*BSD News Article 56905


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From: Robert Sanders <rsanders@mindspring.com>
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc
Subject: Re: Reliable Modems for ISP Service
Date: 13 Dec 1995 04:14:59 -0500
Organization: MindSpring Enterprises, Inc.
Lines: 32
Sender: rsanders@interbev.mindspring.com
Message-ID: <87hgz5xr3g.fsf@interbev.mindspring.com>
References: <4akqf4$521@nfs1.pe.net>
NNTP-Posting-Host: interbev.mindspring.com
In-reply-to: dleslie@pe.net's message of Tue, 12 Dec 1995 21:04:49 GMT

On Tue, 12 Dec 1995 21:04:49 GMT, dleslie@pe.net (Dennis O'Day Leslie) said:

> I am in the process of evaluating several alternative systems to
> provide local dial up access to the internet.  I have looked at USR
> standalones, USR rackmounts, Ascend Max 4000, Microcom, and Multi-Tech
> modems.

We use digital USR Total Controls and we love them.  We've used
MultiTech rackmounts in the past (your customers will hate you) and
done some testing on Microcom rackmounts (mediocre performance).  The
USRs are definitely the best.  They're probably also the most
expensive.

The one problem we've had with our TCs is that the T1s delivered to us
by BellSouth are noisier than individual analog lines over copper!
The problem is that our T1s are part of a service called MegaLink,
which is basically a line side channel bank.  The upshot is that the
telco introduces two more analog<->digital conversions than necessary,
and the extra noise causes problems for the modems.  The USRs handle
it better than most, but it has been a continuing headache.

We have finally cajoled Bell into providing us with one trunk side T1
for testing, and the results are astounding.  Just about every one of
our problem users has reported a complete remission in his connection
problems!

If your telco will provide trunk side T1s, you probably won't find a
sturdier, more compatible modem than USR digital TCs.  If not, then
you won't find a sturdier, more compatible modem than USR analog TCs
:-)

  -- Robert