I've been looking at my old modems wondering whether I will ever need them again, I expect others are in the same boat.

Are modems of any use in retro-gaming or is it really just if you are on dial-up for the internet?

ratfink wrote:

Are modems of any use in retro-gaming or is it really just if you are on dial-up for the internet?

I've been wondering the same thing. I often see boxes full of modems on ebay going for $0.99 and no takers, ever.

Heh, out here in the backwoods, *ALL* we have for Internet access is dialup (miserable at that). Cell and satelite service is too pricey, and not that reliable.

As far as modems, the cheapy ones on Ebay and other places are what I term "a dime for dozen modem(s)"... a good one (for us miserable dialup folks) is an old external serial US Robotics 56K, and will function much better and smoother than the "dime for a dozen(s)". Those things (USR external) are still pricey though.

I managed to get a free USR Performance Pro PCI modem a few years ago. I know about one person who still uses dial up so I've been building up a supply of unwanted modems. I recycled all but this USR beast. I'm saving it for if I'm ever trapped with dialup again. 😁

Eww dialup. That's so archaic that I would rather shoot myself than go back to, at least for Internet access. I did run a 28.8kbps dialup BBS for a couple years in the mid-90s which was pretty fun, but I had started exploring the BBS scene with a 2400bps modem around 1991 so it didn't seem so slow for that purpose.

Hehe, I guess I spoke too soon; I just scored this one for $15.60 (new in a sealed box) -> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem … em=200537674915 ... "Prime Peripherals V.90/56K Fax Modem Model 5RJTAI-35500", YER OUTTA HERE! 😀

swaaye wrote:

I managed to get a free USR Performance Pro PCI modem a few years ago. I know about one person who still uses dial up so I've been building up a supply of unwanted modems. I recycled all but this USR beast. I'm saving it for if I'm ever trapped with dialup again. 😁

That modem is top-notch. All of my USR modems have been either ISA or the external that I used to have (lost due to lightning), but when I was thinking of something to replace my ISAs that I've used throughout the years, I considered that one.

The ISAs I had always got great rock-solid connections with. When I lived down in Miami, rock-solid 53,333 BPS connections 😀 Anyhow, the Performance Pro was my second choice, when (about a year and a half ago) my current PC has no ISA slots.

BTW, check the retail $$$ of that modem of at USR's site... DEFINITELY worth holding on to 😀

HunterZ wrote:

Eww dialup. That's so archaic that I would rather shoot myself than go back to, at least for Internet access. I did run a 28.8kbps dialup BBS for a couple years in the mid-90s which was pretty fun, but I had started exploring the BBS scene with a 2400bps modem around 1991 so it didn't seem so slow for that purpose.

Hehe, ahhh... the good 'ole local BBSs. Been surfing the BBS's well before Al Gore 'invented the Internet', started at 1200bps 😀

But yeah, dialup is miserable, escpecially our connections out here in the sticks. On a good day, 49k; on a bad day 45k; bit they'll be a bit more reliable with that USR that I bought 😀

I am having a hard time remember just what USR modems I've had but I know I've at least had an external 33.6 serial model. I think I also had an ISA internal 56K..... I went from a hand me down 2400 baud to a Digicom/Eagle 14.4k (a Prodigy deal!) to 28.8/33.6 to 56k. I never was able to get 56k working though because I was stuck on some analog lines.

Seems so long ago!

I ran into an external USR Courier in a junk box when I was in college. I couldn't resist taking that and playing with it for a bit. I managed to upgrade it all the way to the latest standards. I think it may have been v.90 only, not v.92 though. v.92 has some extra fancy compression to it and I don't think the Courier could handle it.

Anyway, I know that 99% of today's modems are all software based. I bet it doesn't matter much anymore. I remember dealing with the first Winmodems though and those would really murder a top-end Pentium II's performance with the modem processing overhead.

I don't know that I ever used a Hayes or USRobotics modem. I briefly used a 1200bps external modem, then used the crap out of a 2400bps external. My memory is foggy after that, but I think we may have jumped straight to a Motorola Surfer 28.8kbps external (ran my BBS on this), then I got my PII-450 with a 56kbps internal (probably a winmodem; all I know is that it never, ever got 56K connections, ever).

swaaye wrote:

Anyway, I know that 99% of today's modems are all software based. I bet it doesn't matter much anymore.

HunterZ wrote:

with a 56kbps internal (probably a winmodem; all I know is that it never, ever got 56K connections, ever).

That's the difference of a hardware modem (such as the USR internal ISAs and the serial externals) and a software modem... IM(not so)HO, software modems (winmodems) are PURE CRAP$HIT. They _never_ will attain the speed (or stability) of a hardware modem.

@Swaaye,

I forget offhand which model of USR ISA modems that I had (0469? something like that?). I've had four of them, and they ROCKED as far as speed, stability, and compatibility (with modem-to-modem games and such) 😀

Heh, if my current rig had an ISA slot, one of those would *definitely* be in it right now... that is, if I could actually find 'em <grin>.

Could it be possible to network using those old modems? I also got a pile of them (older and newer) and just can't find an excuse to go mess with them!
Maybe a few older games could be played on 2 computers via a modem instead of over a lan?

Tetrium wrote:

Maybe a few older games could be played on 2 computers via a modem instead of over a lan?

I'm assuming that you're not refering to simply dialing up with usual two phone lines? If not, here's a little something that I typed up EONS ago on the long-since gone Action Games Forum on Compuserve.

Note that the following assumes a hardware (and probably a jumpered ISA) modem (such as the USRs that I mentioned previously).

------------------------- Forum : Action Games Section : Hardware Q&A Subject : Modem Direct Connection […]
Show full quote

-------------------------
Forum : Action Games
Section : Hardware Q&A
Subject : Modem Direct Connection

To : ALL
From : Rich Nagel/Assoc. Sysop [72672,1450]
Created : 02-Apr-1998 , 03:20:00
Message ID : 264609
-------------------------

Hi Folks,

Has anyone ever experimented with connecting two PCs together via modem with only a phone wire connecting the two line jacks together? I've been playing around with this with some decent results. You take any phone cable, connect the line jacks of the modems together, go into any communications program and type:

ATZ (on both PCs, you may have to do this a few times to get the modems to respond)

ATX1 (issues a Hayes command that causes the modems to dial and answer without actually having to detect a dial tone or a ring)

Then, on one PC type:

ATD

and on the other PC type:

ATA

in that order. Note that you may have to type ATA a few times if the first attempt at handshaking isn't successful. If all goes well you'll have a direct modem to modem link 😀

I have tried this numerous times with success and have been able to send files back and forth. I also have even been able to connect Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, Falcon 3.0, FlightSim 4.0b, and Terminal Velocity like this using a communications program that will allow you to exit it and still hold the carrier. After establishing the carrier, exit the communications program (like I said, it has to be one that will hold a carrier after exiting it), then (using Doom as an example) start up the Death Manager and select "Already Connected". Works like a champ everytime 😀) Talk about a clean connection <G>.

I have even tried this with the two modems in question connected to the regular (single) house phone line. Keep in mind, this will tie up the phone line, but the connect still works. The modems seem to ignore the droning dial tone (and then, the "beep-beep-beep-beep" like you get when you have left a phone off the hook), and hold the connection. I guess the newer error correction modems just filter out these signals.

BTW, this works in Windows, but in Windows 9x you'll prolly have to restart in DOS mode in order to connect to play any DOS multiplayer game.

Have fun!

Rich Nagel/Assoc. Sysop
-------------------------

I rigged up a null modem connection via serial ports before. But I never thought of hooking two modems directly together. 😁

But I never thought of hooking two modems directly together.

Well, really though, why would you have thought of such a thing? Considering that a null-modem cable gets you just as good results with a bit less hassle...

Actually null modem is 115,200 bps on 16550 UARTs so it's much better!

But you need to buy/build the null modem cable (or serial cable adapter) to do it. On the other hand, almost everyone had a modem ready to go back then.

swaaye wrote:

I rigged up a null modem connection via serial ports before.

That was my main PC-to-PC staple back in the day. Lots of DOOMing, DUKEing, various other games, as well as transfering files to customer's PCs 😀 Heh, built up my own, was about 30 feet long <grin>.

Old Thrashbarg wrote:

Well, really though, why would you have thought of such a thing? Considering that a null-modem cable gets you just as good results with a bit less hassle...

swaaye wrote:

But you need to buy/build the null modem cable (or serial cable adapter) to do it. On the other hand, almost everyone had a modem ready to go back then.

Eggsactly 😀 A (extremely long) phone cord was next to nothing, but a store-bought (or longish homebrew) null modem cable could be a bit pricey back in the day. Heh, I still have (and occasionally use) my old null modem cable, as well as my parallel communications cable.

Nevertheless, as far as even initially attempting a modem-to-modem connection; Why did the chicken cross the road? Why did the guy climb Mount Everest? ...who the hell knows! 🤣!

(edit) The old memeory fades, but now that I think about it:

I think the original goal was to get smoother PC-to-PC multiplayer gameplay on several of my customers' PCs that only had 8250 UARTs (instead of 16550 UARTs) for their serial ports. They all had decent 56K modems (which have an onboard 16550 UART), which results in a faster connection (verses a null modem cable connected to 8250 UARTs).

I have an internal hardware modem somewhere, I think it's PCI. I remember hunting it down to use with linux, as getting winmodem drivers was a hassle with that OS.

I've done null-modem before. It's easy to set up and potentially faster than going through modems.

Simulating a telephone network to a degree required for modem-to-modem connections would probably not be worth the trouble.

rfnagel wrote:

Hehe, I guess I spoke too soon; I just scored this one for $15.60 (new in a sealed box) -> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem … em=200537674915 ... "Prime Peripherals V.90/56K Fax Modem Model 5RJTAI-35500", YER OUTTA HERE! 😀

Just received my USR5686D in the mail... considerably better connections than my crapola "Prime Peripherals" mentioned above 😀

Heh,

1AT$DUMP#5RJTAI-35500$IN+THE+GARBAGE+CAN <CR>
2
3Interpreted response: OK!

<grin> 😀

Anyone want an old PCI 56k modem? AFAIR, it has some Rockwell chipset. It was a gift, I never used it.
Whoever wants it, will have to pay the postage, though. If i look in my boxes o'spares, might find another one.
How bout that? get yer free modems, 2 for the price of one!