07-30-2008, 08:55 PM

Please see my Mac specs:

Can someone recommend a PCI or external modem for my b/w G3? I'm away from home base and limited to dialup for the next 3 weeks (and have been for the past 4).

My b/w G3 currently has the standard Apple V90 motherboard modem - and it's about to drive me up the wall and round the bend. It is ridiculously sensitive to the slightest line imperfection and may take as many as 4 or 5 attempts to connect, particularly authentication. If it hasn't managed by the third pass, I cancel/disconnect and try again.

We're currently in the midst of winter, and it is very wet, so water in the underground cables may be aggravating the problem, but it is not peculiar to wet conditions. Once things are connected and operating, line speed is good, as in 48000 - 49333 bps, but it's the time taken to connect, and the number of attempts to do so that are causing the frustration.

I see the solution as perhaps a third-party PCI card, or an external modem. What do the experts say?

08-01-2008, 11:23 PM

Make shure you do not have ext.phones on the same line as the Mac. Run a direct line to it. I think there is a update for that modem to fix some bugs. I use a Global Village external modem on my 8600. I think you still have a mini din modem port on a b&W, If its just USB, look on ebay for a USB or PCI Mac modem.

08-02-2008, 12:58 AM

Originally Posted by Mac SK

Make sure you do not have ext. phones on the same line as the Mac. Run a direct line to it. I think there is a update for that modem to fix some bugs. I use a Global Village external modem on my 8600. I think you still have a mini din modem port on a b&W, If its just USB, look on ebay for a USB or PCI Mac modem.

Thanks Mac_SK, I did what you suggested right from the start of the problems, because that's what the ISPs always recommend when you phone and report the problem.

It's more the behavior of the modem that is so irritating. I remember reports from way back about Apple modems and their problems. Not a good chip used in them or something. I had a GV modem with my old beige G3 but it's long gone. No modem port on this b/w G3, just the phone (and ethernet) sockets.

What's the hardware (firmware?) update to the Apple modem that you mentioned?

08-02-2008, 11:25 PM

I just think I read in Macworld or some Mac Bible about an update to fix modem problems in B&W's,Not shure, may still be in Apple archives. Do a Google. Look for a PCI or USB modem on Ebay, or look for another B&W modem:

http://computers.search.ebay.com/_Ap...sassZscott4744