What is the difference between a hardware modem and a software modem?
A software modem (aka Winmodem) is a modem that can connects to your PCI slot and uses Windows to do all it’s main functions. It uses your computer to process the data that the modem receives, which can slow down your downloading times and raise latency. A hardware modem can either connect to a PCI slot or connected to your computer via serial/USB. Hardware modems have their own on-board controllers, so your computer doesn’t do as much work. Hardware modems normally provide better compression of downloads and lower ping times.
