3Com U.S. Robotics Faxmodem 56K Analog Modem (005687-02)

the 3Com/US Robotics line of modems has long been known to be the standard all other modems must attempt to live up to. They have always been the most reliable, the fastest, and, well, the most expensive.

All that needs to be said about them is that they are worth their weight in gold. That little bit of extra cash you pay will easily make up for itself in the time you spend trying to get another modem to work as good as these babies. If you take in to account the faster download speeds and superb compatibility of the 3Com modems, they will always come out to be the #1 value.

The setup process on these modems is simple. They are plug-and-play compatible and they come with a giant poster that details every step of the setup process. This is one of the few computer components I've bought that installed without a hitch. Very simple, I've installed it at least four times (due to new computers, re-installing windows, etc) and it has caused a single conflict yet. I've also run it under Linux and Unix without a problem, it is easily configured from both, even by unix newbies like myself.

Once you get it in, it works like a charm. It connects at speeds higher than any other modem I've tried (I've been through about 3 other generic ones) and it rarely drops the signal. I get great, consistent download speeds without those long pauses often associated with error correction that isn't working so great on cheaper modems.

Another important feature is that this modem has some of the most onboard functionality out there. (read: NOT a winmodem) This means it uses very little CPU power to run. So, for example, if you're in to online gaming, this is the one for you. You can run all the processor intensive games just fine and without any slow down on this bad boy.

All in all, its a great product that is well worth the price. If you've gone through all the no-name brands and are pulling your hair out, pick up a 3Com 56k and end your worries.