My new laptop does not have a phone jack. In the past I have needed to use dialup when I visited family who did not have a computer. I have learned that I can use a USB modem. My computer is an ASUS UL 80J windows machine. Anyone have any experience with one of those? Thanks, Jerry
The external USB modems work real good, better than the internal soft modems IMO The ZOOM Model 3095 V.92 USB is what most laptop users I know use http://www.zoom.com/products/dial_up_external_usb.html
Back in the dial up days, yeah...had setup a few of them. Zooms are good, also back then I liked the USR models ...going by memory, like a 5610 model or something. MultiTech also made good ones. Although, why not consider a EVDO card? Or a way to tether your laptop to your cell phone?
Thanks. I don't know what a EVDO card is. You are talking to an oak stump when it comes to the tech side of computers. It is likely that I will not need it, but just wanted to get something as inexpensive as reasonable in case. I'm not in to cell phones. I almost never turn mine on. Reards, Jerry
Those are basically little modems for your laptop or even desktop PC...which are, cellular modems. You purchase them through your local cell phone provider. Usually little USB dongles or in some models, PC Card or older PCMCIA cards for laptops. They piggyback on your cell phone plan. To sum it up, your computer uses the cellular modem similar to a dial up modem...except it's not using POTS dial up like your old dial up modem, but it's using your cell phone technology. Faster than dial up too! They have different pricing plans...from below a certain amount of minutes per month, to "all you can eat" unlimited plans. Depending upon how often you need to use this, it may or may not be economical for you. Or...may cell phones allow "tethering" a computer to them. Via a USB cable, or, such as I do, using bluetooth....you setup your computer and cell phone together so your computer uses your cell phone as a "modem". I do this a lot with my Blackberry phone. This plan may be more $$$ attractive for you, if your model of cell phone supports it. Granted you say you don't turn your cell phone on much (I envy you for that)...but if you need to use your laptop in such a location an XXX amount of times per year, this approach may be worth investigating. If your current cell phone does not support it, you may be eligible for an upgrade (free) for a model that does support it. Or even if you have to pay a little for the upgrade (say to a Palm Pre which has a wifi spot feature), it may be worth it versus going out and purchasing a USB modem and perhaps some DUN account with an ISP. Or even if you planned on using something like netzero...surfing via cellular can be more practical these days over dial up because of the increased speed.
Thanks for the explanation. I probably won't use my laptop away from home twice a year, and I have not had my cell phone on for a week. Your suggestions are excellent for someone who uses the laptop a lot elswhere, but I think a USB modem will suit my needs for now. Thanks again. Regards, Jerry
