|
Cool Mac Gear• iPod Video • iPod nano • iPod 1G-2G • iPod 3G • iPod 4G • iPod Mini • PowerBook-iBook • Garageband |
I finally found something I don't like about my iBook -- its modem, which I understand to be a so-called software modem, one of Apple's means of cutting the price of recent Mac models. Several weeks ago, I ran into problems trying to download a Mozilla beta. The download would commence, but the modem would disconnect about half an hour later. After three abortive attempts, I switched to the Pismo, which brought Mozilla down with no problem. I didn't give it a lot more thought until this past weekend, when I needed to download a 41 MB golden master of an application I can't tell you about for a couple of weeks yet. The same phenomenon I had experienced with the Mozilla download repeated. The first try lasted about thirty minutes before the modem dropped the connection. I tried switching to the V34 modem script in OS X, instead of the default V92 script, which some have suggested as a workaround for users on slow, dial up connections to increase connection reliability. Still no joy. The download quit about 45 minutes on. Could it be an OS X issue? I recalled that I downloaded the 81 MB OS 10.2.4 combo updater with the iBook -- a 9.5-hour marathon that went off without a hitch -- but I was booted into OS 9.2.2 at the time. I restarted the iBook in OS 9 and tried again. Things went better, so to speak, but the connection died with a maddening 40+ megabytes of the file downloaded. I had been using iCab, which I usually find very reliable for software downloads, but I decided it might be worth trying an FTP client, since I had an FTP URL for this particular file. I started up Vicom FTP Client (Classic version). Once again, the connection got dropped after the first half hour or so. However, Vicom FTP Client happily supports resumaable downloads, and was able to pick up where it had left off. I eventually got the file successfully downloaded in four connection attempts. I could have course of course switched to the Pismo, or my old UMAX S-900, which is a rock of dependability with its 33.6 bps Global Village Platinum Modem. However, I wanted to establish that I could get along with the iBook alone if had to. Suffice to say that I am not a fan of software modems. I almost never get dropped connections with the Pismo or the UMAX, so the blame cannot be placed on my dial up ISP, pathetic as it is. The iBook is the first computer of dozens we've had here where this issue has materialized. There have also being a lot of iBook (and other recent Mac) serious modem problems reported associated with OS 10.2.4 and 10.2.5. Some users report that modems in their iBooks refused to work after installing 10.2.4, or that the modem will connect but neither email applications nor browsers are able to connect to remote services or websites. However, I'm still using OS 10.2.1 on my iBook, and as noted, moving into OS 9.2.2 did not solve the problem, although the modem did seem somewhat more tenacious been hanging onto connections in the Classic OS. This is not a trivial issue for people who depend on their computer as a work tool, have no backup computer, and no access to broadband. With a PowerBook, one could resort to a PC card modem, but the iBook has no PC card slot. A USB external hardware modem would probably work, but I have no experience with them. My suggestion would be for Apple to go back to real, hardware internal modems. Les Jones of 56K.COM says: "When you buy your next modem, you could innocently buy a software-based modem, not realizing the limitations of what you're buying. " Apple is now using software modems in some Mac models. Jones notes: "Software-based modems use fewer chips compared to traditional modems. The work normally done by the missing chips is transferred to software running on the host computer's main processor (the Pentium, PowerPC, etc.). ... "There are a number of flaws in the soft modem concept. In all cases, your host computer has to do more work to make up for the modem's lack of hardware. One RPI modem user reported slow transfer rates and dropped connections until he upgraded his PC from eight to sixteen megabytes of RAM (which improves performance in Windows).... "
"In general, I recommend avoiding HSP modems. Get a good old-fashioned modem with all of its chips intact. Nothing else offers the same level of reliability, compatibility, and performance." Check out the full report at:
For more information, also visit:
Grab From Chris Long Hey C: It's Saturday afternoon -- cold, gray and rainin out. I'm playin' w my iBook. I'm in OS9 again, just for fun/nostalgia/speed ... MAN, what a diff! I'd gotten used to OSX's 5-30 second 'delays' when I'd click on sumpin ... this OS9 is a ROCKET! I'm still a huge OS9 fan. That's it. Living in the past again, C
Hi Chris;
Yeah, the speed boost is breathtaking on my Pismo too when I switch from OS X back to OS 9 for something or other. I haven't got FAX software working satisfactorily in OS X yet, so I occasionally have to boot back into OS 9 to send a FAX.
However, the speed difference is not nearly as dramatic between OS X and OS 9 on my Quartz Extreme-supporting iBook. OS 9 is still faster, but it's pretty decent in OS X.
Charles From Richard Lynch Thanks for the article on Grab on OS X. Saved me from getting another Snapz license (which I believe i was told would be for life when I first got it...not just the life of my OS). The only addition I would make to that article would be to add that the Grab preferences can be found in the Grab utility (which can be opened from the Utility folder) under Preferences in the Grab menu. I had a tough time finding it as I assumed it would have been a System Pref...I ended up searching on Grab and having the Help open the utility. Granted, I am new to OSX and don't navigate it well yet. On the other hand, I'm a 15+ year mac user... In any case, it helped a ton. You'll see the book (Hidden Power of Photoshop [X]) in the stores around October. Richard Lynch
Glad the article was helpful, Richard.
Charles
The OS X Odyssey archives may be accessed here: Note: Letters to Moore's Mailbag may or may not be published at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context. Opinions expressed in postings to Moore's MailBag are those of the respective correspondents and not necessarily shared or endorsed by the Editor and/or Applelinks management. If you would prefer that your message not appear in Moore's Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published. CM
Page: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 |
| ||||
|
| ||||||
