MODEM HELP!

[old.D R E ad]

I have been playing over the internet now for about a year, but have never managed to achieve a ping less of than about 300. I have tried loads of games on loads of servers. I have tried just about every modem, connection and game setup tweak possible and i have also tried using about 20 various ISP's. Nothing seems to help much.
I'm now starting to think it must be my modem. Its a 56k v90, but its a real cheap thing (pctel i think) that came in my pc.
I'm just wondering if anyone here thinks a higher quality modem - like a 3com external USB - might be the answer. Has anyone ever used two different 56k modems in on the same machine with the same ISP and seen any real difference in perfomance?
Also whats best - external USB vs internal PCI?

One other thing, i have a ten meter extension lead from my pc to my wall socket which i know does not help, but it can't make that much of a difference - can it? my freind has 20 meters - but gets pings around 150 to 200 sometimes, which i can only dream about.

Thanks in advance.


DREad - 'Tactical Oops' Clan UK -

 

[kryt]

right : PC tel modems really are awful, that will almost certainly be the main problem you're having. You're best off with a higher quality internal PCI Hardware modem. USB uses software, thus relies on your CPU to drive it, which means for higher pings. PCI hardware modems are much, much better.
Extension leads CAN make a difference, it's hard to say as there are so many thousands of different cables varying in quality etc. Saying that, 10 metres isn't that long enough to cause that much trouble, Extension leads won't really affect your ping, more the packet loss (lag).

Hopefully that is of some help for ya chap.

 

[old.The_Stranger]

I whole heartedly agree with kryten

 

[old.KiD_neru]

Yeh,

Thumbs up for Krytens response;

I use a Diamond Supra Express 56e Pro external and get pings between 120 - 180 on a good server using a decent dial up such as Barrysworld. There is also an internal PCI verion available.

I also have an extension cable running from upsatirs to the telephone socket downstairs.

Suggest sorting yourself with a number of dialup accounts and testing your connections to the various Q3 servers out there to see which gives the best to each. All ISP's have their off days and it makes sense to give yourself some options.

Supanet (x3), Jolt, Madasafish, Games Inferno & Barrysworld all feature on my connection list.

 

[old.D R E ad]

Just to let you know...

I have been looking into this modem thing over the last few days and have found out that most USB modems are soft modems (winmodems), in an external case, and should be avoided unless you are 100% sure its pure hardware.
Most people seem to think the best modems are external serial ones, as they are almost certainly always pure hardware, and i have to agree. USB should make things better, but it seems most manufactures are just using USB to make really cheap external soft modems. The problem with PCI is its really hard to tell if they are hardware or software driven and most are part software/part hardware. It seems most retailers don't know either and that many manufactures don't like us to know to much.
I brought a Diamond Supra Max USB the other day thinking it would be as good as / better than the Supra Pro serial. Wrong! it seems that its another soft modem. I will be swaping it for a supra pro serial asap.
My advice - while softsmodems can be better for surfing, stick to good 'ol serial modems for gaming - prefrebly the Diamond Supra Pro 56e.

Cheers.