Donate SIGN UP

External Usb Modem

Avatar Image
brainiac | 10:17 Sun 04th Oct 2015 | Technology
6 Answers
I'm having to use dial-up at the moment (don't ask!) and the new laptop I've bought does not have a port to plug the lead from the BT phone socket straight in. I believe I need an external USB V.92 modem, sometimes called a fax modem. Does anybody use one of these with a Windows laptop, and do they work properly? I see Amazon has them, but I'd rather buy one in a shop so I can ask questions....!
Gravatar

Answers

1 to 6 of 6rss feed

Best Answer

No best answer has yet been selected by brainiac. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.

For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
What are you planning to use it for?
Surely not the Internet?
V92 gives a max download speed of around 56Kbs which (for most modern sites) would be unacceptably slow.
Also, there are very few ISPs who offer a dial-up connection (BT stopped offering dial-up in 2013). One that does is Freeola, http://freeola.com/dial-up-internet/
At 2p per minute that's like a penny a page!
Would you not be better off getting a 3G dongle?
Question Author
I'm planning to use it for dial-up connection to the internet via an 0845 number (which is free after 6pm with my land-line provider). This worked fine with my old laptop, but I didn't realise new laptops don't have the port to connect the phone line directly. Plenty of the USB modems, it seems, on Amazon, but I'd prefer to get one in a shop to check it's what I want, and so I can take it back if it's wrong!
Have you got a Maplin near you? They stock them, as do Argos.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/micronet-usb-v92-56k-modem-a13hh

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3057672.htm

They're pretty trivial devices, so I'd be surprised if you found one that didn't work.

Question Author
I have a Maplin and Argos not that far away, so I'll try there. Many thanks for your replies
Sounds like your old computer had a built in modem.

I take it you normally have broadband, but don't have it just now?

If this is only a temporary situation, could you perhaps ask your neighbours if you could access their wifi until yours is back up and running?
Question Author
No, I'm stuck with dial-up for now. You're right - my old laptop had a modem built in, but new laptops do not, hence my problem. Didn't think to ask before I bought it, but it looks like it's fixable with a USB external modem........ I hope so!

1 to 6 of 6rss feed

Do you know the answer?

External Usb Modem

Answer Question >>