# New computer question



## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

First, let me say I'm computer illiterate. I view them like I view a car - I just want to drive, I don't know how to work on them.

That being said, my situation is this: DH got me a new computer for Christmas. It's HP Pavilian. I'm on dial up and this thing doesn't have a modem. What's up wth that? Can I take the modem out of my old computer and make it work? The old computer is a emachine 733i and it says the modem is a HSP56 MR.

What does the modem look like? Is this something a simpleton can do?


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

Prob. not. The fittings won't be the same. You might be able to go to radio shack and buy a modem. Are you out in the country? Your phone company prob. has dsl available for around the same price as dial up. I would look into it.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Well, not too far out (sub-suburbia). I'm just too cheap to spring for $60/month cable.


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

I understand where your coming from. The DSL from your phone company generally runs around $30.00 a month. Dial up is around $20.00? You will be much, much happier with the DSL. I keep telling my neighbors the same thing, but they adamantly stick with dial up, and complain about how it ties their phone line up, and things take hours to download. lol


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

suitcase_sally said:


> First, let me say I'm computer illiterate. I view them like I view a car - I just want to drive, I don't know how to work on them.
> 
> That being said, my situation is this: DH got me a new computer for Christmas. It's HP Pavilian. I'm on dial up and this thing doesn't have a modem. What's up wth that? Can I take the modem out of my old computer and make it work? The old computer is a emachine 733i and it says the modem is a HSP56 MR.
> 
> What does the modem look like? Is this something a simpleton can do?


You will find that MOST computers dont have a modem. The HP is most likey a desktop computer and your old machine is a desk top as well. You should be able to move the modem card IF you have slots free in the HP. You will need to load drivers for the mode since the HP will most likley not have any on them.


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## lharvey (Jul 1, 2003)

It is possible to move the old modem to the new machine if:::

1.) There is a slot available in the new machine
2.) You can find the drivers for the old modem from the manufacturer.

It may be quite a chore finding Windows 7 drivers for that modem or Vista if that is what the new machine is.

Some of the old hardware manufacturers did not write drivers for the newer operating systems. This is especially true of modems that are now not a mainstream piece of hardware.

Staples has a Sterling 56K modem for around 50 dollars but does NOT support Vista or Win7


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

suitcase_sally said:


> Well, not too far out (sub-suburbia). I'm just too cheap to spring for $60/month cable.


Just depends upon the phone company, but frequently DSL comes through phone wires and allows telephone use while on the computer. Cable not needed unless the phone company doesn't offer it.

Generally the phone company provides a modem that will connect to the phones and the computer and I'll bet your computer will already have the connection for it built in.

Not trying to talk you into something, only informing you that it comes over phone wires.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

HP sells modems, go to their website and find one for your model number computer. or go back to where ever he bought it from. If you don't want to do the work yourself (its really easy) you could take it into a computer store and have them get it all set up for you. It will be a card that fits into a slot on the mother board and the exterior of it will have a phone plug jack that you plug your phone cord into. Whichever card your phone cord goes into is the modem.

Modems are optional these days as most people are on DSL/Cable/etc. Your husband should have asked.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

You can go get a USB Modem then no worries about putting in cards etc. Just plug it into the USB Port.
Yes most new computers now don't have built in modems any more because of DSL being used. Just like most new computers no longer have the "Floppy Drives" any more.
Times have changed.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

If it is a pci modem card and your new computer has an open pci slot, then you are ok far as that goes. Next trick as pointed out is whether there is a driver for your new computer's operating system. Big consolidation in modem manufacturers as dialup slides slowly into oblivian, so lot of orphan modems. And even current modem manufacturers may not make newer drivers for their own older models. Much more profitable to sell you a new modem.

I would recommend a usb modem, but most you will find in store are cheapo crappo software driven models. There are hardware usb modems that dont need special driver. But they are hard to find. 

My workaround is that I use an old hardware external serial modem. New computers dont have a serial port. However there are serial to usb converter cables. You want one with PL2303 chipset (either made by Prolific or a clone of their chipset). This should have driver built in any modern operating system. If not for sure there should be a easily findable driver. Just looked and yes there is a driver for vista and 7 available. I know its been natively supported under linux for years and years. The other common WinChipHead chipset, ch341, is hit or miss if you can get it to work and I doubt it even has driver for anything beyond XP though newer linux kernels now sort of support it.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Well, although he is a whiz a building hot rods, computers is not his thing.

Here are the particulars to this machine:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...c=us&objectID=c01892906&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

Windy in Kansas said:


> Just depends upon the phone company, but frequently DSL comes through phone wires and allows telephone use while on the computer. Cable not needed unless the phone company doesn't offer it.


It much more complex than that. While the wires are the same the DSL has lots of distance limitations that often limit DSL access to rural users.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

suitcase_sally said:


> Well, not too far out (sub-suburbia). I'm just too cheap to spring for $60/month cable.


Try calling your local phone company and see if they offer DSL in your area. You have to have a switch within a few miles of your house (I think the limit is 17,200 or 17,600 feet which equates to roughly 2.3 miles or something).


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

DSL is limited like Kung says--we are at the outer limits of access with our phone company's system, and they wouldn't guarantee that it would work--had to connect and see (although if it didn't work we wouldn't have gotten charged for it, they said). Our other option would have been subscribing to cable, and they don't want to just sell you computer access, but the whole package of TV channels etc for a lot of money. I think that DSL added about $10 to our average phone bill, but our dial up had been free through work, but was dropped because so few people used dial up any more.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Well, bad news. I contacted the phone company and DSL isn't offered here. I didn't think I was that far out in the boonies. I can just imagine what it's going to be like when I do move to the boonies.

My neighbor got cable (I think) a few months ago. I'll have to talk with him and see how he likes it.

If I get cable, do I still need AOL (ISP)?


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

suitcase_sally said:


> Well, bad news. I contacted the phone company and DSL isn't offered here. I didn't think I was that far out in the boonies. I can just imagine what it's going to be like when I do move to the boonies.
> 
> My neighbor got cable (I think) a few months ago. I'll have to talk with him and see how he likes it.
> 
> If I get cable, do I still need AOL (ISP)?


Your cable company will have its own ISP Provider. No need to even consider aol that is a lost puppy that is about to go down anyways, now they are a separate company again I can't think they will be around much longer.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Yeah, forget AOL. Personally, if I had the choice between cable or DSL, I'd go with cable. It's theoretically a bit faster than DSL.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

suitcase_sally said:


> If I get cable, do I still need AOL (ISP)?


 No, you would not need AOL.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Yes AOL is on its last gasp for air. Can't seeing them last very long at all now.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Well, I contacted HP and they gave me information on a USB modem. I can get it from them for $40 or many other places for as little as $21.

I still think I will consider the cable.

Thanks for all the help, guys (and gals - everybody is a "guy" to me!)


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

I would absolutely consider cable, especially if it's not terribly expensive. The cheapest dialup you'll find (that's decent) is probably $15 or $20. I estimate cable will be anywhere from $40 to $55.

So for 2.5x the price, you'll literally get hundreds to thousands of times more speed.

As far as AOL goes, AOL is both what I'd call a 'web portal' and an ISP (internet service provider). An ISP's primary job is to provide you with access to the internet. A web portal gives you all sorts of information. Most ISPs do provide both web access and a web portal (for instance, I have Windstream DSL, and their 'web portal' is www.windstream.net). Some of the cheaper ISPs have a crappy web portal - or none at all - and just give you internet access.


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## OntarioMan (Feb 11, 2007)

Cable companies often offer different "packages" based on speeds. Here, its called "Internet Lite" - which is the slowest, cheapest package. Its around $20 per month and about 5x faster than dialup modem.

Hate to say it, but Internet via 56k modem is getting more and more useless everyday - you really do miss out on much which the Internet has to offer. I watch TV, live sporting events, watch instructional videos, etc. etc. Ya can't do that on 56k. Even the size of software updates, patches, service packs etc. are now so large that geting them on a dialup modem would take almost forever.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

You are absolutely right. I can't watch any videos, go to any Facebook-like sites or download music because of the speed thing.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

suitcase_sally said:


> You are absolutely right. I can't watch any videos, go to any Facebook-like sites or download music because of the speed thing.


If you really wanted to watch something like on You tube.
Just start the video and then put it on Pause~! It will continue to load as you do other things. Come back later after it has "loaded" and then view it.


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