them - how to build a tepee, and your own
bow and arrow. My first attempt resulted in the arrow flying nearly
six feet (2 meters)!!!

There were quite a few shows - don't forget the cowboys who could
(and did) sing like Roy Rogers

and Gene Autry, and all of those
radio theater shows - "The FBI in peace and war" (brought to you by
Lifebouy soap... or was that Lava).

(I got my first giant 7 inch / 178mm table-top television in 1955
seven years after the family got our first one).

My family got our first television in 1952. Before that my
brother and I used to go to our next-door neighbors' house after
school

and after everyone had finished the homework and chores...

to watch the old western movies (starring Lash LaRue and Johnny
Mack Brown, among others) on "Hoss Opry Playhouse".

That sounds like a local program.

The afternoon shows were generally
films of some kind, until it was time for the kiddie shows, always
with some idiot dressed up as a clown with a red ball on his nose,
and showing the 1930s cartoons. Some of the evening shows I won't
miss, like Uncle Milty - but there were some innovators like Ernie
Kovacs

and Stan Freberg (remember "Time for Beanie" with Cecil The
Sea-sick Sea Serpent and Dishonest John?)

... [snip] ...

Well, hello from WNHC-TV in New Haven.