ADSL Modems : PCI vs Ethernet vs USB

or

"Why I would choose to buy a Pulsar ADSL PCI Modem"

End-users now have a wide range of ADSL modems to choose from. External ADSL modems use either an Ethernet or USB interface and are often supplied by the Telcos when you order an ADSL line. The Pulsar is an internal PCI modem, which gives it an entirely different feature set, and you need to order your ADSL line without a modem.

Many vendors recommend external ADSL modems as it is not necessary to open up your PC. This can be important for novice PC users, as can loading device drivers which is generally not required for Ethernet ADSL modems but is for USB and PCI. For experienced users who are happy to partake of this chore, there are some distinct advantages in going with an internal PCI ADSL modem.

Workspace Integrity

The Pulsar is an internal ADSL PCI modem card compatible with Windows and Linux. It is ideally suited to situations where a cluttered desktop is undesirable. No extra modem case, no power pack, no additional messy cables to pull from their sockets or inadvertently switch off. Installed inside the computer, it is a perfect match for servers and firewalls where users prefer robust, reliable, black box solutions.

The following image shows a Traverse MicroServa on the left with internal Pulsar ADSL modem installed. On the right is a small tower system with external USB ADSL modem and power pack.

Cost

• With an internal PCI modem, all you need is a free PCI slot.
• With an Ethernet ADSL modem you generally also need to buy an Ethernet card, as your local network will use up one Ethernet port.
• Although USB ADSL modems do not require this extra Ethernet port, USB is inherently less reliable than PCI and is more suited to home desktop systems than those which demand high stability.

Size

The Pulsar is the world’s smallest ADSL PCI card. It is tiny! At 44mm high, it is only 1/3rd the height of a standard PCI card. This means it will not only work in a typical desktop or tower PC, but it also fits neatly into the new generation of slim-line and set-top-box PCs, such as the Traverse MicroServa™. OEMs and other third-party developers will love this form factor. Yes, size does matter!

State-of-the-art Performance

The Pulsar uses the latest 2-chip solution from GlobespanVirata (USA) which gives the Pulsar its impressive performance, small footprint, low power consumption and high reliability. Some existing ADSL PCI cards now being dumped on the market use the older ITeX PCI ADSL chipset (ITeX have gone into liquidation). These include the Dynalink and the D-link DSL-100D ADSL PCI modems.

Consider the following issues with respect to ITEX modems (tests conducted 19 Nov 2002):

• ITeX chipsets have compatibility issues with non-Intel systems. For example our tests showed that the following CPUs and systems will not work (under Linux and W2K):
  • VIA C3 (800 MHz) and VIA Eden (533 MHz)CPUs
  • VIA mini-ITX motherboard
• Higher CPU load. The following tests were performed in a Pentium 150:
  • an ITEX modem will use 8-10% of the cpu when performing a 1.5Mbps download (a Pulsar using the Globespan chipset is 4-6%)
  • even when your ADSL link is connected but idle, an ITeX modem will use 2-4% cpu time (a Pulsar is <1%)

  

• ADSL is currently supported by Telstra up to 3.5 Km from a telephone exchange. It is planned to extend this to 5 Km in 2003. Between 4 and 5 Km from an exchange the Pulsar typically has 20-50% better performance than an ITeX modem (known as the ‘reach’).
  
  At 5 Km the downstream/upstream speeds, as measured with a Wandel & Goltermann line simulator, are :
  • Dynalink (internal PCI ITeX chipset) 864/320
  • Alcatel Speed Touch Home (external Ethernet) 832/352
  • Traverse Pulsar (internal PCI Globespan chipset) 1280/384

Is the superior Pulsar performance worth the small difference in price when compared to an ITeX modem such as the Dynalink or D-link ADSL PCI modem? We think so!

Even more important is support :

Comprehensive Support

Traverse Technologies is an Australian communications design company based in Melbourne. Our engineers provide comprehensive local support for Australian OEMs and end-users. This includes telephone and email support, 12 months warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Up-to-date Linux Compatibility

Traverse pride themselves on their Linux support. Compare this with the Dynalink PCI ADSL modem whose 2.2 Linux drivers are currently 5 versions behind, and their 2.4 drivers which are 17 versions behind. The Dynalink also does not support the PPPoA protocol eg. used by Comindico ADSL in Australia.